The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-10-03


1t was with sense of relief from her over
wrought feelings that she combated the
few flies that dared to venture within the
well screened kitchen. In her tenscly
strung frame of mind the poor insects
assumed an almost supernatural signih-
canoe. Were they indeed only disguised
emissaries of the evil one, ready at mo-
mcnt's notice to lead unwary mortals to
destructionf
1t was just on the stroke of by the old
eight day clock when the harsh peal of
the front door bell broke the intense still
ness of the little house. Miss Ncrvey gave
"a nervous start. Something was about to
happen. When before had any one rung
the front door bellS That was reserved for
state occasions, funerals, weddings and
occasional pastoral calls AS Miss Nervey
afterward confessed, her heart was clean
up in her throat and beating that loud a
deaf post might have heard it." eau.
tiously gazing from behind the best cur
tains," she was slightly relieved to see
Deacon Buckly instead of the PASTOR but
only slightly, for something serious por-
tended when Deacon Buckly, dressed in
his Sunday garb, rang the front door bell.
Strange as it may seem, the sight of the
deacon at her front door, in his Sunday
-
dignity in Miss Nervey's maiden breast.
Had the deacon come to her back door and
in his ordinary clothes he would have en-
countered n very different reception. But,
womanlike, this overnicety of dress and
ceremony was enough in Miss Nervey's
mind to turn the balance, and when the
door opened no trace of the bitter tears that
were SO copiously shed that very morning
was to be seen on her serene countenance.
With degree of formality quite outrank
ing the deacon's own she ushered him into
the best parlor and seated herself on the
haircloth sofa. If Miss Nervey was equal
to the occasion, not SO the deacon How
ever, at last, with considerable clearing of
his throat and supplicating look at his
listener, he broke the embarrassing silence.
Miss Williams (when within the
memory of man had the deacon addressed
her as Miss WilliamsO, it is my painful
duty, as senior deacon of the Briarvale
Baptist church, to call upon you in my
official Ga slight emphasis on the word
"otlicial') capacity toto labor with you,
my sister, in regard to your undue levity
within the sacred edifice, and if possible
(here a timid glance at Miss Nervey's I'M
compromising conference.-the possible
to place before you your falling from grace
conscious of your own frailty and be sin
cerely repentant thereof.
This was a long and as Miss Nervey
well knew unprecedented effort on the
deacons part and only the direst need
could have brought him to this high style
of oratory. The deacon came to "a dead
pause. 1t seemed as if the mental screw
that had wound him up must have become
loosened, 1T was SO long time before he
was able to resume. The mute lips of Miss
Nervey, sitting grimly opposite him, how
ever supplied the needed goad, and the
utter spiritual collapse of this dear sister
appealed strongly to his clemency. He
would make yet another effort
Sister Williams (this was degree less
chilling), Sister Williams, you may not be
aware that last evening n special meeting
of the pastor and deacons of the church
was called to consider your case" (Not
the trembling Of an eyelid showed whether
Miss Nervey had heard one syllable of this
awful statcment.) Considering the high
position you have always maintained, Sis
ter Williams, as one of the active, indeed
the most active female member of the Bap
fist church, we have decided to look less
harshly on your case. But, not to seem
to give the ungodly undue cause to rail, l
have the painful duty to inform you you
are requested to resign from the leadership
of the female members of the Baptist
choir
Miss Nervey gave visible start.
LAS to your open defiance of the pastor
that is q matter which his position as our
spiritual physician better fits him to deal
with than my unworthy self. But" and
here the deacon's voice changed from the
Nf - ,nt
of real and intense feeling-"oh, Miss
Nervey" decided relaxing of the rigid
muscles along Miss Nerveys spinal col
umn, how could you do itf"
In his eagerness the little deacon had
edged to the very front of his chair, and as
he spoke these last words he gazed with
such sad earnestness right into Miss Ner
vey's very eyes that after one or two spas
modic efforts . self composure she sud
denly buried her face in her hands, sobbing
convulsively.
The sight of tears, a woman's tears,
above all, Miss Nervey's tears, was too
much for the sympathetic little deacon.
Obeying the first impulse of his tender
heart, unconsciously almost to himself, he
placed his hand on Miss Nervey's bowed
head.
There, there, Nervey, don't now, don't
take on So Don't know it must be all
a mistaken l told 'em SO, but you know
they don't know you as well as l do, and
they wouldn't believe me. There, there,
now, Well just show them we amt such
drefful sinners after all. l didn't want to
hurt you, Nervey. You-you know
didn't, but they made me tell you. had
to, don't you seer There, there now"
During this speech the deacon had
changed from the chair to the sofa. The
sight of the sobbing Nervey would have
touched much harder heart than the
deacon S, and before he had finished speak
ing one arm had encircled Miss Nervey's
slight figure and drawn her unresisting
head to a resting place on the shoulder Of
the deacon's Sunday coat.
Alas for the high dignity of the Briar-
vale Baptist church Was this the method
pursued by the senior deacon with the
backsliding feminine members of the par
ish' l trow not but if Miss Nervey had
proved an exceptional case who was there
to report the exception Not the wise fe
line who had followed her mistress into
the room and had sat quietly blinking
from one to the other during the deacon's
monologue, but at this juncture discreetly