The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-03-14

trlbble in Asbury meetin'- house thirty
five years, but jes as shore as they keep
that thing thar-try ter praise God by
machinery 'stid er the humble an con-
trite heart, III never set foot thar agin
alive, an eff they carry me in my coffin
I'll do my best ter rise an confound
'em," Mrs. Southall said, getting I'M
steadily to her feet and leaning heavily
upon the back of her chair. Mary
Frances ran to her side, but was waved
off. For a minute the elderly woman
stood statue of tremulous fury, then
she bent her gaze full upon Alan Keith,
saying, slowly:
" Alan-I don't know as you know
anything more'n you've told-but this
l say-if you do know whar that
organ [gulp over the word " came
from, l want you ter tell them that sent
it never ter come about me no more.
I've no fellowship for 'em-no Chris
tan feeliD'. Dan'l shall take our letters
at once-we'll 60 ter some little church
whar the members don't wanter mix
fashion with their religion. 1t comes
hard ter leave the place whar my faith
ers an mothers have set under the Cos
pei droppin's-but I'll do it rather'n ter
hear that squeakin' an boomin'-ter
see the place l love made er theayter,
with the little preacher fer play. actor.
1 mistrusted him when found that
poetry book in his saddle-bags; now
he's showed the cloven huff, an all l
can do is ter say, him an his organ
crowd keep fur away frum me-"
Young Keith stood up very straight
Mrs. SouthGll," he said, respectfully,
81 never meant ter tell anybody-it
seemed too like boastin'-I bought the
organ all by myself. 1 love the sound
of it; it helps ter take my soul from
earth. Last fall l sowed extra wheat
a-purpose to make the money, and from
the way it yielded 1 can't think God
saw anything wrong in the purpose. 1
bought it - it's only a little one
wishin' 1 could buy better, the very
best. Now you say l sha'n't come here
no more. Then must say somethin'
else before 60"
Needn't take the trouble. know
it; you want May Frances; you'll
never git her with my consent. You'd
better go on home an quit thinkin'
about her," Mrs. Southall said, frig-
idly, though curious small tremors ran
through her voice.
Keith turned to Mary Frances and
held out his arms. With little shamed
cry she slipped within their clasp, then
sprang away, hiding her face in her
hands. Keith drew them down ten
derby, saying:
Little girl, you'll marry me, what
ever happens?"
Then she'd better do it right off
she can't stay here no longer eff that's
her purpose" Mrs. Southall said, her
lips narrowing to a line.
"The sooner the better for me-"
Keith said. Get your bonnet, sweet
heart. My mother is ready and waitin'
to welcome her daughter"
Mary Frances went close to her aunt,
put out timid hand, and said, softly:
"Aunt Lucindy, please--please-don't
be so mad. Alan didn't know. He
wouldn't-he couldn't have done lift
If he had dreamed how you felt about
it. IL can't bear to-leave youths
way-after you have been 30 kind"
"You can stay; but eff you do, you'll
never speak ter him ag'in," Mrs. South
all said, nodding her head. Then, as
Mary Frances began to sob, she broke
out wildly:
Father Almighty! What has thy
POI servant done that this thing should
come upon her? Haven't been faith
full in season and out, goin' Sundays,
rain er shine, ter thy POI temple ter
sing thy praises an raise the tunes?
An it seemed you had give this child
ter me that wus childless. Have /
made an idol of her? Are you jealous,
that must lay her on the altar?''
"Come away; we make her worse by
staying" Alan said, again taking Mary
Frances's hand. The girl made as if to
renew her appeal, but shrank from the
set face and tense gaze that fronted her.
Bending, she laid her lips lightly to one
flaccid hand, then went after her lover,
who whispered, exultingly: "We'll
have music for our wedding, dear-an'
ever after, l hope"
Mrs. Southall kept her word. No.
body, indeed, who knew her could have
a doubt that she would. Though AS
| bury meeting house crowned the hill
| opposite her home, was in plain sigh,
of her front gate-she ignored it ut.
terry. Upon the two Sundays when
there was service there, she shut her.
self indoors to read the Bible and sing
her fathers favorite hymns. Upon the
other two, with her meek husband be.
side her, she trailed painfully off to Big
Rock Chapel, good ten miles away
where another itinerant brother dis
pensed what she esteemed the sincere
milk of the word. The road ran past
the Keith farm, where Alan and Mary
Frances lived and were happy as the
day was long. Ifby chance Mrs. South
all encountered them, she gave them q
severely courteous greeting and passed
on. She had hardened at all points
even to Daniel she was now sometimes
pitiless judge, although he weakened
visibly as The months went by.
He was a gentle, easy-natured fellow
the exact moral complement of his
wife's stern fibre. He had for hel
an odd, clinging, dependent affection
which she returned with the worship
that is both dover and curse of a mar.
row, intense soul. So when, three
years after Mary Frances married, he
fell into low state, over which the
doctor looked grave and shook his head
it is not surprising that his wife fell