“Died in this place, on the 28th instant, the venerable Lemuel Hurlbut, M. D., at the great age of xcvi years.

“‘With the ancient is wisdom, and in length of days understanding.’”

Myrtle recalled his kind care of her in her illness, and paid the tribute of a sigh to his memory,—­there was nothing in a death like his to call for any aching regret.

The usual routine of small occurrences was duly recorded in the village paper for some weeks longer, when she was startled and shocked by receiving a number containing the following paragraph: 

Calamitousaccident

“It is known to our readers that the steeple of the old meeting-house was struck by lightning about a month ago.  The frame of the building was a good deal jarred by the shock, but no danger was apprehended from the injury it had received.  On Sunday last the congregation came together as usual.  The Rev. Mr. Stoker was alone m the pulpit, the Rev. Doctor Pemberton having been detained by slight indisposition.  The sermon was from the text, “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid.” (Isaiah xi. 6.) The pastor described the millennium as—­the reign of love and peace, in eloquent and impressive language.  He was in the midst of the prayer which follows the sermon, and had jest put up a petition that the spirit of affection and faith and trust might grow up and prevail among the flock of which he was the shepherd, more especially those dear lambs whom he gathered with his arm, and carried in his bosom, when the old sounding-board, which had hung safely for nearly a century,—­loosened, no doubt by the bolt which had fallen on the church,—­broke from its fastenings, and fell with a loud crash upon the pulpit, crushing the Rev. Mr. Stoker under its ruins.  The scene that followed beggars description.  Cries and shrieks resounded through the horse.  Two or three young women fainted entirely away.  Mr. Penhallow, Deacon Rumrill, Gifted Hopkins, Esq., and others, came forward immediately, and after much effort succeeded in removing the wreck of the sounding-board, and extricating their unfortunate pastor.  He was not fatally injured, it is hoped; but, sad to relate, he received such a violent blow upon the spine of the back, that palsy of the lower extremities is like to ensue.  He is at present lying entirely helpless.  Every attention is paid to him by his affectionately devoted family.”

Myrtle had hardly got over the pain which the reading of this unfortunate occurrence gave her, when her eyes were gladdened by the following pleasing piece of intelligence, contained in a subsequent number of the village paper: 

Imposing ceremony.

“The Reverend Doctor Pemberton performed the impressive rite of baptism upon the first-born child of our distinguished townsman, Gifted Hopkins, Esq., the Bard of Oxbow Village, and Mrs. Susan P. Hopkins, his amiable and respected lady.  The babe conducted himself with singular propriety on this occasion.  He received the Christian name of Byron Tennyson Browning.  May be prove worthy of his name and his parentage!”