The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-12-24
BELINDA,
SHE ARRIVES
BY NJ, QUAD
Copyright. 1912. by Associated Lit
erary Press.

around and full and by. Horace didn'
gmount to shucks. In the first place
be was third rate preacher with I
fourth rate congregation and aftl
rate salary.
Sister Belinda had lived in his FAM
ly and helped at the support for mum
Der Of years and then had cut loose ant
gone west There she had hustled Will
the rest, teaching school. running Q
boarding house and becoming n sheer
owner and had finally acquired an in
terest In mine. She had been for
warding money at intervals for lone
time and receiving few thanks in reply
when she planned visit east. She
reached her brothers house In the
middle OF the week and had time 10
look about bit before Sabbath and his
sermon arrived. She had said very lit
tie, and the family couldn't exactly
make her out.
II was after returning from church
and finishing dinner that she took the
bull by the horns and said:
Horace, you can't preach for this
ties! There's many cowboy or herd
er that can beat you ten to one.'
There were Ave Explanations of pro-
test and amazement from the five men,
bers of the family. ITS fact, Hor-
ace, and want yor to cut 1t out. I've
been making some inquiries since ! ar
rived, and | find that you amt knee
high. You haven't made a convert in
seven years. 1t amt in you"
Belinda Jones!'' was almost shouted
| by FIVE tongues.
"Your congregation only paid you $50
last year, but that was more'n you
were worth.
II have sent you $500 in two years,
but not another penny of my cash do
you receive unless you toe the mark"
"And the mark, sister, asked the
brother.
"Il give you Eve minutes by the
clock to go out Of the vineyard busl-
| ness"
But / was called to-
"Chop it off. You selected 1t because
you thought IT suited you. You haven't
pulled one single hair from Satan's
head, One minute gone"
"But my dear fiockT
won't suffer In the least. Indeed,
they will feel relieved. and so will YOU
"AwfuI-awfulw sobbed the wife.
"Can such things ber' sobbed the
daughters.
Two minutes gomez announced Be-
linda.
do understand that IL resign my
pastorate ! am TO look for something
better at your hands?' candidly que
ried the brother
"You do. but there will be work and
hustle connected with It. You'll lose
fat for few weeks"
''Oh, Horace, what sister"
"Oh. papa, what a person."
"Three minutes gone" said Belinda.
as unmindful of the tears and sobs she
looked at the clock.
SISTER" replied Horace as he came
Off the perah at last, 1T has some
times struck me that perhaps ! had
missed my profession
Good"
"And that wasn't doing my duty
by my family"
Now you are getting down to brass
facksr'
well. you may consider that l have
resigned my pastorate and am now
looking for another job"
MY husband laborer." sobbed the
wife.
"Our papa saving wood for liv-
ing" moaned the girls.
I'm attend TO all your cases in due
time" grlmly announced Belinda. And
then, turning to her brother. she said:
II see that your grist mill here is to
be sold cheap on account of the death
Of the miller"
"Yes."
"Tll buy 1t for you tomorrow. You'll
soon work into the business You need
n new fence in trout of the house.
Get a carpenter The house needs re-
Get a painter. Go to the
stores and see what your debts are
and I'll square you up. You'll want
$50 bushels OF wheat to begin on. I'll
buy 1t for you
Il have often said the Lord was my
shepherd, and r.
drop 1t. Horace! You'd have want
ID johnny cake aud 'lasses In a month
more IL you hadn't toed the mark"
Then she turned TO the wife and said:
"You have hardly second dress to
7our back. and you don't have Il caller
'r pay a call once in three months.
Cease your bowling and make youf
,arden raise vegetables to help out
Being the wife of third rate preacher 1,
Ion't put woman way up in G. :
"Eunice. you aud Clara have got /,
'eaux. They have been tiddling around i,
or a year. IL you can't bring them TO J,
ime can and that in short order" =
"Oh. Aunt Belinda" In chorus
Never mind your Aunt Belinda. but
i've these fellers the glad yes and !,
eft homes. And now for you, Cath
rine. You are too young TO get mar
led. Select your school. and ] will :
eep you there till you graduate"
Sister Belinda. will ron permit me :
, say that Providence began the !
rother, but was stopped by: = =
"Shucks. Now as TO myself The "
ian I'm engaged 10 Is coming on In -
bout fortnight. and we are going 10
e married right in this house.
And ] could have performed the