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Show The Congregation SmilL A story that goes back to the meetin house in Wrentham is one of a worthy man named Ilabbakuk P., a resident of the town and a faithful attendant upon worship, who had been blessed with four wives, one after another. Habbakuk was rigifily orthodox, as his name seemed to demand, and was aJwi.ys in his pew on tho Sabbath. He sat there in his conspicuous con-spicuous pew with No. 4 by his side on the first Sunday after their marriage. It was a balmy June day, and the zephyrs from the open window toyed playfully with the bride's white satin bonnet ribbons rib-bons and the groom's Bilken locks. There was a stranger in the pulpit who had exchanged for the day with the venerable Mr. F., the pastor of the church. After reading a few Scripture passages the stranger proceeded to read a notice which ' he hud found in the Bible, and which was as follows: "Mr. Ilabbakuk P desires tho prayers pray-ers of the congregation that the death of his wife may be sanctified to him for his spiritual good." Then, when the congregation was between be-tween Btupefaction and explosion, the clergyman went on with the services at a rapid rate. He was at a loss to know why the congregation seemed to be throughout tho remainder of the service on tho point of laughter, but at dinner Mrs. F , tho pastor's wife, explained to him that Habbakuk P sat three rows from the front in the broad aisle with his brand new wife, and ho had read an old notice that Mr. F had probably been using tor a book mark ever since the death of wife No. 8. Boston Bos-ton Transcript. |