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BY C. R. IIANLEITER.
P @ E T IS Y.
SONG.
pv Jts-E iiammond.
Mary, wiien the rosy morn
•sheds her smile o’er mend nnd mountain,
When her dew-drops deck the lnwn,
And her breath plays o’er the fountain,
Earth an Eden seems to he,
“And hilly waits a smile from thee.
Mary, at the lovely hour.
When nature's “nsns with henuty glisten,
Let thy song rejoice the bower;
While leaves and flowers fondly listen,
And the birds on houghs above
Warble forth the lay of love.
Mary, when the: pale moon's light
On the silent Cenr* is sleeping.
And ihe hrauteous stars of night
Through their azure veil are peeping,
L ke file first pair to Kden given,
We'll chant our evening hymn to Heaven !
H/WJSJJ Jui.'.'waaMßyj.-egoijeTTo.sii n n i..
From the New Mirror.
THE VILLAGE PASTOR.
r.Y THE Al'rilOliESS OP TIIF. “ DISCARDED.”
Those wood old times have nearly passed
sway, when the minister of God's holy
word was cluMen by a people for life.—
When the same happy pair over whom lie
pronounced the nuptial benediction were
those he had blessed at the baptismal fount;
and, when called upon to perform the last
sad offices over the remains of the giny-hair
ed elder, he felt it was the companion of
his youth, the friend with whom he had
passed on life’s pilgrimage, side by side, lie
was nw placing in the tomb; and that
when lie hi/n-elf should lie culled to pass
through the “dark valley'’ strangers would
not siiMonnd tile bed of death, but the
band of iff -cti hi smooth his dying; pillow,
closeliis weaiy eyelids, and lay him gently
down to test from his labors.
But now the case is widely different.—
That chord of sympathy which <mce united
the hearts of the clergyman and his people
vibrates lint feebly; comparatively they
.are sit augers ; their joys and sorrows no
longer mutual ; more external form than
heartfelt ; and, in many cases, it would
seem but the bond of iiV/'inteiest, which
confines the shepherd to his flock. Hardly
has he made hints Jf acquainted with tin
names of the parishioners, liatdly lias the
circuit of pastoral visits been performed,
when (should ho by chance he a tolerable
speaker) lie may receive a call from some
more wealthy society; and, with all due
respect to the reverend clergy he it obsetv
<ed, in nine cases out of ten. the call receives
■an affirmative response, and the parish is
left to work out its own salvation.
But hy no means are the society to he ex
cluded from all blame in this mutation of
flacred office. Extremes often meet ; nnd,
although when first entering upon the du
ties of his culling, the minister may find
himself caressed, praised, nay, almost wor
shipped, still it is no rare tiling to discover,
even in the short space of a few months,
symptoms of affection already creeping into
the minds of Ids people. Often,- the more
zealous and devoted the pastor, the more
stubborn and ungrateful his parishioners.
He is looked upon with coldness ; he finds
the lofty pedestal on which lie is placed
tottering at its base, for the caprices of hu
man nature are at work at its foundation ;
and, would he save hirn-elf from a final
overthrow, he must haste to shake the dust
from his feet, or wait until politely request
ed to vacate his holy office.
The evils resulting fitim this fact, per
taining to The clergy, are more particuluily
felt in country villages and towns. There
was never a society yet, however moral, bui
were made so, rendered more united with
each other, mote faithful in the duties of
friend and neighbor, hy the influence and
holy guardianship of a long serving, beloved,
and respected pastor. But now, when so
little time is allowed fur these feelings to ri
pen, it is no wonder that a morbid curiosity,
a soul-killing fickleness, a constant desire of
excitation, should have taken place of that
innate reverence with which tho clergyman
was once icgarded hy his people, even
from the Tuning babe to the gray haired sire.
It might, therefore, be aptly termed a
Jirey furnace, through which the probation
ary pul It of the clergyman is laid, Should
In* pass unscathed the fire of criticism, nnd
he finally ordained to fill the place of pas’or,
speculation and curiosty are at once on the
qui nice !
H owe*nr worthy nnd amiable may he
the circle of u quiet country village, there
are usually to he found a few busy, med
dling persons, of both sexes, who, like Paul
Pry, ate ever engaged about the concerns
of their neighbors, always peeping in In
“ an umbrella,’’ hoping they ” iton t intrude,
•nd who always corisidertbemselves behoov
ed to lake the minister under especial an
pervisioii, and more especially should ho he
unmarried.
A pool, forlorn, bachelor clergyman, hea
ven help him ! the Indies will, if they can !
Kind soula, his business is theirs, and they
will guild his interests ns dearly as their
own ! The first thing to lie done is to in
•tall hint, nolens colon, us a boarder in some
Jk WmMf H©wo]p&]p©ff § ft© IPaMfta©©* Affft©* &o a
place of their selection, according to their
ideas of propriety and comfort, where of
ten t!ie quiescent victim finds himself as
much out of place as a jewel thrown by ac
cident amid the rough pebbles hy the road
side.
1 hey next wonder whether he is engaged
to be married, and if not. engaged, whether
he may not fancy Miss A.. B, orC.; while
Mis-, I)., F, and G. already, in all maidenly
modesty, look upon themselves each as the
future mistress of the snug parsonage.
Nestled amid the verdant hills of New-
England, the river gliding gently at their
base, is the little town of M . If you
look on the map, you will find it ; it may
even elude the search of the indefatigable
traveler, yet, nevertheless, there it lies in
impretendging loveliness, a beauty-spot on
the face of nature. Like many of the
smaller villages in New-England, the hous
es are mil built in one undeviatrtig line, but
are scattered here and there, in accordance
to the tasie or fancy of the owner. Hete
peeps nut a pretty cottage, there, on a gen
tle eminence, rising from the river, stands
a beautiful mansion, around whose lofty
colonades the fragrant honey-suckle clasps
its graceful tendrils, while yonder the blue
smoke coils up from a cluster of noble syc
amores.
Near the centre of the village stands the
little gothic church, from which a nit row
footpath leading through an avenue of ven
erable trees conducts to the spot where
“ Each in his narrow coll far ever laid,
The rude forcimliers of the hamlet sleep.”
This village, like many others, lias felt
the ban of clerical disorder. Avery few
years had witnessed the installation of sev
eral clergymen, and again, in the spring of
IS4-. the church was ieft destitute.
Francis Hyde, a graduate from Vale,was,
however, about to fill the pastorale, and
this event, with all tilings {hereunto pertain
ing, was the general theme of discussion.
A peep into the parlor of yonder cot
tage may introduce us, sans rceemojiie, into
a large circle of village ladies, where, if we
please, we can listen to their conversation,
and thereby lea / n what “perils do emt tori’
the expected clergyman.
They are all, as you see, busily engaged
finishing some new curtains for their pretty
church. I'he elderly Indies surround a
large tubie, on which work-baskets, frag
ments of ciimsoti damask, bits of muslin,
spools and scissors aic heaped in multipli
ed variety. The younger are grouped
around the open windows, or in snug cor
ners, while the roguish glances interchanged;
and now and then a merry peal of laughter
betoken their thoughts are not w holly with
their needl* as, although they seem to be
frequently reminded hy their rna’mas tLot
the making of curtains is a more serious af
fair than they choose to consider.
“ Well,” says Mrs. Pillen, taking off In i
spectacles, and p-oereding to w ipe them
slowly with liei new pongee handkerchief,
’■ it is really unaccountable to me that some
of you ladies, who have husbands, should
not yet have provided a hoarding-place for
Mr. Hyde. Why, it is really strange !”
” I don’t know why you should think so, - ’
answered Mis. Brower; “we ladies, with
families to look after, have other things to
occupy out time. Now I should think that
von, Mrs. Pillen, or you, Mrs. Ackar, would
have attend) il to that business lot g ago.”
“Indeed!” “Really!” replies Mrs. Pil
len and Ackar.
“ But where will he board 1” meekly in
quires Miss Sliortman.
“ Where ran he go I” asks Mrs. Phileo,
with a most puzzled look.
* “ Why, come to think of it,” ciies Mis.
Ackar, “ what is to hinder you from taking
him? You have a nice new house; two
vacant rooms, and no family but yourself;
why, you are the very person, aflet all!”
Mrs. Phileo is a young and pretty w id
ow ; she blushes as she replies :
“ My deat Mrs. Ackar, you know litis is
a censorious world ; you know 1 have no
protector; and folks will talk I Could you
board him I”
“ As you say,” answers Mrs. Ackar,“folks
will talk ; and mv Melissa is so vn-un-so
phistieated /”
“ Then, Mrs. Downright, could not you
take our clergyman ?” again gently asks
Miss. Shot I man.
“ ,/ don’t lake boarders. Miss Sliortman ”
“ I know, but then a minister is riot like
any other hoardei ; 1 declare 1 think it is
quite gellteel.”
“ Indeed! when I take hotmlctsyou shall
know,” snaps Mrs. Downright.
“ Ladies, I must say,'* interrupted Mrs.
Hale, who had not liefoie spoken, “that
you all trouble yourselves much more than
seems to be necessary. We have chosen
Mr. Hyde for our minister; we have yield
ed to him the charge of our spiritual wel
fare, and, having done so, I should think wo
might deem him capable of choosing for
himself. Allow mo to observe, that, to my
mind, we shall be doing Mr. Hyde a much
greut'or kiudne-s if we leave this mutter
en iclv in his own hands.’’
The bustle of preparing ten now com
menced ; the work was thrown aside, urid
will) it fitr a time the ull-engtossiug subject.
They wer e soon after joined by several gen
tie men, and it would seem that tiny also
were fill us much interested an the Indies.
The first question propounded being :
MADISON, MORGAN COUNTY, GEORGIA, FRIDAY MORNING, MARCH 22, 1844.
“ Well which of you w ill board our new
clergyman ?”
Indeed,” replied Mrs. Ackar, “ 1 have ,
said and done nil I can; but the Indies ap
pear to have objections. Now, there is
Mrs. Pillen, and Mrs. Brower, and Mrs. J
Downright, might take him just as well as
not, but lliev nil decline.”
“ That being the case,” said Mrs. Ifale/j
” I will consent to take him myself. 1 es,
he can have the little blue-room, and Mary :
cun wait upon him out of school-hours.” j
“My dear madam, the very place Ibr
him,” replied Deacon Phelps ; “ lie could
not be m<ue comfortable anywhere than
with you.”
“ Why, now I think, Mrs. Hale*,” said
Mrs. Blower, “ that 1 could accomtniula'e
Mr. Hyde much better than you. Abel, i
you know, does not go to school, and lie—” *
“ O pshaw / your Abel I why he is a
mere bahv,” interrupted Mrs. Downright. J
“ I never do take hoarders, but, to oblige
the parish.! will consent to admit Mr. Hyde
into tin* bosom of my family ”
“ Melissa, to he sure, is very bashful,”
chimed Mrs. Ackar, “hut 1 mightmanage,
I suppost —although it is a very groat pity i
he is not mai i ied.”
“ Ladies, you are all very kind, all very i
kind, all very obliging,” said the deacon, !
“ yet. as Mrs. Hale nbservs, that little blue- !
room will he tire very place for him ; there
fore, if she pleases, we will consider the
matter settled ”
Mrs. Hale bowed her assent, and the sub
ject was dismissed. The other ladies, if
must be confessed, looked lather chop fal
len, for there was not one of them but had
secietly determined they would hoard the ;
clergyman, notwithstanding the many objec
tions they had started.
The little sewing- party broke up at an
early hunt, Mrs. Pillen, and Mrs. Brower,
and Mrs. Ackar protesting that Mrs. Hale |
was an artful creature, and had managed j
Deacon Phelps nicely.
“Yes, yes,” added Mrs. Downright, “and
ice shall see how she will manage Mr. Hyde, ;
too!” Then, pitting her linger on her i
nose, in a very significant manner, she clos- j
oltlw-fDan 1 *,f luw domicil, and soon tile i
deep stillness of thp night rested on the lit
tle village. How beautiful! The gentle
moon, shinning so placidly down over that j
lovely valley; ihe bright, flashing stats;
the hills, lifting up their veidant heads span
gled with the falling dew, with the river
winding around their base, gleaming under
the muon’s ray like a thread of silvoi ; while
the low wail ofthe night bird, andlhe plain
tive whip-poor-will, respond the watches of
the night. All is peace !
The next morning the sun arose with a 1
vei v bustling face, as if aware there was j
much to be done ere he could reach his bed j
on yonder mountain, (for it was ihe day the j
young clergyman was expected In arrive.) i
so, brushing away the light misi from his !
patL, he pushed joyfully"forward over the
hills.
Nor was there less hustle in the village. !
There was hut lying fiom street to street, ;
andfioni house to house. Mrs. Hale, in J
particular,‘ was favored with an unusual dis- j
play of neighborly kindness. Many were j
tile visits she received in the morning; all j
seemed anxious to witness the preparations j
she might he making for her expected guest.
But there was a quiet dignity about Mrs.
Hale, which baffled all their curiosity. She
icceived them in her neat morning-dress
with great sweetness; nor could they de
tect the least nervousness of manner, or any
shade of anxiety on her countenance denot
ing her mind to lie in the oven, stewing
with the custard or baking in an apple-pie !
To at thief Indies even ventured inti* the
kitchen—hut there, too, all was quiet and
order; no luoken egg-shells, no path of
Hour from pantry to paniiv, or •• streams of I
milk and honey,” with tlie kitten embedded ,
in th*■ centre; but the nic* ly-sconted table j
bore a goodly display of snowy btead, while
in the dairy were rolls of fragrant butter j
and pots of licit cream, which would have j
done honor to the leader even of a Giahnm- j
ire—that meat-despisi g.eteam loving race!
About live o’clock in the afternoon the |
stag*-inn n was heard resounding through
the hills, and, in a few moments it came
whirling down into the village. As it ap
proached the residence of Mrs. Hale, sev- f
era! deacons of the church planted them
selves by the road-side, and hailed the dii- |
ver to stop.
As they did so, Mr, Hyde, in apparent 1
surprise, looked from the window.
“My deal sir, welcome to M . In I
the name of your parishioners, I give you
welcome.” cried Deacon l’helps, advancing
a at * p or two. •
“ t thank you, deacon. But surely, my
dear sit, this is not the public-house ; why 1
do w e stop here ?” inquired the clergyman.
“ H hy,” answered tliedencnn, rather lies
itating'v, “we judged private lodgings
would be so much more proper for you, and
please you s i much better, and we have on
gaged board for you here—-at Mrs. Hate’s :
—a fine woman, sir.”
“Undoubtedly,” teplied Mr. Hyde ; “it !
was my intention, however, to have remain
ed a lew days ut the inn, that 1 might have
•elected such a situation as pleased uv ; yet,
since you have taken so much trouble, l
will hot diadpimint you.’*
So saying, in* sprang from tbs conch, und 1
ordering his baggage to bo taken off, enter- :
ed the house.
Mrs. T Jale received him with much kind
ness, and in a few moments conducted him
to Ilia loony As she tbivvy open the doin’,
the rovj. d'ail Was so dedcioumhat the brow
of the young clergyman relax* and, for, it
must la* owned, sinco his advent so unex
pectedly from the stage, it hud been vofne
wli *t rigid. It was, indeed, u beautiful .lit
tle room. The walls Were painted of a
light-idito, an India matting covered the
flooi, and curtains of delicate muslin, white
ns snow, decked the windows, while those
ofthe same material, looped with pale blue
ribbon, were hung mound the bed. The
cui tains of one window partly drawn aside,
disclosing a beau iful Michigan lose, now in
full bhi* m, trailed across, while the drooping
branches’ of u willow, moved gently by a
light wind, seemed to Invite him to contem
plation and repos**.
“ My dear madam,” said lie, “ 1 thank
you for this delightful room. I am sure 1
shell enjov many peaceful bouts here.”
Mis. Hale meiely bowed, • and left the
room.
“ 1 find,” soliloquized Hyde, “that Rey
nolds wns light. The offieioiisness of these
good people more than equals his anticipa
turns; however, if all tilings have as happy
n termination as my day’s journey, 1 confess
I shall Inne but little cause of regret.”
A light tap at the door, and a bright,
laughing face peeped in.
“ Please sir, tea in ready,” said little Ma
ry.
“ Come and kiss me, my dear,” cried (ho
clergyman hold’ngout his hand ; but, with
a laugh, tlie child hounded before him, ami
threw open tlie door of their iittle tea
room.
No tiling could lie more inviting to a trav
eler than tlie repast Mrs. IIa ! e had provided
for her new lodger, who again inwardly
congratulated himself upon the fortunate
choice of his people.
“ I trust, sir, you will find yourself com
fortable here,” ut length said Mrs, Hale.—
“‘You would, undoubtedly, have preferred
selecting a situation tor yourself: hut the
well-meant kindness of my neighbors would
have prevented you, l foresaw this, and
therefore it was 1 proposed to take you, in
order that you might still have that liberty.
Do not consider yourself at all obligated to
remain here ; lake all the time you wish,
and when you find such a situation as seems
piefi t able, pray do not hesitate to remove.”
“ You are very kind, my dear madam,”
replied Mr. Hyde, “ and I owe you mar.y
thanks for the consideration you have man
ifested. 1 own, it was my wish to Irave be
come a little mote acquainted with the lo
calities of lire place, ere 1 established mv
stdf permanently. Yet 1 certainly cannot
blame the zeal of m v parishioners, when J
find myself indebted to them for the corn
foils of my piesent sitna ion. Allow me,
if you please, to consider this charming spot
my home ”
“Certainly, sir,” responded Mts. Hale;
and here the subject ended.
Both parties, seemed mutually pleased
with tlie arrangement, and, with all the win
ning loveliness of childhood, little Mary, iti
the course *>t a few days, attached herself al
most exclusively to the new minister, who,
Col hours, would sit at his window viewing
the headries of the landscape, with the
head of the sweet child nestled in his bo
sotn.
Indue time Francis Hyde was ordained.
And now these good people, finding they
had pleased him so well iti tlie choice of
Mrs. llale’s little blue-room, resolved they
would tin more; not doubting they should
lie equally fortunate in selecting a wife.
“Do you think lie is engaged ?” anx
iously demanded Miss ,Shortmc.n of Mrs.
Downright. “Me lias vciy long letters at
the post-office, they say, arid written in a
female hand.”
“ Pooli! engaged ! no 1 he has half-a-do
zen sisters and cousins,” tuitly replied Mrs.
Downright.
“Ob!” said Miss Short man.
“ But heoivght to be mat t ied,”
“ Certainly.”
And from that day poor Francis ITyde
found himself the victim of kindness. The
deacons anil Dorcas's of his soefefy held
forth the blessings of the holy state of ma
trimony, the assistance to he derived from a
• undent and loving wife, and the pleasure#
of sharing the p rnchial duties with an
ami able helpmate ; while I he younger Indies,
flora thirty down to sweet sixteen, rill in
divers ewitebiug ways seemed to intimate
to the voting ministei (heir willingness to
undcitiike the important charge.
If lie studied into the woods, he was al
ways certain to meet two or three romantic
girls, either botanizing or improving then
geological tastes. When he visited the sick,
the mote discreet maidens of his parish
weie beforehand with him ; he found them,
like mini teriny angels, hovering around the
sick bed. Even tho quiet evening meal,
which he had so much enjoyed with his
amiable hostess, was now invaded. lie of
ten found a social group of maidens gath- 1
eied tit ound the teu-tnble, w here, it would
seem, the motreuts flew nil too swift, for, in i
chatting and sentimentality, it was dark ere
they vereawuie; and, although (ley usu
ally p.ntotlod their fearlessness, yet the po- j
lileuesa due tho timid sex would not allow
Mr, Hyde to see them depart unprotected, i
He bore rill this with the courage of u
mnityi, nd kept mi tho “ even tenor” of j
his way unheeding; evincing, by his (torfoct
indifference iti the matter, that lie possessed t
a heart harder than tlie nether millstone.-, i
True, he did receive long Irtlers from the |
post; turn, they were written in a fiemqle ,
hand ; hut then, as Mrs. Downright asset!- >
ed. he hod half-a-dozen sisters/md cousins ; !
so, of course, that proved notljifs& and the i
ball rolled on ! -1 ‘ l
A year had scarcely passei since his or- 1
dinattun, when Mr. Hyde re/eived a call j
* ‘mm one of onr most populous towns, with *
an increase of salary nearjy double. To !
bis honor, ns a mnn and alt'bristiar), be it ;
assoiTsd, he at once unhesitatingly declined i
the offer. * There Were reasons which might \
| have strongly tetnpipd Ihe young clergyman !
| to accept. He u:(s not happy whete he ’
was, except that Im enjoyed tho innate sat
i*f tetion rd kaowinj* lie was in the perfor- j
mance of his (His parishioners, he i
ft!?, were loft fond ojj bringing his |>r.ivatS •
nfliiiis on tlie ?tf/tYi(f villagq -dlscusslbn, 1
and often troubled \im excessively with ■
their officioustiess. Fp all this he knew !
i proceeded more firing good feeling than )
fiom any desire to heWpottuiinic; and, i
apart ftom these riW/wwtViend#, were those j
who were kind without being obtrusive, j
and sot whom he altesdyfclt sentiments of j
unqualified esteem.
A few days after lie hruiilecliuecl his clet- ‘
ienl invitation, he receiveja visit from his ]
cofiege friend, ttt-yrwAtta, H |wn 1,-nen- ,
mg his decision, scrupled lot to censure j
him severely for refusing sj advantageous j
an offer.
“ Depend upon it, Finm ii. you will re- ]
gret it,” said Reynolds. “Here yon are I
immured in a small country village, yotit j
talents, your eloquence onappyciafed, and j
where, as you acknowledge,tynu are not !
happy. You are filling the oflW ofpastor, i
to a people whose gteatest filendsliip for |
you* only manifests itself in a ziA-l totally in- j
imieal to vmir peace nnd contort. Now ;
yon have an opportunity Mich nslbm Seldom j
falls to the lot of so young a malt as your- ■
self, not only of becoming the minister of a ,
lalge and highly educated societL I ut also :
of nearly doubling your present income.—
Your talents Would he drawn frith more i
and mme, your name would go thread to
higher powers, atid in a very few \Vars, my
dear fellow, you might become thi recipi
ent of a salary equal to that of oir most
celebrated divines.” \
“ Step, stop, my friend, you are g<Vng too
far,” replied Hyde; “you would IT)ate me
indeed an apostate from my sacred profes
sion. I accepted the.call of this people ; I
am, as yon say, tho pastor of a small country
village; hut what then! Is the ofltW on
that account to he held less sacred ! Are
riot llu* souls of this Worthy people of ns
much value ill tlie sight of God ! If they
are not, many of them, quite as highly edu
cated or refined, is that a teasmi why I
should leave them! I acknowledge that
their offieioiisness is disagreeable to me,
that I am often placed in situations where it
requires all nry foi bearafice to avoid collis
ion on many points ; but when I am certain
this nbtrnsivcness, annoying as it sometimes
is, proceeds only fiom pure feelings of kind
ness, it would surely he very ungrateful, to
say the least, to admit that ns a cause why
I should leave them ; and 1 assure you, my
friend, no mercenary cmisideiations would
ever induce me to abandon those who have
chosen me as their guide and pastor.”
“ But recollect, Fiancis,” interrupted
Reynolds, “if you do not accept your pres
ent nfler, von are liable at any moment tube
dismissed from your pastorate. Let me
see, if I remember rightly, this small village
has already, withina period of eleven years,
given the right-hand of fellowship to four
members of your holy calling ! What
chance, then, have you to remain longer
than your predecessor# ?”
“ Perhaps mute,” answered Hyde; “still,
on that account, I seo no reason why I
should yield up the place I now occupy.—
Y\ tiv should 1 distrust, or lie faint and wea
ry in well-doing ! When they become dis
sati-fied with me, then let them dismiss tne;
and may the grace of God test on the one
who may comp after me ! My vows has
been plighted in the holy temple of the
Lord. lam ordained to watch over, to
guide, to pray nnceasinglv for the spiritual
welfare of this little flock ! My oaths are
register* and in heaven, and never, so long as
God gran:* tne life, will I, for my own tem
poral emolument, prove faithless to my
clini ge, < r n> glectful of those duties which I
the Must High has imposed upon me!—
No, no, Reynolds, you are wrong, very
wrong !”
Finding nis nrgumnts vain, his friend ft- j
nally dismissed the subject of debate, se
cretly considering young Hyde a true Jis
hatir.
What an honor to human nature is such |
a man as Francis Hyde ! Renouncing the
applause of,the lent tied, und lira alluu-n.ents
of fortune, that he may administer to the
wants of a small congregation, in a remote 1
country village. Thus redeeming, in Ids |
own person, that stigma of winldy-minded
mtss which has fallen on tunny of those who ;
occupy the pulpit, pro tan ; seeking mote
the gain of earthly i it■her. than of laying up
treasure in heaven, “ what doth it profit n
mu. , if he gam the whole world, and lose hit
own soul,” yet forgetting, at the same time,
to oppose this text to tlmir own conscience! 1
Months rolled <nt, and Ktillthe young min- :
ititer whs found faithful in disclnnging tho
dutiee of his pi nfcasion. Hi# k.ml and 2111 1
• 0
VOLUME 11,-NUMBER 52.-
; fit- manners, his devotion tritheslck, t}te se
< let charities which were scattered by his
f hand, all combined to endear him to the
I hearts ot his people. Sunday .schools an<J !
[ Bible classes wre established, . and, with.’
! such an cxnmnle t^cuie sniggers
| a b>o became zealous in promoting the gtitl
, eral welfare of the little village.
| Yet all was not peace ! The young [in*-
tor. how ever cxcelietif, kind, and behevo-,
! lent, still lacked the “ one thing tieedfUl,”
! viz: a wife! , ■ ~ ,
j “ Iris sa strange he don't marry!” sighed
1 Mis Shoitmaii.
! “He must have a wife!” said Mrs. Dow n
” If be would but fancy Martha 6-——!’**
: ejaculated Mrs Pillen.
; “Yes, or Fanny P quoth Mrs.
i Brown. -.if
| “Or Melissa,” thought Mrs. Acknr. „
i “Pooh!” says Mrs. Downright, “ ill 1
j cfrflens ! I fell you it will tiot he Martha,
01 Fanny, that will he Mrs. Hyde 1 hut one
|of whom 1 epee warned you. All ha ! what
1 think .von of'Mrs. Ilale, ladies 1”
I “ D<> you think so, realty t’ anxiously
| demanded Miss Shnrtman.
“ Ah f. li h !” put in Mrs. Brower.
“ 1 don’t believe it,” ndded Mrs. Ackar.
“ I'll warrant yosilivcd Mrs. Docur
j right.
>- There Aid, it in true, seem to be sortie s<i
; rret ntidersfonoing between Mr. IJyjle and
J the gentle widow. And especially about the
j time of the foregoing conversation .he had
not only inspecfl-d, but also spanned, sever
’ nl alterations in the cottage of Mrs. Hale.—
I It is not to he wondered, then, that th&fe
j good ladies were a little mystified by these
proceedings, from which the most natural
way to emerge seemed to be by joining the
| hands of tlieit clergyman and the widow in
| matrimony,
*
The latter became at once the object of
j mtieli animadversion, many bints and innu
endoes were thrown out, and thq deaeffbn
■ anil elders of the church rest dined hot fiom
a sly joke whenever they encountered her.
But the behavior of Mrs. Hale even mystifi
■ ed them still more ; she evinced no tripida
-1 lion, no self-accusing blushes mantled her
I cheeks, but, on the contrary, she laughed
) most uncofisirninedly. and neither said ye*
; or 7to to all their intimations.
i Soon after the alterations in the cottage
i were completed, Mr. Hyde requested leave
iof absence for a few weeks. And now, iti
| the minds of many, the affair was as good
j as settled ; arid although some thought it ra
ther odd that the wedding (lit) not take
place ere his departure, the selfopinioneiV
Mrs. Downright asserted with,great sagsc?-’
; tv, that of etrursc Mr. Hyde hed gone to’
bring bis sisters and cousins to witness th£’
( ceremony. “To lie sure,” she ndded, “ it?
would be very strange wdien lie had so ma-*
ny of them that he should steal n wife, as h?
were, without their knowledge.”
“ Yes,” said Mrs. Hale, with asmile, “Mf*
! Hyde will not return alone.”
Upon the day lie was expected, the, wiif
mv gave out invitations for a genetaT Igaf
driiikittg at the rbttnge ; and now curiosity
and eager expectancy tripped hand in ha/nl.
with the goodly company. A large loaf of
cake, beautifully ornamented, had beet) dis-
I covered by Mrs. Pillen in the pallor chisel;
and, when she made this known to Mrs.
Downright, the latter smoothed down her
black silk apron, took a pincli of snuff, anil*,
looking complacently round, observed,
“ A wedding, good folks ! Depend upon
it, (his is the wedding night—a hem !”
But hark ! The stage-born !
Down comes the stage—rafrltpi, jolting,
| dashing along, as if conscious that there it
j held supreme power over rail-roads snd
j steamers; the horses, with curved necks’
I artel prancing pace, asserting their contempt
I for the wood devouring, fire-breathing mob
| ster ; and the driver, his hat perched jauntr-
I ly nit one side, now whistles, now sings, as
jhe cracks his whip over the heads'of his
i steeds :
‘ Oil lie was a gay and roving lov ov-oy!
\ es, quite n Iw an—quire a brni’.a-qiijt* a sub-M-iV,
Wa* tire postillion of LonjVniertii !”
No sooner did the prolonged notes hf the
j horn teach their ears than there was a sim
ultaneous rush to the windows, Mrs. Hale
i herself being. apparently the must tinedn
; cer.icd person in the loom.
{ The stage now stopped at the gate Mr.
j Hyde alighted, and, almost at thesnrtie mo-
Went, n light female figure sprang out un
j assisted, nnd takiiig the arm of ike clergy
-1 man, entered the house. Mrs. Hale now
! very quietly left the room, and in a few mo
i meats Mr. Hyde entered alone, and greet
ed the company with much kindness.
He soon retired, and again returned with
a young and love’y giil leaning on his arm.
“Allow me, my dear friends,” said he,
“ to present to your kindness and love this
Indy—my wife—and may the acquaintance
this day formed prove one of mutual esteem
I and benefit.”
To jxirtrav tbo astonishment of his audi
to * would require the pcndil of a Hogarth.
Mrs. Downright uhine preserved an unmov
ed countenance, pud, niter looking round
upon the company w ith a self-satisfied air,
which seemed to say,, “ You see, ladies—*
teeihiing —l rold yon rightly 1” proceeded,
1 with mi appearance of great maternal pro-’
tuition, to shelter the blushing bride under
i her wdiigfi, fnitii lltv eujjci guzc of thu little*
1 imcuihljt,