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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,