Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-10-18

I--4s * Stss tsss-ssz es>ciSfsifs efsn toe
rsgSi rearing al lsr sssn yeuag life
.-rsaa'r 80 whes war ytsznss, dlsiis : have
po traiss to RIA 10 them DAYS stead o ssasni
ut is,sisz a s.Siniiln and a-kniftin ssd a-eo,nin
", lu-.iaf IsFs44er At f-ss4iis' Sundays bat-
Prsarls-r : ias, Ssh aal'--aisi soc gave .
ss.h. sm aetssal sigh, zith suggestion o.
fes.4i,ss III il.
Il -5,s..I I'd uas- him Hlsks up TO u,s--
ir,s,s--'s..sIss-- t.ss1aws never cared a snap
for h.s,.--rlsesa kI,csvei he was inarri-i
,-,r-., ssa.a ..sAs Was foolisi' nue. whsn they
aaii IL. Towel Us hos he'd be pleased 70 make
nav '1rn;.,s.pscr a, the nssetif'- amt forgot
how they steszi 'roulsd s-sniggesia' At me
vhet, wafzs,. aut q the house WHEN dinner
tls,,r c,,,,,... and 3sosis.r Siuhts he said. Low
u,e To ,sis~eat nsy wife. Miss Brsrnf sakss
aIiyel but ,Islsi'E ! r'sr Lack fueet.sile and
say a. how was keen 10 niaes t!as wife .
s..h a good i.sn- They is-vsr knomed was
a disass1inie-l woniatl l come right home
and pot this tere foolishHe-s down IN this
tr71ns. and its been hers ever since vowed
IA never v ear il, and amt done IL
This was "a near an affair OF the heart a
Mis- Polk t III ever been- Her life being al
WAYS a ls,s,rl one, and hard even In youth. =
rough -i,eiI hal closed her within IL, until ies
u-sr@,sr- toa,i find the traces OF tender
woulans heart in aDything she did
The only approach TO a sentiment 10 whtch
she INDUCED Was her devotion to the church
OF her fofetsthers her remedies AMI her frw
rersaaai .gs-t- The latter st- often locked
over and talk II TO, as though they we're
human On tie day of which We sleak, Miss
Folly sat ionges han Usual with tie piece OF
eondeiaIi-d millinery in her hand; thus she
MOI her father
dead all th,. "a IL, nal left her with no one
to care for, 1t was bard to b. 50 completely
sloa. In the world There had been time
when she could have loved, but her other self
never came, even though she fa"eied Mr..
StuDos to have been that one He, too, like
all things else. had gone. When she diest no
one would take care of her dear church Alb.
IL was with her-it alo1s--of all tn. past, and
she loved it,
In a moment OF abstraction, she placed the
bonnet once more upon her head. She wond-
cred If the meeting house could ever he taken
from her, TO leave her more completely alone
than b.fore Presently she fell asleep. her
bead resting upon the high back OF the pew
She was in drcamland. happy. surely, for she
smiled ut. nuttered in a whisper: 1T Is
minel it l. minel They can't take it-can
they, GodF
a. A strange lady came one day TO the gate OF
lie churchyard and asked to he admitted to
IT, church that she might see its quaint in
terror Miss Polly was too busy To Crafty
her wish She cast a suspicious glance after
the lady, who, determined to see what she
wished, en'ere,' the yard, crossed It and
peeFed through a broken shutter into the
church Having satisfied herself she babe
the self constituted watchwoman good morn
ing, departing for the home Of Mrs. Dudl'y,
where she was visiting.
@What does that woman want her"T
soliloquiLed Miss Polly. wheL Miss Glover's
back was turned.
Early the next morning, clad in her OLD
fashioned costume, she wendell her way to
the house where the strange lady was stay
ing. When Mrs. Dudley met her at the door
Miss Polly scarcely gave her time to recos-
nize her before she began. in her energetic
manner, TO declare that her church was
psalm singing one, and as long it was that
woman could not take it from her.
"Oh! Miss Glover had no thought Of uolest
ing you nor Of laying claim to the church.
She wanted to see it solely on account OF It's
great age and peculiar appearance, nm
swered Mrs Dudley.
"Yes, but what did she come A-lookin' 80
suspicious like for, and apeepin' in at the
windersl She can't take it away from NE
she can't do it, ontinu-d Miss Polly, EN-
pbaticaiiy.
After much arr llag and persnading Mrs.
Dudley convinced her that Miss Glover had
no thought Of interfering, so she went away
with II tighter Aear, For a thanks offering
she .ang p,ais.. a. he amen corner OF her
iea, church
fte singing produced great peace of mind,
so that the duties of her small establishment
were soon performed, and she sat down to
piece "log cabin" quilt, intended for "Jeems"
Hickey. a new arrival
Come in" called Miss Polly as knock
was heard at her door about II o'clock that
day.
Good morning." said a gentlemanly hut
very firm voice, as the door opened and Mr..
Wrcnn ,tepped into the room.
Il have proposition to make to you, Miss
Polly, believe you are the only surviving
member of this church,"
"Yes, sir; am the only psalm singin' mem
Der of this psalm singin church IN this here
place.
Then. since you are the only member you
of course, cannot afford to maintain public
worship"
Il maintains pubic worship ever day in
that air meeth Louise. open the door. ami
if the people do,.t come amt to blame l
do my part sings a psalm in that house
ever dav-yes, 10"
with all dine respect to your opinions, in
the eyes Of the Inv your solitary worsbiping
cannot be consi Tered public The county
court has condemned the building and ordered
it to be taken down at once. You can see
yourself how tue east wall has bulced; it is
liable at any time to fall a,ainst your house,
endangering your life"
Let the lawyers attend 10 their own bust
ness the troublesome set Of thieves They
can't tear down that psalm singin' church
It's Gods house, and | am its keeper. II
they tear it down they will have to tear me-
DOWN and they won't dare to tech me. /
know"
THE court is willing to allow Won to live
on the premises as long rs you live. After
il has ceased to be used as a church the
property gce- to the county. Only for the
public good has il ordered it to be taken
down"
Let it tall down, it can't hurt nobody but
me- It amt in nohody's way"
sThe tearing down is 70 begin at once,
as the Judge has ordered 1t viii lie better
for You to let the work go on quietly We
our orders, since we Nil respect your age and
sex
"Git out u here. you impudent mani My
parent, sung psalms in that house before
you was born, and you can't-you sha'nt
take it down
Miss Polly : voice had risen to high pitch,
her eyes danced in the ardor of her speech
Grasping the iron key she held it for mo-
ment above her head, and then dropped it
into her porkct fastening TO the church sire
unlocked The door and awaited Developments
then, opening cr psalm book, she began to
sing in her high. sllriil voice
Two mon sten'stl into the doorway. Here
bows, iegir work. take cut the seats first
called slr. Wrefn b. a half dozen workmen
b hind him. The singer spraDg to her feet
and rushed strpi slit to the men. gesticulating
wildly and singing detiantly she stood he
fore them.
he men actually trembled as they looked
uion her almost supernatural expression.
Take en out if you can" cried Miss
Polly; "thev are in a psalm singiD' church
and ever nail that fas.ens EN- 10 the floor had
been driv' IN by the note Of psalm sung in
meeting
Two workmen caught hold of one Of the
high backed reus; after a series of wrench
ings, pulliu.-s and the vigorous use Of ham
mers they lid not sucfeed in moving it, as
Miss Polly assured them they would not The
men looked at one another in amazernent
Could the old woman he speaking the truth,
Were they weak through fear, The seat re-
manned uninoved
~Hal | told YOU you couldn't move 'em,-
shouted Miss POLY.
Come in here the rest of your called out
Mr.. Wrenn; try your hand on that pulpit
Once more the devoted voice was raised in
song. as she took her stand in front of the
sacred desk, when the men hay hold upon it.