Year: 1872

! anu NIuOOWS, dlC UHe uedt WAS Intense.
But the deacon possessing untiring
energy, and his little wife the sunniest
Of tempers, they succeeded so we'll that,
by Thursday night, as he came into the
kitchen with an armful of wood, where
his wife was Washing dishes, she COM
menced singing


The deacon thinks his work is nearly done


But I feel as if mine has just begun.


"Did you hear that, Samuel 2" she
said, laughing and turning around to
look at him.


1t was prayer-meeting night, and the
deacon went to prayer-meeting for the
first time in c., took an active part. and
after meeting waited to shake hands
with the minister and some of the breth-
ren, answer their inquiries and present
their letters. He had the satisfaction
of feeling, on his way home, that he
had made a good impre ssion it plea
sell him; 1t would have pleased
us and he told his little wife that
night, in his grave way, that he
hoped, coming as he did in the midst
of strange people, there might never
be any occasion of remark against him
while he remained among them


g Tn sure, [ hope not, Samuel, p" she
said, looking innocently up in his face,
and adding, as she nestled up her little
brown head on his shoulder, g don't
feel much alarmed about it."


The next day, Friday, the deacon
went back to the old home, having
some business settlements to make
there. Can't tell certainly when I
shall be back probably not till Mon
day noon; guess there's enough wood
split to last till then. Goodbye" he
said, and was gone.


The wee woman went singing back to
her half washed dinner dishes, and with
one foot on the cradle.rocker. she
secured the knives, while she told the
story of "Jack and Jill' to the twins
When the last kettle was washed, the
kitchen stove and table brushed and
secured to the usual shade of black and
white. the baby asleep in her nest of
cradle bless her! she washed the
pretty twin faces till they blushed like
red peppers, and then settled them in
their trundle bed for nap.


Dear little woman she did look so
tired as she came out from the bed room
and stopped to brush fly away from
the musketo-net over the baby; it
would have made your back ache to
look at her, But the CHEEKY heart in
the weary body asserted itself, and she
smiled with the thought of all she
would do before the deacon came back


I" [ must slick my hair over little,
so if any one should come [ wouldn't
spoil the deacon's reputation" she said
to herself, going up to a little glass that
hung between the kitchen windows
Just then a gem of sunbeam flashed
in at the window, and seemed to tangle
itself all up in her wavy brown hair
"Oh how pretty" she said, with a
blush and a laugh like a child s.
L" Guess if somebody had been at home
I'd had q kiss, then ~ and off she flew
to her work


How like magic the white curtains
went up and the cobwebs came down
/ how the best room looking glass shone
after it's polishing, and the old daguer-
/ retype of 4" Samuel in his best days "
never shone through so clean a surface
as it did that day. SO the time flew,
/ bringing the deacon's return nearer


One morning she awakened early, en-
tirely free from a wretched headache
she had the dav before, 'tI want it all
done; the kitchen cleaned up and my
dress changed before Samuel comes at
noon" Quietly dressing so as not to
awaken the children, she slipped out
into the kitchen, built fire, and COM
menced operations. How she did work.
every step told of something done, and
at half-psst ten, despite all her him
ORANGES from baby, who wa "oss, she
was hanging out the cloth so snowy
white they dazzled her eyes as the sun
shone on them. Que end of the clothes.
line ran nearly out to the front fence
through the side yard, and the whitest,
incest clothes were hung there, of
course. Chow many people are pass
ing," she thought to herself, g and
how they all stare at me; guess it must
be at the clothes though, instead of
me, and she tenderly pinned the rear
of one of the deacon's shirts to the line.
Hark was not that the front gate?
Before she had time to turn round, the
deacon's energetic strides had brought
him close to her; but what was the
matter?


" Martha-Pendleton Flint ~ he
exclaimed, "what in the world are you
doing Come straight into the house!"


With a look that defies description,
the little body Strengthened itself up
as high as it would go, as she said,
"Not until you speak to me different
from that, Samuel, and tell me why"
her lip quiyering.


Don't you see the people all going
to meeting, and you a hanging out
shirts It's Sunday morning!" Such
a laugh as rang out then on the Sun
day air, I'm sure the good people never
heard before. " Oh, Samuel, "she said,
holding her sides, ''it's so funny
no wonder the folks stared at me and
my clothes. Oh, oh, oh ~ and she sank
! down on the grass in convulsion of
| laughter.


| The poor deacon was scandalized,
martha - he said, in such sadly
anxious tone she only laughed the
more, and it was not till she looked up
in his face that she realized how he was
touched then she stood up soberly
and walked into the house The door
closed behind them, she went up to
him with a little caress, and said,
Samuel, kiss and forgive me, and I'll
go to work and ravel it out. I truly
will, and she laughed again with the
thought of what she had been guilty of,
till the deacon kissed her, and laughed
too, in spite of himself Then he walk
ed to the window and looked out


"You're not going to let them clothes
hang out there all day, are you Martha
Flint 2"


"Of course [ am you don't suppose
now I've got them out, Gods going to
( grudge me the sunshine to dry them
with, because it's Sunday, do you?
Why 1t would be wicked to bring them
IN before sundown. But see here, Mr.
Deacon, it's about time I called you to
account, I think. How came you to be
travelling to-day? Guess there's a lit
tie Sunday-breaking on both sides, isn't
there?"


The deacon turned slowly around and
sat down. Then perching herself on
his knee, shetook his honest brown face
in her hands, and said, 'EBe a good
boy, now, and tell me all the truth re-
! mem her GaorOa Waebip OtOD dear y