Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1876-01-13
miscellaneous. ri
From the Portland Transcript.
A Golden Harvest.
HY SUSAN HARTLEY.

The County Conference wa> being held
n the corner. Father was sick with the
rheumsii>m. and We were - tai. oI com
uauy that wc were well nigh distracted.
T. was splendid summer weaJher-late IN
.Iuly The seaside meadows looked like
green velvet. The wheat fields rustled in
the breeze, the birds sang in the trees. and
YOU never saw anything 50 handsome in
all your life Is nay bed @! pinAS and -cTa-
u.umS under the south windows. The
East Greenfield minister said that il was
Ike a little slice out OF the garden of Eden.
But had not a moment OF time 10 enjoy
all this loneliness. There never was amy
help 10 be had Tor love or money IN confer
cuce time. for the girls wanted to 90 to the
meetings themselves, ~ well a. anybody.
aud their folks had company then with all
the rest. We don't have any Irish trash
Tor hired girl in Piumtield a- YOU do il
cities. You know. but real neat. sensible
bodies. whose fathers are Kind Of sh.N.e>-.
ana let their farms run out. ur have poor
iuch lu fishing: 80 they are obliged 10 DO
~emcthiu. for themselves il they want any
fAtug dvCcu, TO wear. or TO save up any
thing against they got married. Mother
Wu- poorly. She never enjoyed good health
and iha. year the spring btteT> didn't
work ~ well IL usual. and She was al! run
down before having time was ha.i through.
- all She could do was TO tene 10 father,
and lad the whole of the hou>eworA on
my shoulders. Dear me. and isn't il hard
work to cook for ministers: Mother WAS
50 afraid that they wouldn't have every
thing jus, so nice. and made me put three
eggs into every one of the cu>tards, and
frost every bit OF the sponge cake. The
ministerial appetite j. something amazing
NhV il should require 20 much more food
TO support pic;y tnan sin. ! can't imagine.
but | was obliged 10 provide. certainly.
three times the quantity for those reverend
gentlemen a, for those gOod-tor-nOtAiug.
dauce-.oing, swearing hired men OF ours.
There was one widower amoung them, aS
woe-begone Is he was hearty. and mother
was delighted because folks ,aid he took a
great liking TO me. and was going 10 ask
me TO take the place Of the departed. But
though a minister's wife may hold a very
high station In life. and Tom Babsou was
only second mate OF the schooner Mary
Ann. Ia rather have had Tom than a
dozen solcmn-faces Ike parson Hibbard.
though | was sorry 10 disappoint mother.
and the rest OF my folks. who groaued be-
cause ! was 80 dreadfully wanting in am
o btiou. But ! was willing enough 10 dc
my best in the way of providing for the
poor soul. who was as thin Is 4 rail; and
broiled chicken, and cream biscuits. and
cup custards seemed TO be the only light ID
the midnight OF his afiiiction.
'Iour pie crust Is heavy. remarked
mother. doefully. one bright. hot morning
when l was as usual baking for dear life.
well. | can't help it # it is | replied
energetically. IL DO wish father wasn't I
t deacon so that we needn't keep a minis
terial bOarding-house; I'm tired OF devo
ting my life TO ministers. What happy
world it would be il there wasn't = minis
ter IN it. Then there wouldn't be any con
ference meetings either"
Mothers mind was diverted from Ia,
condition of the pastry 10 my impietv, IN,
She held up both hands in horror. She
doubted if either repentance. or prayers, ol
. good works could save me after utterin.
such heresy as this. And to tell the truth
Y was little frightened myself, but then
was so tired. and il was very hard for
young girl ike me to be shut up in tn
kitchen, while everybody else was havin:
good time. Tom Babson, my lover. wa
:. going to sail again tomorrow. too. and
had found no time to get any more than
glimpse ot him while he had been on shore
But last night he detained me a little Will
. on the doorsteps though Mrs. Deaco
IS Lawns was in the window listening 10 ey
cry word that was said. and gave Inc
beautiful ring with u stone in it, whic
shifted its solOrs like the rainbow. and wa
wonderfully brilliant. lie bought it acros
N seas OF some Jewish trader, he said, al.
5e whispered in my ear that If | would wea
ed il to the sociable tomorrow evening, II
should take il as promise to be his VIII,
He knew there was no chance OF seeing III
at any other time-I was always so busy
4 - Ill 81, I sbnulI nj
be at the social that was to be held at III
Gle Ethans, the next door to our house.
G 1t was no wonder that my pie crust va
v heavy. for my heart wasn't Iii my work /
all. | was thinking of Tom all the tint
f, and wondering if we couldn't manage
y. meet each other at the social. some wa
or if / couldn't see him early in the morI
ing before he left the village.
n Dear me, the butcher can't be comm
to-day. after all, and what in the wor
shall we do for dinner: l suppose he g
ont of everything before he got here; thel
are so many people in town to be fed Ju
Y, now said mother. breaking into my ha
py thoughts again. '1t is enough to X
ANYBODY outright to have so much col
pany under such circumstances.
$50 / have been saying and thinking,
said quietly; but then. think we can
!. well enough for dinner. Seth can K
|. some chickens and will have them in Il
|, pot in less than no time.
: Il don't see how we can spare any mo
!. chickens I'VE have only the cropple crow
he left now. and they're so good for iayin
at Still, | suppose we must, for there is not
ing else TO be had, and you can't set
picked-up dinner before ministers. b
there isn't sign of a vegetable fit to
cooked in the garden. Seth brought
,u the last cucumber, the peas are all &
". large, the squashes aren't ripe and tho
case-knife beans are so tough that nobo
in the world can eat them
well, perhaps ] can find some co
IND that is large enough, saw some in {
field that was pretty well grown. day
II. fore yesterday, and | can make some nj
sauce of those tomatoes Uucle Ben ST
. over said consolingly." Leave the d
ner to me; I'll manage it some way.
YOU'RE a great comfort. Ruth 81
mother. with frightening face; and s
left the kitchen with sigh of relief, a
ntc never glanced into it again until the d
w. ner was on the table.
After the chickens were in the pot a
3. cooking hrisklv had little moment