The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-10-22
DEACON PERKINS TRIAL.

$sNst8eeaIiJ/ Martha Judkins
- called Aunt
Martha for miles around-as she
ssat busily knitting in her
kitchen door. The shining
needles were not brighter than her
black eyes, in spite of her sixty years.
A young man with merry blue eyes
who stood carelessly leaning against
the porch replied: "That's gospel
truth, Aunt Martha; ev'ry word Nv it.
You see, I'd been down to the barn
Tor halter he'd borrowed, an see it
all from the stable door. Thar the
deacon stood on his back piazza, bold
as lion, huggin' an kissin' gal.
''Twan't his wife, nuther."
1.-THE shameful, brazen hypercrit, -
.gasped Aunt Martha. "I'll hev him
up in meetin' this very evenin': Annie
the father of family, one OF 'em a
babe in arms, an his poor wife of'n a
sick bed! A pretty creature he to be
leadin' in a prayer like a. saint. But
he does pray beautiful. Did you know
the gal Ozro?"
Don't know her name, Aunt MARI
tina; pears as if I'd seen her, too, but
my horses are a-Waitin'."
''Be to pray'r meetin' this evevin',
Ozro" called Aunt Martha after him.
"Sure to be thar" he replied, strid-
ing down the front walk between the
tall llacs and roses. There was an
unusual twinkle in his bright blue
eyes which would have BODIED mis-
chief to those who knew the rest.
Ozro Meachim held the important
position OF stage-driver and mail-car-
rier between the little village of Tuffer-
ton and the nearest railroad town,
some five miles away. He was a gen.
eral favorite on account of his unfail-
ang good-nature, and he was sure to
be the bearer of the latest neighbour.
hood gossip. He was cordially well
coined by all the women folks of the
village.
fullerton was one of those moral
villages where marriages, births and
deaths form the most exciting topic of
conversation, and where murder or
an elopement has not happened with
IN the memory of the Oldest inhabit-
ant. Yet here was a scandal at their
very door.
Aunt Martha fairly trembled with
excitement as she snatched up her
sunbonnet and hurried down the gar
den walk. She would run over to
Mrs. Arthur's, who was her nearest
neighbor, IL quiet woman, not given to
gossip, so not generally the recipient
of Aunt Martha's confidence. But
this was something she could not keep
till she went to her bosom friend, Lrl-
cindy Allen, for Lucindy lived full half
a mile away.
Mrs. Arthur sat quietly sewing in
her cool sitting-room the door opened
wide to admit the breeze and the sweet
smell Of the lilacs. She looked surpris-
ed as Aunt Martha unattached the gate
and hurrying up the path sank on
the steps and famed herself vigorous
'ly with her apron. .... =. i:
"Why what is the matter?'' said
Mrs. Arthur. "Come right in here
where it is COOL"
s'Matter enough, Mrs Arthur re-
piled the old lady. GIVE he'd shock
day"
"Have you had any bad news, Aunt
Martha?"" <f ysf @5#
.s @'Bad news? The wust kind of news,
when q deacon an q pillar of the
church falls from grace, an he O. max.
an such beautiful pray'rs."
"But you have not told me who it
AS that has fallen from grace, Aunt
Martha"
:.You don't mean to say that you
:ha'nt herd on it? Then you'd never
guess, Mis- Arthur. Ozro Meachim, he
'Jest stopped to give me paper, an ]
@sez to him: 'Ozro, what's the news?'
an SEE be to me: 4 dunno en- / orte1
tell ye, but see somethin' this morn
an down to Deacon Perkins that
beats me all holler. Thar he stood
on his back piazzy a huggin' all kissin
q gal. u want his wife nuther.
Them's his very words. Then I seq
who wuz the gal?' but it pears he
didn't know,
Mrs. Arthur looked puzzled, for Dea
con Perkins was one of the first mer
sip the village and much respected
sShe was certain there was q mistake