River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-04-21


Just here in Plumviile."
There's no use talkin', Milly; wa
haven't any money, nor any public
spirit. y
IF you'll help me, III have that
church open next Sunday" cried
Milly.
Me! What can do?' sighed poor
Mrs Flint aghast.
IF you'll get your husband to NOW
the grass and sweep ont, III do the
rest
Il don't believe he can"
Yes he can, if he has mind to. II
wouldn't take an hour. asserted Alilly.
well, I'll ask him, but ! know he
won't"
''0h. don't ask him; tell him he must"
said Nlilly, decidedly.
After much protest Mr.. Flint agreed
TO cut a few swaths in front Of the
church door, but no persuasion could
I induce him 20 attack the cobwebs in
side
a notice in feminine hand appeared
on the post office door, and another
was nailed 10 the big elm the natives
called it eEuull at the Corners" to the
effect that sunday. August 2s, d. y.
there will be services in the Congrega-
tional church All are invited" OLD
men put on their spectacles and read
these notices slowly throIgh-usually
aloud, and also usually said: II de-
clar' fort"
| No one could tell anybody any
! thing further; but the farmers drove
I hack to their lonely homes with q
pleasant thrill of anticipation. Some
thing was going TO happen at last even
/ in Plumville The women, when they
/ heard, were much excited The most
dissipated among them had never seen
a circus or a minstrel show since they
were very young; that was so long ago
it did not seem as if they saw it. Some
pious SoIls had sorely missed religious
privile ges. and all had felt the need
of gregarious motive.
This news was wonderful. Miss Ba-
con perlSed up and got her 'alapacca"
gown out of the camphor "chist'' to
haste fresh lace at the wrists Mrs.
Smith went TO talk it over" with
Miss Brown and staid TO team I'M
heard-of self-indulgence. Half the
women exactly four at 1.-The Cor
ners'' harnessed up-and drove to tho
Center" to learn particulars. But no
particulars were forthcoming. There
were the two notices in a feminine
hand; there was a freshly-cut path to
the church door and the crossbars
were down; that was all. Curiosity
was at tremendous pitch.
On Sunday morning, August 2S. the
farmers for five miles around came
over the hills and plunged down into
Plumville valley. The horse shed was
full of teams" every hitching post
was in use. Even Deacon Bird was on
time, marshaling his numerous progeny
down the aisle, quite unconscious las
all good men are) of the makeshifts in
their attire. called thus suddenly to do
duty as Sundays o-to- meeting clothes.
The soft summer air swayed the long
cobwebs depending from the rusty
stovepipes and blew out the musty
faint of moldy months.
1t was half past ten. Perfect silence
reigned in the little bare church. Some
gray heads were bent forward, as be-
fitting the place, but lively eyes
glanced over the spectacles in eager
expectation. \ few women shaded
their eyes with coarsened hands in
pretense of being at prayer, but eveh
there a profound alertness was visible.
Then this happened: Milly French rose
and came forward to the communion
table, upon which stood basket of
lovely ferns and late roses. She
looked serious, but not at all fright
ened. She read a Psalm in clear
voice, gave out a hymn, which was
sung by three elder women in the front
pew, then she opened book and read
Phillips Brooks sermon from the texts
Comfort We my people" IL can be
imagined. perhaps, how these sympa-
thetic words chained the attention and
touched the hearts of all present. 1t
was pretty sight. and never to be for
gotten by those who saw it.
At the close the doxology was given
with a will And thus, u. y, the
Plumville church aeas opened on Sun
day morning. August 2s, and it has
never been closed since That was
years ago, but Milly French still reads
"a sermon there every Sunday morning.
She has educated that people far be-
yond their means to pay for. They in
vite no candidate TO their pulpit. They
are familiar with the great preachers
of the world. Some incline to episco-
pacy, and do not see "how you can get
around the laying on o. hands" Some
are Beecherites; others agree with
Charming. Dean Stanley and Canon
Farrar have a following. Robertson
and Maurice are admired and loved
No creed binds their consciences. no
formulated VOW restraints them They
range over spiritual truths as presented
by different and differing minds Earn
est discussion and Jealous argument
show on occasion unusual thoughtful
ness and cultivation.
Thanks to Milly French, Plumville.
a bower of vines and flowers, is one Of
the prettiest of small villages pbysic
ally, while for intellectual and spirit
ual training it is one of the most adj
vanced Augusta w. Kellogg, in Har-
per's Weekly