Year: 1876

tal strength and besides, ns dishonor-
ing the Lord. We Should have more con.
fidence in Him. And, with smile, the
Parson bade his friends goodnight"


On Sunday morning, fully an holir be-
fore service time, people began TO gather
from every direction around the village
meeting house, for all were anxious, and
II was here, If anywhere, that pri
vate news from the army might be
expected to be met Opportunities
for sending letters were very few; but
sometimes a packet was received from
the soldiers having been passed from
hand 70 hand-ds n happened TO be com
ing as far Is Albany, and there handed the
packet TO u, who Glanced to have business
in Red Hook, where he found that in
few days G was goitig TO Poughkeepsie,
whence ID might be called to Pleasant
Valley, and there found L ready TO con-
vey the precious bundle to the waiting
friends in Sharon.


1t was now many weeks since one of
these chance packages had reached the
anxious ones, whose hearts were breaking
for news of their imperiled friends and of
the cause which was dearcr to them all
than everything besides. Sad to stern
ness were most of the faces that gathered
about the high steps of the Westinghouse
on that bright October morning. Each
newcomer, before dismounting-forn near
ly all, both men and women, were on
horsebach-glaneed with questioning eyes
at those already assembled, who in their
turn scanned The face of Che new arrival,
to guess what news he bore, if any.


AS Betsey accompanied lier uneIe's
family; she fancied that SHE was regarded
with mingled feelings, as the daughter of
a Tory and the betrothed of Patriot She
had passed night of prayer for her
absent lover and his cause Her whole
rested upon them patiently, waiting, if
not hoping, for the answer they should
receive. She entered one of the three
doors which opened upon flights of steps
leading to the north, east and SOUTH and
quietly took her place in Deacon Brad
ley's high, square pew. The greatest
length of the meeting house was from
north TO South; but the three main aisles


-One broad and two side aisles-ran
from east 20 west, with short cross aisles
connecting the north and south doors
with the main side aisles. On the
west side-reaehed by flight of steps
some sixteen feet in height-was the
narrow pulpit, everything by the
cumbrous extinguishefelike stundihg.n
board. The pews were divided
into four groups-the middle two being
for families: that on the south side for
maidens who had no parents and did not
belong to the choir, and for widows with.
out families; that on the north side was
reserved for single men who did not sing
Around three sides of the building ran
high galleries, that opposite the pulpit
containing the choir Starting in the cen
ter of this bass and countcr.singers tapered
off toward the north side gallery into boys
old enough to be trusted so far from the
parental eye; and on from the middle
again to the south side air and second
wore funny little close white
caps instead of bonnets-shaded softly in
to young girls, who held hymn books and
tried TO appear unconscious of the fact
that there were boys with eyes in the op-
posite gallery. AT the end nearest the
pulpit in each side gallery was division
set apart for the slaves.


Before the war the meeting house had
been won't to be full to overhowing; but
now the nearly entire absence of middle
aged and young men had greatly thinned
the ranks. Betsey even missed not few
of those whose age might have excused
them for preferring the quiet of home to
the fatigdcs Of the march alfW tented
field


AT the last stroke of the bell quick
footstep rang on the stone by the south
door, and all in the building rose to show
their Difference, not so much to the pastor
whom they loved as to the ordained serv-
ant of their common Master. AS he came
down tie aisle, gravely and gracefully ac-
knowledging the bows and courtsies of
the people in the pews, Betsey thought
that he looked even more worn and anX.
ious than when she saw him three months
before, though he was then only half re-
covered from the camp fever. And when
he paused, after ascending the long flight
of pulpit steps, to bow to the right hand
and the left mot to keep the young people
in the galleries too long standing), she,
with many others, breathed silent prayer,
born of fear, that their beloved pastor
might be spared TO them, at least, until
this fiery trial of war was past.


Eloquent and fervent though the pastor
was, poor Betsey's mind wandered far
during the long prayer; and during the
singing of the hymns she missed so keen
ly, amid the quavering bars of the old
men and the thin counter of the boys, the
round, full tones of one absent voice that
she was thankful to hide herface in cor
ner of the high backed pew.


When the text was announced
" Watchman, what of this night? The
watchman saith the morning cOmeth'-
all knew that this was to be field-day
with the parson. Earnest to vehemence,
gifted with natural eloquence, his sermons
never lacked originality and force, and
to-day his flock thought him almost in
spired, as with faithful hand he drew the
picture of an oppressed people struggling
for liberty against fearful odds, with far
two often dissension in their own ranks
and Jealousy of person and place which
would weaken the strongest.


Plentiful were the tears that cOursed
down faces young and old as the late re-
verses and losses were recounted, and one
or two of the resolute old men were
getting trille uneasy as they wondered
"what Parson could be thinking of to
discourage the people so, when sudden
ly his tone changed. &c Our Weakness =
he said, " is the Lords opportunity; lie
has permitted our humiliations that He
might punish our sins and show us that
He is mighty to help in time of need He
has promised to succor those who look to
Him for their strength, and He is faith
full that has promised" Then, kindling
with almost prophetic fire, his face glow
ing, his slight frame quIvering with feel
ing, he triumphantly eXclaimed THE
morning non cometh | see its beams al
ready gliding the mountain tops, and you
shall soon see its brightness bursting over
all the land" And, closing the bible, he
said, with the solemn assurance of perfect
faith; "Amen! o Lords so let il beln


A silence of expectation, silence as
perfect as death, as hopeful as the trump
of the resurrection morning fell upon the
listening band. In the solemn hush
faint, far-Off sound breaks upon the strain
ing ears of the congregation. 1t is the
hasty clatter Of hoofs dashing into the vii
lage from the north Not n word is whis
pered, not breath is audible. All know
that the sacred stiffness of the New En-
gland Sabbath would thus be broken but
for one reason The fierce rider makes
straight for the church. Hope has tri-
umphed over fear; but even hope has its
terrors and eager eyes blaze out from
blanched faces, as the rider, springing
from lis horse at the church door, with
firm onick strides cIanks his srlTrs ltDon