Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-05-11

were talked over by Their wives
and daughters; finally the first
stand was taken. Mr.. Marden and
his family gave up their pew and
found themselves more edited bv
the clergyman in toe next town !;
others followed their example.
The fdnlt finding and Slander
reached the parsonage i'Se'f, and
Ann Bartlett, with her head upon
her husbands shoulder, sobbcd:
"Wnat shall | do, Arthur? I
meant TO help yon and to make
them like me, and you s,e how it
is. 1t mast he my fault, but |
don't know what to 30.
And the young mau sootbed his
weeping wife. and bade her have
good cheer, for matters would soon
mend, and all wOlld be we'll.
He was mistaken; matters did
not mend; they grew worse, aud a
year from the date of his marriage,
came to a climax. The trustees
waited upon him in his study, and
bemoaned their wrongs. They
paid fair salary, and they ex-
pected the pastor to do his part;
bat be hail failed. B sides, his
failed. B1,iles, his wife should
have been instructed in her duty.
She was generally disliked; if the
minister's wife was not popular 1t
was very unpie ,sIl5 thing.
COule he explain!
OF cOlr,O The visit eliel as
they expected; there was hut one
cOnsdmmation po' o'siLle, ami in a
day or so Fdrmingvale knew that
their pastor would soon leave the
place fore er.
The weather set IN warm and
moist instead Of cold and braciug.
Everybody declared that it was
"dreadful unhealthful weather."
At length rumOrs of prevailing ill
health spread over Farmlngvale,
and the minister p cking his books
in his study. came to hear OF thrm.
Whole families Of children Sickened
and lay low, and the dread cry arose
at IS malignania diphtheriP.'
One day Arthur B Irfleit left his
home to perform the burial services
over the graves of two children of
one family; and the next the father
called him to the bedside of h,s|
wife to see her die. And with
these deaths the horrors Of that
time, never to be forgotten by any
who dwelt there, began in earnest.
Men, women and children sick
ened with the terrible disease.
HoTrOw seized those yetunsmitten.
and they h'd Farmingva'e be-
came a great Iazaretto, and Arthur
Bartlett sad to his young wife A:
"Let us 60 quickly, darling, be-
fore the scourge falls upon our
household.
But she, as she spoke, left her
seat and knelt before him, resting
her head upon his breast, As he sat
before the evering fire, in a child
like fashion all her own; and AS he
caressed her tenierly, whispered;
"Arthur, do not bid me go, for
l must stay here, and do all | can
watch with them, pray with them
nurse them, strive to comfort the
bereaved. shOnld, indeed. be all
theg think of me if, |, their pastors
wife, fed at such a time. Oi, |
cannot 60"
The man listened az first uncon-
vlnced. "Noy, my DEAR" he said
gently, "we owe them nothing.
Remember. they lave used us
shamelnlly, and | am actually
dared to fl nd fault with him up
held by all the wO 'nklnd OF Farm.
ingvale-yOung and old, grand
mother. granddaughter, mammas,
spiusters, aunts and school girls.
By and by whispered rumors
we're set ahOat. The young min.
lister had paid particular attention
to Miss Green, he was seen out
walking with Miss Jones, he had
taken tea thrice with Mrs. Adams,
who had twOun married. daughters;
In fact, he was engaged in turn to
every single lady IN the village, it
report said truly.
Then "dearest friends" became
rivals, and quarrels occurred which
interfered sadly With a religious
frame OF mind, and yOrng farmers
were Tilted, one andall, IN the most
ruthless manner, tor the falr-halr-
ed young pastor, who had no more
thought of aspiring to bs king of
hearts In Farmingvale than he
had OF being a millionaire, but was
gentle and amlablet0 all alike.
And so the weeks passed on.
Snrinp vanished. sumlner followed