Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-09-13

said he was afraid people would think
1t was queer, and II any of their choir
should come 1t would be awkward.
Then Eunice suddenly came to the
front, as Eunice had way Of doing
quite unexpectedly.
II think Phoebe Jane has q right
to use the parlor as she likes, she
worked so hard for the rug" said
Eunice.
well, well, do as you like, Phoebe
Jane. Maybe it's a providential
leading" said Father Breck.
Phoebe Jane threw her waterproof
over her head and ran out. There
were Cynthia and Jerome, and with
them q professor from Jerome's SEM
mary. Phoebe Jane had lump in
her throat when she tried to speak to
them, but behind, oh joy there was
Luella.
III you will come and rehearse in
our parlor you know about my
rug!" said Phoebe Jane; and then
she drew her waterproof over her
head again, and ran back.
There was consultation, evident
ly. Phoebe Jane heard old Mrs. Tack
aberry's voice, and was afraid they
wouldn't come.
But they did 1t seemed almost
the whole of the new society came
pouring into the parlor, and by that
time Alma Pickering, and 10 Flint
and the Hodgdon girls. of their own
choir, had come!
1t would have been little awk-
ward il old Mrs. Tackaberry had not
been Immediately struck by the new
rug, and begun to ask questions
about it with q freedom that made
every one laugh.
Soon they were all talking about it.
Phoebe Jane remembered, as she had
meant to, where she had put almost
all the pieces" Of which Mrs. Prouty
had told her the history.
Old Mrs. Tackaberry cried about
the pink delaine that was her little
granddaughter, Abby Ellen's, who
died, and about the brown tibet that
was her daughter Amanda's wedding
dress when she married a mission
airy and went to China, and died
there.
Then they all laughed at an ara
besque in one corner which was Je-
rome's yellow flannel dress-Phebe
Jane had been little afraid to tell Of
that, Jerome was so imposing in q
white necktie. Aunt Cynthia would
not believe that she had let the dress
maker make that dress until she re-
membered that it was the time when
she scalded her hand.
People kept coming in. Phoebe
Jane had an inspiration, and made
Llewellyn go and invite them. 1t
became good old-fashioned neigh
borhood party-"just like q quilt
ing" old Mrs. Taekaberry said. Ev-
erybody found some Of their pieces"
or. their relatives ''pieces" in the
rug, and smiles and tears and innu-
merable stories grew out of this.
The newcomers found the two fac
tions apparently so reconciled that
they were surprised out Of any ami
mostly that they might have felt;
and when they came to rehearse
their music it happened. oddly
enough, that both parties had chosen
the same hymn, and they all sang
together.
When they had finished rehears-
ing, someone Phoebe Jane never
was quite sure whether it was Jerome
or the professor-started Blessed be
the tie that binds" How they did sing
it Old Mrs. Tackaberry's thin, crack
ed treble sang out in defiance of time
and tune, and when the hymn ended
tears were rolling down her seamy
cheeks.
PPM going back to the church ("
she said, brokenly. "Ive split my
meet'n's and other folks long
enough. And-and-I'm going to
do what Pm a mind to, to home,
when it comes shutdown on the Sab
bath day, but / amt goin' to knit a
mite in meetin' again-not mite -
There was great Misunderstanding;
Aunt Cynthia and Father Brock
actually shook hands, and out in the
entry old Mrs. Tackaberry kissed
Phoebe Jane.
In spite of the bad roads, there
was a great congregation in the East
Palestrina church the next day. 1t
was the professor who preached. He
chose for his text, BLESSED are the
peacemakers," and every one looked
at Phoebe Jane until she grew red to
the tips Of her ears.
She and Luella walked homeward
together-openly, arm in arm; and
it seemed like walking in Paradise,
although one went over shoe IN mud.
i Youths Companion.