The Republican journal., 1908-04-16
the OOOR Of SOUTHtRN.w0OD.
nv LuCY SARGENT SAWYER

The odor of southern woOd-hoW 1t
thrills the senses like the shock OF a oat .
terry running through ones nerves! IL
gives me pictures OF scenes OF long ago.
/ see a long road running by the shore.
/ hear the sound of church bells. The
road is thronged with people: fathers,
mothers and children, all walking the
same way with sober faces and solemn
tread. AS they near the village they
quicken their steps, for the bells are
beginning to toll and no one wishes 10
be late. Occasionally family carriage
is seen well loaded with children, the
horse going at a respectable pace. Al
the corner near the church L see little
Dolly Adams with her big brothers,
BENJAMIN and Franklin, long since
deacons in the church. Dolly wears a
lilac and white cotton dress, cut low III
tbs neck and simply piped; white cot
tape bonnet trimmed with pink ribbon,
with wreath of pink roses around the
front. In her hand she carries Bible
If YOU open the German silver clasp
YOU will find inscribed, dolly Adams,
presented by her teacher, S. X. L.. DID
she not feel proud of that Bible! She
had earned 1t by standing at the head OF
her class in the district school for
whole winter more times than any one
else, In that class were young men ana
women of all ages from twenty one
wears down to ten. Dolly Was the
Youngest, but she seemed to know how TO
spell by instinct. This school numbered
eighty scholars. In one end OF the room
tile teachers desk and at the other emo
the square box stove, which was hllea
with big logs of wood all through the
cold winter. The rows OF long benches
faced each other and on one side were
seated the boys and on the other the
girls Many were the stolen glances at
the sweet face of Dolly. Inc large
spelling class was headed at the ueach,
er's desk and circling the stove leachea
the desk again. AT night Dolly would
appear at the head of the class ana tiie
next morning take her place at the 1901
to work her way once more, IL ml9nI
be slowly or by only one or Two words
spelled correctly. AS have sald, Doiiy
prized the Bible. for she had won 1t
fairly and with the good will of all, tie
boys and girls often cheering her as she
went by them. This beautiful Sunday
in June Dolly learned the first chapter
of the Gospel of Saint John to reclte
10 her teacher in Sunday school. She
often learned two chapters, a very
small thing it appeared to her.
Dolly liked to be early at church, so
she looked about her with sigh OF
satisfaction when she was seated IN the
new. She liked to see the people come
and seat themselves. DOlly's grand
father had bought the pew her family
occupied when the church was built.
He was a charter member. She was
particularly interested in watching this
morning, because her cousin, Mehitable
Foster had lately lost her mother and
would wear black. Her head kept
turning around. "Ah, here she is,
Dolly murmured to herself as she
caught sight of Mehitable's sad face as
she came up the aisle with her father
and sisters. The girls had on white
cottage bonnets trimmed with black,
and white dresses with black ribbon
sashes and black cotton gloves. With
what awe Dolly gazed fascinated at the
sight; for in that small town, where
everybody lived to be old, death was a
great surprise to the children. she ana
not come to herself till the people were
standing facing the choir in the gallery
in the back of the church. They were
singing:
Another six days work is done;
Another Sabbath is begun.
What was it that subtle Odor that
stole up 10 Dolly's nostrils and made
her pulse quicken? at can't be. 1t is.
Yes, Mehltable has brought southern
wood" AS quickly as possible she
turned around when the hymn was
done and stole glance at Mehltable's
Bible lying OIL the seat beside her. Sure
enough, there lay the sprlgs OF the
blessed southern wood. Every Sunday
OF the summer before Mehitabie had
given her spray to carry home With
her and she had treasured it as mlser
does his gold. Would Mehitable think
to give her some today, and her mother
dead, and she SO sad and dressed IN
mourning?
Dolly heard little of the long prayer
that followed and came near missing
DR.. Woodbury's text, Alexander, the
coppersmith, did me much evil: the
LORD reward him according to his
works" She knew that when she
reached home she would be asked to
repeat the texts of the day, for there
would be another long sermon in the
afternoon after the twelve O'Clock Sun
day school and the hour in which to eat
her seed cakes. How long the sermon
seemed! Would it never end? y that
odor the delicious southern wood. It
did end at last; and Meaitable, seeing
the plying face of Dolly, SO sorry for
her loss, did not forget to give her the
sprig of southern-Wood.
Slingerlands, n. y.
I'm personal note to the editor of The
Journal Rev j. E. c. Sawyer says: u
enclose a clipping from The Christian Al
vocate, New York city, containing an article
BY my wife, who mailed it to that paper
shortly before her fatal illness. II is based
on certain "reminiscences of her own girl.
hood in Searsport. The "Dr. Woodbury.
of the article was the Rev. Stephen Thurs
ton, D. d., long the pastor of the Congrega-
tional church at Searsport The text given
is that of one of his most notable sermons.
Some of his sermons were works long to be
remen bered"
~