proposal came from a sister named Maria Sharp, who had valiantly offered the
year before to move the smoky chimney with her own hands, if the "menfolks"
would n't.

But though the incendiary suggestion of altering the pitch was received with
applause at the moment, subsequent study of the situation proved that such a
proceeding was entirely beyond the modest means of the society. Then there
arose an ingenious and militant carpenter in a neighboring village, who
asserted that he would shingle the meeting-house roof for such and such a sum,
and agree to drink every drop of water that would leak in afterward. This was
felt by all parties to be a promise attended by extraordinary risks, but it
was accepted nevertheless, Miss Lobelia Brewster remarking that the rash
carpenter, being already married, could not marry a Dorcas anyway, and even if
he died, he was not a resident of Edgewood, and therefore could be more easily
spared, and that it would be rather exciting, just for a change, to see a man
drink himself to death with rain-water. The expected tragedy never occurred,
however, and the inspired shingler fulfilled his promise to the letter, so
that before many months the Dorcas Society proceeded, with incredible
exertion, to earn more money, and the interior of the church was neatly
painted and made as fresh as a rose. With no smoke, no rain, no snow nor
melting ice to defile it, the good old landmark that had been pointing its
finger Heavenward for over a century would now be clean and fragrant for years
to come, and the weary sisters leaned back in their respective rocking-chairs
and drew deep breaths of satisfaction.

These breaths continued to be drawn throughout an unusually arduous haying
season; until, in fact, a visitor from a neighboring city was heard to remark
that the Tory Hill Meeting-House would be one of the best preserved and
pleasantest churches in the whole State of Maine, if only it were suitably
carpeted.