The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1895-08-08

workers, thongh not admitted to memhI
ship Miss Vance, one Of the most dew
ed mem bets Of bis little flock had hrougl
her and introduced her AS her friend. au
the young people had 'peedilf taken be
up.
The young minister had welcomed he
elsdly He was snIious 10 make couver,
and secure new members aud had bee
hoping to induce Miss Alice haywood I
unite with the church and thus Identif
her charming personality still NOR close
with the work, when something happene
which cooled bis srdor IN this directlo
and indeed left him puzzled as to wbs
course to adopt with regard to this pecu
lar young lady.
One bright spuog morning as the nil
lister walked slowly along one of the street
on the outskirts Of the town, drinking il
the fragrance Of opening leaf aud flower
he beheld sn appsrltlou, Comi rapidly
toward him, perched sirly on the seat Of {
new bicycle, was Alice haywood her Rolt
en- head shining in the sunlight under hel
lsunty cap, her cheeks glowing. The mir
lister gssped as the girl saw him and
bowed, returned the salutation, too daged
to raise his hat, For the navy blue coz,
tune she wore, with it's prettily fashioned
Eton jacket, was certainly made with q
skirt-no, il wasn't skirt at all, 1t was
| bloomersl
1t was an outrage, the minister thought,
getting more Indignant hs he went on,
and she had seemed so different, so quiet,
modest and refined Some one ought to
talk to her. What could her mother be
thinking oI2 He couldn't say a word. The
young man bushed at the idea Now,
Gertrude would never Of course uotl He
grew uucomiortsbly warm about the ears
at the mere suggestion that Gertrude
would do such thing Then the object
of bis disapproval glided out Of bic mind
as quickly as she had come in. The stern
lines of his face softened and he took up
bis day dream where be had left 1t.
Next tal when the new church wat
done he would go east and bring Gertrude
aud what good couldn't be accomplish
with such woman for an inspiration and
heIpma,e2 And his thoughts dwell loving
ly upon the perieCtions Of the sweet, gen
tie young woman who was going to give
up her friends, her high social station and
many advantages in the east and come
with him TO the wild west, as be called it,
to aid him with her culture, with her
wealth, with herself,
So during the long summer be worked
hard and earnestly, upborne by the
thought OF success and Gertrude, and IN
the great struggle all minor difficulties
slipped ont Of sight, Alice Maywood stliI
gave her services freely and fully to the
little church, still taught the little ones
and spoke kindly and smliugly TO young
auu Clut ilCu nuu bVOl pIlhbt huV ttIll lODh
her daily bicycle ride, clad IN her nstty !
bloomer SUIT, seeming to gain added |
siren th and health thereby. But TIE
minister fairly disIiked her when be saw
her sklmmiug gsyly by 10 her novel attire, |
especially rs some Of her a2qnslntances
bad followed her example.
II any dlsspprovlng mstron or msii
spoke to her about her costume, she invar
fiably replied that she and her FAM y con
lidered it the ouly safe aud sensible cos
ume to wear Oh wheel and that she ill
ended ~ wear
O0ly to Molly Vance did she unhosom
herself further Poor Molly lay fat on her
pack, "lald ny for repairs, ste expressed
t, and Alice bad stepped in to bring her
ome sunshine aud news from the world
outside. Sue haG come 10 from long ride
20 hel wheel and Moll5 SAID ehe looked
Ike relic OF the Midway.
So you and the minister don't like nay
uit, Molly, dear she said. ! am surpris
"a at him, for thought be was an up to
late young man.
Oh, no, Molly stsUered He is old (
sshioued 10 his notions. You musn't mind
lim.
don't, said Alice cheerlully, Then sb,
aid earnestly:
Molly, the customs Of the world have
lssys been hard 90 wcmeu. Tue nstives
i CeyIon hsne heavy rings 10 ther noses
he Turks sbnt them up 10 cages, the Chl
Iese dwarf their ieet and the modern
10 erIcans aud Europeans compress their
waists aud hang heavy tkiris on their hi3'.
,ut let any Of them st-p ont, be It eve
0 hule, from the beaten track Of custon.
I'd poIat to better path, alerr romi5r'
cd freedom from dIsrase may be bad. .ou1
promise YOU they viii suffer
Aftsr thi- long snd some<hs .erau.
peeoo for the ouug Isdy sbe tossed up
er cap caught It Oh ber bead and ssi
aresell and this was the oliy sign che
,sye that the crticism passed by tr~ ct
er aoqasiatsuces Lun ler
The days sped rapidly by, sai tie ass
hurcb vac completed. The mIlI,fer veut
,sck y the es,t for bls buip, returning 10
ies weeks fot the dedication. feeling
imself the hsppiesl Of meu He vile
eeaed plesssd Silh al she sAs sui ea 9
cred wlth entbasissm i8to oil tis plans. ]
nd be pereelTed With pleasure that bic
,eopIs received her warmly aud took her
/ onee luto their hearts
Oae day shortly sitter their srtiyal ~