The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, October 25, 1881, Image 1
Ovi I lifer . C&r -T:: . 1 1 : W1:1 -Mlo &Fvk- v, .j,i,..-vvJ a win . . .1, .i iAf , .i-- - . r,V f 1 jru Mil , sssaaa. yw?: VOL. XV. THE TIMES. An Independent Family ttenspnpor, tl'DBU8IIBDBTllTTl'I3DAr BT l MORTIMER & CO. TEltMH t INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE. f 1.50 PF.II VKAll, IOftTAl? MIDI'.. SO C I . lOH a MONTHS. Tom luerlners residing In mm rotiNTV, where w nnve no poihu to pnv, a discount of cents from thn nltovn terms will be made If payment la made In advance. W Alvertlslng rates furnlslied upouappllca tlon. The Parson's Visitor. THE Wednesday evening prayer-meeting was over. The fifteen or twen ty parlshoners, mostly womenfolk, Who had been In attendance, had scat tered up and down the quiet rural Btreet in the direction of their homes. The llev. Amos Dale, who had that evening to perform the double function of sex ton and pastor, the sexton having hired out to a farmer at some distance from the village for the planting and hoeing sea son, lingered behind his flock to put out the kerosene lights in the lecture-room. This done he came up the basement stairs, and out on the stone steps, where he stopped to lock the door. A tall, awkward man, the Eev. Amos Dale, with straight, iron gray hair, n trifle too long, aud deep, rugged lines in his face, lie is extremely nearsighted, aud has much ado to see the keyhole in this doubtful light, but at length the door is locked, and with his hands clasped be hind his back, and his head bent a little forward, he strolled away up the street, the most absent-minded and biggest hearted man you will see in many a day. Walking thus toward the post-office for his evening paper, with no eagerness for good or evil tidings, but with a heart at peace with itself, the good man is aware of how heavily freighted the sweet June dusk Is with the fragrance of the locusts and syringas. "Come for yer mail, Elder?" asks Joel Bean, the postmaster, looking up from the paper which he is reading be hind the counter, for the post-office and and store are together. The minister replies pleasantly in the affirmative, and Joel hands him out a paper. The Rev. Amos takes it and turns to leave, but the postmaster says, " Hold on a minute, Elder, you've got a letter to-night, too," and as he gives it to him he looks inquisitively at bis face. The letter is addressed in a lady's handwriting, graceful aud re fined. Nothing remarkable in this, surely, and yet it startles Amos Dale a little as he looks at the letter lying in his hand. He bids Joel Bean good-evening, and goes on his way up the hill to the par sonage, thinking as he goes how long it is since he has had a letter from a woman. His thoughts fly back to a packet of old letters, yellow of paper now, and faded of ink, lying iu a corner of a pri vate drawer in his desk ; letters written to him while he was a student, more than fifteen years ago, full of maidenly reserve and yet of a woman's love. There had come a day when the num ber of these letters was complete, never to be added to. That other letters could be written and another love won, it had never entered the heart of the llev. Amos Dale to conceive. He soon reached his own gate, and a - few of his long strides took him through the old-fashioned box-bordered garden to the door of the parsonage between the lilac bushes. He went into the sitting room a large, bare, orderly room. A red and black table cover was ou I he centre-table; firmly planted In the mid dle stood a broad-shouldered lamp with a green paper shade. Beside the table, darning stockings, sat Hannah Breeze, Lis distant relative and housekeeper, who had come directly home from the prayer-meeting. . Hannah, who was not of the fairest among women, having a general effect of dull gray hair, eyes, complexion, Alpaca and all looked up when the ISUSW MLOOMFIISLID, 1JA.., TUESDAY, mltilblrr entered, but did not speak. It was not her way. The Bev. Amos Dale, having hung his hat ou its proper nail, as every mem ber of a well-regulated household should, proceeded to draw an arm-chair up to the tuble, pat down, broke the seal of his letter unostentatiously, and rend. It was a short letter, and he soon drop ped It on his knee, looking around with an expression of consternation. "Hannah!" he exclaimed, "here Is an agent a woman at that bearing down upon us. What is to be dune Y" " Head her oh", If ther's time," was the concise reply. "Let's see," Bald the ltev. Amos, tak lug up the letter again : " I am coming to Fairfield to canvass for the Complete Analytical Commentary' there's reso lution for you, Hannah"-- "Takes book agents for that." "I shall hope to make my home in your family, if perfectly convenient to Mrs. Dale" Amos Dale read this with an odd smile about his mouth. "Umphl" was all Hannah vouch safed. He read ou in silence, but suddenly sprang to his feet, looked up at the clock on the wooden shelf, aud said, " No heading her oil now. This let letter has been detained ou the way. See, the date Is three days ago. Khe is coming on the 0:30 train this very even ing, aud I have only Just time to meet her." " I don't see's you've any parllkeler call to meet her. Them book agents isn't in the habit of being beaued around much, I guess. Say, Mr. Dale," she called, for he had his bat on and was out of the room already, "you'll take her to the tavern, won't you, or to Dea con Bush's Y" "(Mrs. BuBh is sick. We shall have to keep her to-night, for all I see. Get the east room ready, and you may as well put the kettle over, Hannah, the poor woman will be tired" and the llev. Amos closed the door and strode' oft towards the little station, half a mile away, leaving Hannah to do his bidding faithfully, albeit with some grumbling. " He'll take In every analytical tramp that comes along with a commlnterry; don't make no difference whether it's man or woman," she said to herself, a little confu3ed as to the new adjective which had impressed her as valuable if vague. Mr. Dale walked rapidly along the shadowy, grassy path, thinking as he walked of the sort of woman whom he was probably going to meet substan tial of form, harsh of feature, profuse and emphatic of speech, a trifle dense of sensibility yes, he knew the type well aud did not fancy it overmuch ; all the same he must do for this woman, this Mrs. Emily Payne ( for so she had told him to address her, In case there was anything in the way of her coming to Fairfield) all that Christian courtesy demanded. He reached the station Just in lime to see the train coming la sight around the bend, flinging showers of sparks, and glancing colored lights into the the quiet dewy fields. There was a brief pause, then the train swept ou again, aud the Bev, Amos Dale was peering about in the dark, with near-sighted eyes, for the person he had come to meet. A slight little woman, dressed In deep mourning, who had been the only per son to alight from the train, came to wards the door of the waiting-room, stopped seeing him looking thus, aud then stepped timidly up to him. "Ah I" said the minister, "is this Mrs. Emily PaynoY" he epoke each word slowly and distinctly. "Yes, air," was the reply, in a quiet, clear-toned voice. Mr. Dale, I think Y" He took her into the waiting-room, and left her while he went to find her valise. As she came into the light, he saw what he had felt when she spoke, that she was a lady. She had a pale face, with smooth brown hair under her widow's cap; there was a refined, spirit ual character in the features, and an ex pression of sadness in the gray eyes. Altogether, the Bev. Amos Dale found difficulty lu believing that this was one of the persevering book agents whom he bad always held In disfavor. As they walked along the' quiet road, he carrying the valise himself, much against her will, there being no convey. ance at the depot, he found that he could not tell her that he should have discour aged her coming If he had received her letter In time, or that Fairfield If fair was not promising as a field for book agents, Home way he preferred that she should feel herself welcome and her way made easy. Arrived at the parsonage, he was pleas ed to see Hannah's grlmness relax a little before Mrs. Payne's gentle voice and smile. He was glad to see her en joy her cup of tea, aud when, Immedi ately after, she asked to be shown her room, and followed Hannah and her candle up the winding staircase, he was sorry she had gone quite so soon. Noth ing had been Bald of her mistake with regard to his being a married man. He had found a certain awkwardness in mentioning the matter, aud so had left it to explain itself. Mrs. Payne told Hannah the next day that she had been misinformed ou the subject. At breakfast Mr. Dale frankly discuss ed the outlook with his guest. He told her that Fairfield was wholly a farming community, aud that the farmers were not greatly given to buying books. Moreover he did not himself at present owu a horse, aud it was wholly Impos sible to hire one iu the neighborhood at this busy season. To this Mrs. Dale replied cheerfully that she expeo ted and was able to walk, aud would start Immediately after break fast. Mr. Dale offered to go with her to some of the most promising places, but this she declined gratefully - but with quiet decision. He then drew a rude map of all the principal roads In Fairfield, with the farmhouses where she would be likely to be well received, and soon after she started out bravely on her fliBt day 'a campaign, a copy of the Complete Ana lylical Commentary under her arm too heavy a book, thought the llev. Amos, for such a little woman to carry. He had put down his own name for a copy of that valuable work, taking a little pains, after doing so, to put out of sight a copy of au earlier edition which had stood for many years on his book Bhelves. This he could give to the Sun day school library. That evening Mrs. Payne had a long talk iu the twilight with her host aud Hannah Breeze. Klie told a (gw simple facts of her own history, which enlisted their interest and sympathy fur her more strongly thau ever. Her husband had been a minister, of the same faith as Amos Dale. Ten years ago he had died, leaving her with a baby girl. Through the kindness of friends she had soon obtained a position as clerk to a government official, aud strange to say bad retained It until a few months ago, when it had been takeu from her by political changes. She could not wait for a good situation to open her little daughter, who was now at a boarding-school, must be sup ported as well as herself. The agency for this book was suggested to her as a temporary shift until she could find something better, and she bad undertak en it. It was evident that she was full of homesickness aud anxiety for Bose, her little daughter, whom she "iiad al ways kept with her before.but she show ed iu all that she said, a spirit of faith and patient waiting, which the Bev. Amos" Dale found very refreshing to his own spiritual experience. During this conversation Mrs. Payne proposed that she should find a board ing place elsewhere, but upon this point Mr. Dale was firm ; while she tarried In Fairfield her dwelling was to be under the parsonage roof, and Hannah added, "You might as well stay where you be. You don't make no trouble to speak of. 'Tain't nothin' to put on an extry cup aud plate, and I always keep cooked up." This signified that the stranger had found favor iu Haunah's sight in the highest degree. The days went on. The first morning at prayers the Bev. Amos Dale had prayed for grace and strength for "the stranger that was within his gates," but after that the heavenly benediction was asked upon "our friend who abides with us for a season." Each morning Mrs. Payne set out on her wearisome round, uncomplainingly, full of courage aud hope. At night, OCT033Klt 25, 1881. when she returned, she would tell over to Amos Dale and Hannah the adven tures of the day, in a quaint merry way of her own, which gave a charm to the simplest thing she told. Ou the whole she was succedlng in selling her book beyond her expectations ; and the Bev. Amos bethought him of many a road aud district which she must not fall to visit, even If It did lengthen her stay In Fairfield beyond her plan. He was sure that the pure air and the quiet of the place were good for her ; he thought a little color was coming lu her cheeks. lie even proposed that she stay wttli them a month, do her work leisurely and rest between times. To this she would in no wise consent. She must leave Tuesday morning at the very latest. Sunday came, and Mrs. Payne sat with Hannah in the minister's pew, down lu front. When the Bev. Amos Dale stood up In Hie pulpit to open ser vice, and caught sight of her sweet, quiet face turned reverently towards him, it startled him with a sensation strange and agitating. There was no other face with just that look iu all his congrega tion. What a help It might be to a man but hush, what thoughts were these Y" "The Lord is In his holy temple ; let all the earth keep silence before him." That evening there was a prayer-meeting. Mrs. Payne went again with Han nah aud "gave In her testimony" lu a few words, taking up the thought of the morning sermon, aud applying it with delicate spiritual insight In another di rection. "Truly," thought the Bev. Amos Dale, and he sighed, "sister Payne has old Oeorge Herbert's 4 famous stone which turneth all to gold.' " Monday morning was hot and sultry, the sun burning with a fierceness like July, the air full of suffocating dust. Amos Dale watched his guest as she started oil-on her last long walk In Fair field with a dumb heartache. It hurt him to have her subjected to such weari ness and toll. That afternoon he gave up to making pastoral calls. It seemed to afford him a little comfort to place himself In the same conditions with that frail little woman. So with his long strides he measured a good portion of his parish, and returned at tea time, heated aud covered with dust. Mrs. Payne bad reached home before him, and was standing In the doorway lu a cool, light dress, with no sign of heat or dust about her. She greeted him pleasantly. " Hannah has been called up to Mr. Green's I believe it is they have a very sick child. She could not tell how long she might be gone. Tea is 'ready when ever you are." A few minutes later the Bev. Amos Dale found himself seated at the tea table, opposite Mrs. Payne, who was pouring his tea, and bearing herself with that unassuming'-dignity which made embarrassment to either Impossi ble. Some way the table had a different air to-night ; the cloth was laid smooth er, the dishes placed with greater care. Iu the centre of the table, In the one vase belonging to the parsonage was a spray of sweet-brler,a handfull of daisies and some graceful grass. What a won der that little touch wrought I It pleas ed the Bev. Amos Dale greatly. He had never had flowers on his tea-table be fore. " You gathered them on your way home this afternoon, did you not Y" " Yes sir, I wanted more, but I could not carry them very well." " I saw a great many of those wild roses, and I thought myself they looked pretty, but it did not occur to me to bring them home. Hannah and I are not quite up to that kind of thing, I guess. We are very matter-of-fact" aud he smiled a little wistfully. He was beginning to feel in many ways how much had been left out of his life. That tea-time was a wonderful one to Amos Dale. The simplest act and word of It seemed beautiful and full of mean ing to him. Afterward be watched Mrs Payne as she moved about in housewife. ly fashion clearing the table ; and when she went away into the kitchen to wash the dishes, for this she would do, he would have followed her, but he did not quite dare. Hannah came home at eight o'clock. bringing a good report of the sick child, NO. 43. and soon after they all hade each other Goodnight. It was the custom at the parsonage, at morning prayers, for each one present to repeat a text of Horlpture. Tuesday morning the Bev. Amos Dale repealed and his voice was a trifle husky " Be not forgetful to entertain stran gers for there by some have entertained angels unawares." Hannah followed with " Commit thy way unto the Lord ; trust also In him, and he shall bring it to pass." Then Mrs. Payne said, " The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ he with you all." There followed a moment In which none of them cared to speak, and then Mrs. Payne left the room without a word and went up stairs. When she came down she was equipped for her journey, and it was time to start for the station. When the Bev. Amos Dale, having mt Mrs. Payne on board tiie train, with many little cares for her comfort, stood watching it speeding on out of sight, ail ttie will within hltn rose and said, "She Khali come back." And for Emily Payne, all day her thoughts travelled back to Fairfield, and she kept wondering If there were ever a man so pure in heart, so single lu pur pose, as the lonely man whom she never expected to meet again. ' It was on a wet afternoon of August that Hannah Breeze, having been on an errand to Deacon Bushes', stopped In at the post office for a pound of green tea Joel Bean weighed It out for her, and as he made up the parcel he said, glanc ing shrewdly at Hannah through bis glasses, " It takes the Elder a mighty sight of letter-wrilln' to finish up that there Commintery business, don't It?" " Spose likely," said Hannah shortly. " Yes," said Joel slowly, the twine be tween his teeth, "about two letters more or less a week, on an everidge, allowln' me to be the judge." ' "Well," returned Hannah, who would not for worlds haVe betrayed that this was news to her, "I shouldn't wonder If the Elder was capable of 'tending up to it without none of my help nor your'n, Mr. Bean ;" and the discreet Hannah took her green tea, raised ber umbrella, gathered up her calico skirt, and went on he way. One day in October the Bev. Amos Dale informed Hannah that it was ne cessary for him to go that week to Bur lington, the city forty miles distant, to see about the new hymn-books. "Umphl" said Hannah to herself, "There'll be sumpthin' seen about be sides new hymn-books, I guess." But she made everything ready for him, and he went, and was gone two days. After that, according to Joel Bean, the "everidge" of letters on the Commen tary business was sustained., June again in Fairfield, "tossing the fields full o' blossoms, leaves an' birds." The parsonage is bright and fresh with new paper, paint and carpets. In the sitting-room the tea-table, for it is even ing, is sumptuously set forth, and about it three women hovering, Hannah. Breeze, Mrs. Bush, and Mrs. Bobbins, looking with critical eyes at the array of cakes, tarts, biscuits, preserves and cold meats, to see If anything has been for gotten. Mrs. Bobbins being satisfied with her Inspection, returns to the subject they have been discussing with ever new interest " Where is It you say she's been teach ing, Hannah Y" " At Asbton, a little ways out of Bur lington ; her daughter was there to school last year when she come to Fair field." " She didn't canvas for that Commin teray only a few mon lbs, anyway, did she ?" asks Mrs. Bush. " No," Hannah replies, rather con temptuously, " 'twan't no business for her.no way. She done pretty well at it, though, for all" and she goes out to the front doorstep, the others following, "How awful rusty them lay locks does look," Hannah remarks, looking disapprovingly up at the bushes. " Yes but the Byrlngaa have bio wed out Jest in time," says Mrs. Bush. "And them red pinles, too," adds Hannah, "they're han'some now." ' At that moment they heard a shrill,