The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-08-17
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point new deacon, but the one they
had chosen was so perfectly fitted in
every way for the Office that objective
part was over-ruled. And then some
thought Mrs. Brewer might change
her ways, if she became a deacon's
wife. But their hopes were not veri-
fed. Mrs. Brewer, evidently, did not
"see herself as others saw her." She
seemed to be the same overbearing,
exacting, selfish woman. Her home
was pattern of order, her duties dis
charged in faithful manner as per-
tanning to the doing of them, but
somehow there was no genial home
feeling where she was. She could
not keep any help in the house, or
the deacon outside, because of her
unreasonable demands and ways.
She wanted to do everything herself,
and in her own way, because no one
could do it as well, and yet "Mrs.
Deacon Brewer" was capable Of do
ing so much good in the world if she
had only been different. 1t was a
pity to have so much good material
go to waste.
$50 the ladies were going to raise
money to fix over the church without
choosing her as one of the committee.
What was the reason? Surely, as the
wife of one of the deacons of the
church, she was entitled to some con-
sideration at such time"
Mrs. Brewer was straining the milk
the deacon had brought in, as she
turned the new project over in her
mind. She did feel indignant that she
had not been put on the committee,
and she remembered that ever since
she had been voted out of her position
as president of the sewing circle, she
had not been chosen to any Office of
the church work.
To be sure she was rather particu-
larabout how the ladies did their work /;
work should not be sighted because
the garments were going away off to
the frontier for the home missionary's
family to wear. Perhaps she did
speak rather sharply to Mrs. Marvin
about that nightdress for the mis-
sionary's wife, but what was the use
of sending things without telling
down the seams neatly; and as for
Mrs. Greeleaf's button-holes-they
were disgrace to the church of Hol-
brook Center. Like Mrs. Poyser, in
adam Bede," she had her say-and
lost her place as president of the SO
ciety.
Everybody wondered that summer
at the change that had come over
Deacon Brewers wife. She spoke SO
pleasantly to every one. The severe
look on her face had gone and a
cheerful, sunny look had taken its
place.. She deferred to the deacon
in matters she had taken entirely
into her own hands before, and Miss
Sophronia, who had always acted like
a hunted creature, was constantly
coming to the front, talking in sw eet
ways of "Sister Malviny." Sister
Malviny had insisted on giving her a
brown silk dress pattern land had sent
for samples from one of the large
city stores, and got it without Miss
Sophronia having the slightest sus-
picion of such thing. When she
found the package lying across her
plate at the breakfast table on her
birthday morning, she burst right out
crying, and Sister Malviny had to go
into the buttery because there We're
tears in her eyes too.
Every few days the deacon's wife
drove to the station with box and
expressed it to the city. The station
agent told his wife, and she told the
whole town, and so there was a great
mystery woven over Mrs. Dea. Brewer
and her express boxes.
Meanwhile the committee on ways
and means did not seem to make any
great hits in the way Of money getting
to repair the old church. Fall was
very near and they lacked considera-
BILE of the required amount. They
talked the matter over with every one
and general feeling of disappoint-
pervaded the town. The church was
so very uncomfortable in the winter
months and there was danger too
of the steeple being blown off in
a high wind. A meeting of the COM
mittee was called and the treasurer's
report read. The project must be
aba ndoned for another season. Just
at that depressing moment knock
was heard at the door. 1t was opened
and Mrs. Brewer stood on the thresh-
old. She handed sealed envelope
to the treasurer. "Come in, do, and
sit down." spoke chorus of voices,