The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1890-01-16
THE DEACON s wooISo

IRON fote 70 purple shen beAcou flbc
stopped bic melancholy old mare In frou
Of the village poe, Office II vas sa'ur
day night. the oaly time when New Beth
sny reused itself from iis lethrey 40,
showed sny signs of life and energy Th
rest OF the se,k is dfowsed aud Lang uish
ed after the fashion Of small coupiry town
remote from railway aud manufsctufinl
eentsrs
/ Who-, Msfy Jsne said the deacon. viii
unnecessary emphasis throwing The rein
on the mares broad back. aud spripeinl
to the ground.
Bat The desponden, Mary Jane bad al
ready ceased her shsmbling gait iron
sheer force OF habit A ten years servic'
with the deacon hsd made her periectl,
familiar With the accustomed round o
stopping places. Wednesday night il wal
prayer meeting; Sunday the church ser
vice, aud Saturday night invariably tb'
post Office. and. ss late variation, an af
ter pause at the house OF Mrs Betsey Hill
the milliper who for quarter OF century
bad supplied the women Of New Bethany
with headgear fesriully and wonderfully
made.
The moment the deacon stepped insid,
the Office be knew. from the unusual buz1
OF conversation, that something eitrsordi
nary had happened.
Heard the news -eh, deacon? asked one
OF the village loungers.
The deacon looked up iGquiriugly
Miss Kszish's had an amszu' streak OF
luck
It's been nothing but an smazin streak
OF luck ever since she was born returned
the deacon. II owning the best farm in
town and hevin' money at interest ism
luck. I'd like to know what il is.
Us; but this is something out OF com
mon. You used TO know her brother who
died years ago and left bis only child for
Miss keziab to bring up? Wa'al. when
the old man Mead died Miss Keziah took
the farm as her share OF the property and
her brother, bein' OF royin' turn of
mind, took the few thousand Of personal
property as Lis'n and invested EN- in
Western lands. which turned out to be
worthless, and be lost every cent he put
In Folks always blamed him for bein
so foolish and hasty, and they say grief
aud modification like FASTENED bis death.
Wasl,i 1t turns out they have put railroad
squar thro' the lands and it's sent real es
tate way up. nobody knows where. Miss
been offered nigh onto s., 900 for
the lands, and they say fhe will get ever
80 much more If she only holds on
You don't mean it?
dew; IT'S as trew as Scripture.
She'll hold ont. never fear, said the
iescon, and hold it to be our boundeu
duty as neighbors to advise her to that
snd.
Instead OF lingering. as usual, for the
village gossip for New Bethany Pos
Office on Saturday night answered the
purpose Of weekly paper-tbe deacon
'eemed in great hurry to get home.
1t was the nigkt Of the choir rehearsal
md in driving by the church he saw
Mary Mead, Miss Keziah's niece, going up
he steps,
He suddenly whipped up his sleepy old |
mare and drove home at break neck rate
u speed.
Now's your time, Solomon Pinch, be
nuttered to himself. It's mebbe long
While afore yell hev such good chance
gin. She be sure to be alone for
ouple Of hours or so-bi, old lady no
topping here to night, be added. giving
he liues sudden twist as Mary jane
bowed as inclination TO stop before Mrs
'etsey Hills house; we've other fish to
ry now, old girl.
When be reached home ho drove the
mare under the horse shed and tied her
here, instead Of embarrassing her as us
Ial. Then be entered the house, and
Iastily swallowing the scanty supper
which the hired woman placed before him
opned his best clothes and drove of
gain at rapid pace.
Law sskes sliyel exclaimed the woman
mszed. The deacon's got sumtbin 90
lis mind surel It's the first time ever
new him to disrember TO ask q blessing.
Ever since the death OF bis wife Deacon
inch bad looked on Miss Keziah as her
robable successor. For years be bad gsz.
srm with its substantial buildings, but he
ever could screw bis courage up to the
oint Of facing the swapping black eyes OF
= owner. OF late be had been seen sev
raj times knockins at the door OF Mrs.
f,sey Hills little brown honse, aud the
ortby millipcr was oveijnyed q, the open
lg Of the brilliant prospect before her
ui the utws Of the sudden rise 10 West
10 lands caused Mrs. Hill. with her
nall possessions, to siuk into insignif
.nce by the side OF the rich woman with
" well titled scres, her ovein91ing barns (
"a her prospective thousands OF dollars. ,
TIE ides Of q failure 10 his matrimonial
suiuie never for az Instant entered the
escon's bead. The wsy sfore We is as
lain aud straight a. pipe 81 IN. Solomon
inch be murmared. rabbing The palms /
bis hands together. ar be walked to
ard Miss K.ziah's side door. Women
mostly alike--esgsr an viilin' TO em (
race matrimonial opponnoiii,s. They'll .
zap a, 40 offer like a hungry trout ct I
orm. STE bss so, The motey aad hev Z
}, the prominence and induence; that's I
10, no, TO be overlooked; add dsacons
nt 10 be hsd every day Put her mon.
aud my ilaaence together. snd | rather 4
iess xe'll stand abon, tor o the heap /