The Yale expositor., 1896-08-07
THE MINISTER'S WIFE
(CONCLUEED

Silas Ormsby that drew so large an at
tendance at the little church on the
next Sabbath. Curiosity led most OF
those who wore bonnets and crinolinc
thither, and 1t was gratified to the ut
most, for in his very first prayer the
old gentleman uttered devout and
earnest supplication for the pastor Of
the congregation, who at that very mo-
ment, perhaps, took unto himself the
solemn obligation of married life.
Might Heaven give him strength, and
bless him and his young and pious
wife, etc. 1t was a prayer worth list
ening to, but the ladies OF Appleblow
heard nothing after the word wife.
They were lost in establishment; and
hurried out of church, after the bene-
dict.on, with indecent haste, to discuss
the affair by their own fireSides. And
on Monday, when 1t was known by all
that black Betty, the charwoman Of the
place, was engaged to scrub and scour
the parsonage; that an ingram carpet
had been sent down from New York
for the parlor floor, and that tea-set
had arrived in box, marked this side
up, with care" the certainty of the as
tonishing fact became established, and
Appleblow Joined in denouncing Mr..
Redlaw as a despicable flirt. And"
said the plump mamma OF the nine
gcraggy Misses Fish, "of all men,
minister should blush to earn such a
reputation. Nobody would believe the
attention he has paid my girls. I
couldn't tell which one of 'em he want
ed, he was so particular to all of
EN-"
Other mammas said much the same,
and during the afternoon procession
of help" might have been seen on the
road leading to the cottage, carrying
white paper parcels containing princi-
pally small volumes-"Pract:cal Pr
ety." "Baxtcr's Saints Rest" tracts and
hymn-books, presents from Walter
Redlaw to the sisters of his flock, now
returned with indignation. The ex-
element lasted all the week, and was
still strong on the next Sabbath when
The minister walked up the church
aisle with a beautiful girl upon his
arm, and the Appleblow girls looked
upon face so exquisite that none of
them could resort to the usual course
of declaring her not the least good
looking"
They were decorous and prudent in
Appleb,ow, and all the forms of cour-
tesy were gone through with. The new
minister's wife was invited out TO tea,
was called upon by the ladies Of her
dock, and was favored with a donation
party; nevertheless. there was little cor
dial feeling in Appleblow. The ladies
did not take kindly to their pastors
wife and soon the clouds began to
gather. At first, in secret whispers,
Mrs. Redlaw's bonnet was too gay, she
was frivolous. not a good housekeeper,
not jealous in good works. By-and-by
louder. more serious fault-fnding, not
only with the minister's wife, but with
The minister himself.
The women began it; the men were
talked over by their wives; finally the
FIRST step was taken. Squire Gorse and
his family gave up their pew, and
found themselves more edited by the
others followed their example. The
fault-finding and SANDER reached the
parsonage itself and little Rosa Red
aw, with her head upon her husbands
boulder, sobbed: what shall I do,
Walter? l meant to help you, and to
hake them al like me, and you see
low it is" fF
And the young clergyman soothed
lis weaping wife and babe her have
good cheer for matters would mend,
ind all would he right again. He was
mistaken; matters did not mend; they
grew worse and worse; and, a year
rom the date of his marriage, came to
/ climax. A bevy of trustees waited
ipon him in his study, and bemoaned
heir wrongs. They paid large sal
Try; they expected the pastor to do his
part, and he lost them money-abso-
iutely had emptied the church, in
stead Of filing it. Besides, his wife
should have been instructed in her
iuty. She had made herself generally
lisliked; If the minister's wife was not
popular, 1t was a very unpleasant
thing. Could he explain?
or course the visit ended as they ex-
oected; there was but one consumma-
ton possible; Appleblow knew, in a
day or so, that their pastor was about
10 leave the place forever.
The winter had set in-an unhealthy
winter, warm and moist, instead of
cold and bracing. Rumors of prevail
ing i'll health spread over Appleblow,
and the minister packing his books in
his study, came to hear of them. They
grew louder. Whole families of chill
dren sickened and lay low, and dread
cry arose-"It is the smallpox!
One day Walter Redlaw left his
home to perform the burial service over
the graves of three children Of one
family. The next their mother called
him to the bedside Of her husband, to
see him also die. And with these
deaths, the horrors of that time, never
to be forgotten by any who dwelt
there, then began in earnest.
Men, women, and children sickened