Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1890-05-29
LAS she declined the position, It

much in awe Ofthe minister, he would
have then and there received "a piece
of her mind as she aiterward de-
clared; for if there was anything that
provoked her beyond endurance, it
was close-mouthed person. But
as he was the minister, there was
nothing to do but to take leave OF
him with a GOODNESS and dignity
which should give some token of their
displeasure
AS If he couldn't tell them lust rs
well as not who wanted to hire
Pamely to do housework But there
was one comfort-the committee
knew that there was nothing going
on in Brimblecom that they couldn't
find out.
And just after she had expressed
that opinion Mis- Ichabod was so
overcome by some sudden thought
that she fairly gasped, and leaned for
support against the town pump,
which providentially stood in her
way.
Il heard that Joanna Leach want
ed to go home because her sisters
twins had the measles. The minister
wanted Pamely to keep house for
him. she gasped.
"Well, Mis- Ichabod if you hain't
got an understandin' worth havin'!
And though | never breathed it to u
mortal before, I've had my suspic-
ions that the minister want all he'd
ought to be, exclaimed Mis- Hosea
Blodgett.
~ never knew n man to have one
white eyebrow for nothing" said
Miss Nancy Perkins, darkly.
Before night the report had spread
all over Brimblecom that the minis
ter had asked Pamela Semple to keep
house for him. Mr.. Stockbridge was
certainly the last person to be sus-
pected ofanimpropriety, butappear-
nnces were deceitful. He surely must
know that he ought to have house
keeper who was at least fifty, and it
was eminently proper that she should
be tOOthless, crOsseyed, and distig-
ured by the smallpox, as Joanna
Leach was. If Pamala were an es pee
tally bic person the case would be
somewhat different; but to be willing
to bear with housekeeper who had
no faculty he must have personal
regard for her.
The Oldest inhabitants could not
remember such an excitement in
Brimblecom. The Rev. Mr.. Caldwell's
heresy had teen tame, and the re-
port that DR.. Saunders had another
wife living OF ~ mildly celebrating,
in comparison.
But several weeks went by before
any sound of it reached the minis
ter's ears. Happily for him Brim-
blecom had a wholesome fear of the
minister. But at length, owing
mainly to the efforts of Mis- Hosea
Blodgett and Miss Nancy Perkins,
it was decided at the next church
meeting one of the church dea-
cons should question the minis
ter concerning the matter. Such a
crying scandal must no longer re-
main uninvestigated.
1t was a great day for Brimblecom.
There had not been such an attend
ance at church meeting since the
Rev. Mr.. Caldwell's trial for here
sy. Mrs. Deacon Simmons said it
seemed so much like county
conference that she got up at /
O'Clock and went to baking a great
batch of pumpkins pies before she
remembered what she was about.
1t the minister had any idea of
what it all meant, he gave no sign,
and when Deacon Simmons, with
awful solemnity, and with long
preamble concerning the duty of q
minister to set an example to his
flock in Righteousness, asked him if
he thought it seemly and becoming
to ask the daughter of their late
Deacon Ephraim Semple to become
his housekesper, the minister quietly
replied that he had never done so.
The committee looked at each
other, and everybody else looked at
them. Miss Nancy Perkins felt, as
she afterward expressed it as if she
"wOuld like to go through to Chiny:"
but Miss Ichabod bore up nobly,
and Mis- Hosea Blodgett relied upon
Mis- Ichabod.
''Didn't you tell committee con-
sistin' OF Mis- 1chabod Badger, Mis-
Hosea Blodgett. and Miss Nancy
Perkins that you had done so?" pur-
sued Deacon Simmons.
II did not" said the minister, with
an air of bland and innocent sur
prise.
This was too much for Mis- Icha-
bod. She arose, and shaking her
foretinger impressively at the minis
ter demanded:
Didn't you tell us that you had
offered her situation to keep house?
And who in this Twin world could it
be that wanted q housekeeper but
you?"
"You misunderstood" me said the
minister with great politeness. 81
said l had offered Miss Semple po-
sition, and it was not to teach
school,"
Mis- Ichabod sat down, because
nothing occurred to her to say, and