St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1890-01-30

rushed to hereyes She was warm
hearted, impulsive woman. She had
been a fond mother and a generous
neighbor.
"If they choose to take offense at
my innocent jokes, let them!" she
thought angrily. my bark is worse
than my bite, and they ought to
know it by this timel There was no
call for Jean to turn pale and walk
off when l said that the Kinks had a
weakness for liquor. There is every
indication of it in their faces l can
seeinto character" She remembered
how her sharp criticisms of her neigh
bors had been applauded even when
she was child Sarah" her father
used to say, ''sees through people
Her wit has a sting in the lash.
What mattered the sting? Sarah
had always been satisfied with the
quality of the wit. She was cons1d-
cred now the "smart" woman OF the
village, and the crack of her whip
was the terror of her friends. She
had had but little education, and
this keen insight into the faults OF
her neighbors was her sole title to IN
tellectual superiority.
Sometimes, however, she had I'M
easy qualms of conscience. She had
them now, for example. Ralph's ser
mon had deeply moved her. She was
a woman of strong, religious feeling.
1t had come to her as a cry from one
human soul struggling toward God
to another. And yet, before she had
left the church-yard, she had uttered
bitter gibe at the lad. She had al
ways liked him, yet years ago she
had driven him away from Jeanne by
her malicious sneers.
What ais my tongue that it must
always be wagging?" she thought
eff l have a sharper perception OF
character than most folk, cannot L
keep it to myself"
She went to bed that night with a
feeble resolve to give up the habit.
But in her petitions for the ''weltare
of Zion" and the conversion of the
impenitent and the Jews and the
heathen,' it did not occur to her to
make this little canker in her own
character matter OF prayer.
Wednesday came, the day that had
been looked for by three generations
of Vibberts The box which had LAIN
in the vaults of the bank so long was
taken out that morning, and careful
| 1v busted by the cashier himself, while
the teller and clerks stood around
cycling it curiously.
"I'd like to be at the opening Of
that box" said the cashier. Some
say that it'll make the Gurneys mil
lionaires twice over. They are the
only living descendants of old Peter
: now. 1t has got to go to them by
special messenger, Bill"
; The box was not delivered to Mrs
Quincy until afternoon. She hao
been in a state of high nervous ten
sion all day. She was not an avar1
cious woman, but there was a kee1
delight in these hazy visions OF thu
future, which might become reallt,
when that mysterious chest wa
= opened-silk gowns for Jeanne, Boil
at Princeton, tea-parties for TIL
neighbors once a week, trip East
: for the whole family Perhaps sh
: could double her subscription to tn
church organ; and there were thos
= wretched Fowlers-she might be abb
to build a cabin and give it to then
| freel She was a generous woman
{ In her plans for the spending OF he
( wealth, she took thought for ever
e one of her old neighbors. She mad
II hundreds of presents, and invente
+ countless delightful surprises.
II Six members of the Presbyter
were with her that day. She wa
y up by dawn, baking. What Dime
l. that was which she placed befol
8 them! Corn soup and chicken pi
cherry buildings, fruit cordials, an
all the other dainties which a sk1llf1
Pennsylvania housewife concocts OF
Is of the lavish abundance of that fe
III tile state Mrs Quincy sat at tt
y head of her table, red, smiling an
D kind, planning to herself how ST
ie could send store of good things
d the homes of each of these poor Sc
st wants of God. Yet something wit
in her saw a sign of weakness or vi
III in each, and when they were gol
~ she began to chatter about it. 81
10 could not resist the temptation
show off her keenness to Jeanie al
IL Bob.
: did YOU hear old Father Storer
account of the Polynesian missio
= airy? wonder if he thought an
body believed it? The Storers {
know how to put fringe on to pla
cloth How ridiculous it is for tn;
- young preacher from Greensburgh
:, carry such a watch! Couldn't ha
:, cost less than a hundred and fif
dollars | call that sinful extra
-. agancein poor clergyman"
- "The watch was given him by /
-, congregation last Christmas" sa
Bob, CURLY.