The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-05-08

the part Of her husband, quite melted her heart
@What could have put that into your head, Sam,
uel7p
81 guess father has tapped the wrong cider
barrel,n said Jerry Whitfield to his sister, in 9
low tone; but his mother caught it, low as it was
and turning upon him her serious, rebuking couu.
tenance, she said, simply, Jeremiah Whitfield p
There was no need that she should say more.
All men have generous moods sometimes, and
Deacon Whitfield had his albeit they occurred
but once in twenty years or So And few days
after this little conversation, he mounted his
market wagon, dressed in his Sunday best, and
drove staidly and soberly to town, while Jerry
followed behind, driving two COWS.
But at the opening Of our story it was, as
said, harvest-tme at the Deaoon's, and there was
sort of general dissatisfaction and ill-humor, in
consequence Of additional labor and no additional
help.
The whole family, that is, the Deacon and his
wife, and their son and daughter, Jerry and Sally
were seated on the porch in the moonlight, cut
ting apples 10 dry--for, the father and son re
tnrnAd from the harvest Held in the evening, they
brought regularly basket Of apples each, which
were duly prepared for drying the next day
and so all the time was turned to good account.
They worked in silence, and as at a task, which
in fact II was voluntarily imposed on the part Of
the old people, and submitted to on that of the
young A low but belligerent growl Of the great
brinded watchdog that lay at the front gate night
and day, caused q general sensation in the little
group, which became especially lively when it
was followed by the click Of the latch at the gate
and the sound of briskly approaching footstep
"Who on earth can be coming this time of
nightp exclaimed the Deacon, in some alarm, for
it was eight o'clock
81 am afraid somebody is sick, or dead, !" said
Mrs Whitfeld but she was kept in suspense
only moment, when the genial salutation of
" Good evening, neighbors," dispelled all fears.
The visiter was Deacon White, short, good
natured, blue-eyed man, that wore fashionable
coat and hat every day, and didn't cut apples of
nights. Jerry Immediately vacated his chair in
behalf of the guest, and seating himself on a
great speckled pumpkin, with an arch look at
Sally, continued his work in silence; for the chill
dren, as they were always called, never presumed
to talk in the presence Of superiors-that is older
people The two neighbours talked about every
thing-crops in general, and the wheat harvest
in particular, the probable prices Of oats and po-
tatoes--then Of the various changes which had
taken place in the neighborhood within their re-
membrance-who had come from the east and
who had gone west, and who had got married,
and who had died, until Sally began to think che
never should find out what Deacon White had
come for. At last, however, he revealed his err
rand, made it sort of psrenthesis in the body of
his conversation, as though 1t were mere triie,
and he was used to such things every day, where
as it had doubtless troubled his mind from the
beginning, and its announcement he expected to
create some sensation, which, to his evident dis.
appointment and modification it failed to do; or,
IL it did, Deacon Whitfield suffered not the
slightest emotion to betray itself-one of the
strong points of his character, that upon which
he particularly prided himself
do you think our folks will 90, Jerry ?" said
Basket siS Of sppie-psrings
eyes, guess not, said Jerry and then added,
in bitterer tone, Pm glad he did not ask me-
wouldn't have gone if he had"
The reader must know that the old-fashioned
minister Of the church Of which Messrs. White
and Whitfield were two Of the deacons, having
become outraged with the tangled follies that
had crept into the midst of his people, had lately
shaken the dust from his feet and departed, after
having preached q farewell sermon from the text,
ooh, ye generation Of vipersW upon which q
young man, reputed handsome, and of charming
ly social and iusinuating manners, had been in
vited to take the charge, and his approaching in
stallation was about to be preceded by dinner
at Deacon Whites, he himself extending 10 MS
brother deacons the invitations in person. lie
had secretly felt little edited for several years
past with the nasal exhortations Of the old pas
tor, which invariably closed with-"A few more
risings and settings Of the sun" &c, and being
pleased with the change himself, he naturally
wished all the congregation to be so; and the DIN
ner and merry -making at his house he meant as
a sort Of peace-offering to those who were iikeiy
TO be disaff ected-nevertheless, some few, among
whom was Deacon Whitfield, we're likely to prove
stiff necked
"a dinner party at FIVE o'clock That was
the Jeatenest thing he had heard Of He took sup
per at FOUR
But though the old people manifested no dispo-
sition to encourage with their presence such nom
sensical procedure, Sally, naturally enough, was
anxious to 20. She had never seen anything 30
fine as she supposed that would be; and her Gu
riosity to see who would be there, and what they
would wear, and how they would act, served con-
tipually as a stimulus But day after day went
by, for the invitations were given five days pre-
vious to the great event. without seeing any indi-
cations favorable to her wishes. She feared des-
perately for her hopes but Notwithstanding tried
to make pretence to herself that she was going.
| In her chamber, q dozen times over she reviewed
her wardrobe and from stock, somewhat scanty,
mentally selected a white muslin, which she
thought would do IL she only had new neck
ribbon; but how to get it, that was the difficulty.
! She thought over thousand expedients, but none
of them seemed feasible At last, as the day drew
near, she resolved on bold venture; and just as
her father was leaving the house after supper,
she said, as though it had just occurred to her,
| and in lively tone, to veil somewhat the magni-
tude Of the request-"Oh! see here, father,
| want you to give me half dollar"
The Deacon stopped short sat down on the
door-sill, and deliberately took of his shoes, from
which he emptied considerable quantity Of hay
seed he then replaced them, tied them tight, and
without looking at or answering Sally, who oil
the while stood drawing the hem Of her apron
through her fingers, he took his wsy to the neid
Perhaps he did not hear me, thought she.
will ask again. Aud the resolve required great
courage; for she secretly felt that he did hear
her, and that second repulse might not be &C
silent.
When he returned in the evening, however
her heart misgave her, and oil the evening sh'
sat and cut apples in silence but when the last
basket full Was finished, she ventured TO him
softly Of what was topmost In her thoughts, By
saying,
1--WE ought to work later tonight than USUAL
III don't see VIII" said the Deacon, after loni
pause
Sally felt that 1t was useless to say why, ant
50 said
cob juss because
"Sally Whitfield ' said the mother, thereby
indicating repreof for her freedom Of speech.
The poor child felt rsproved, and mortified, sn'