The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-11-10
The Donation Party at WillOwbroOk.

30 many COUlubeu anu Contradictory |
rumors have been circulated about that
last donation party that I (who have
heard the whole story from my friend
and neighbor Miss Mix would like to
give the world plain, unvarnished ac-
count of the whole festivity.
Let me, then, introduce my inform
ant, Miss Melissa Mix, spinster, owning
to forty, moderately well endowed with
this worlds goods, house-keeper and
care-taker for her only brother Ralph,
some years her senior, both of them
prominent members of the WillOwbroOk
Church-and thus heralded, she shall
tell you the story she told me.
"Of course we can't give our minister
much of a salary, you know, Miss Har-
wood but we've always calkilated to
get a man whose heart wasn't set on
filthy lucre, as the 'POstle says.
'I must own we hain't mad much sue
cess, for, would you believe it? out of
five candidates that preached here the
year we built the church, not one was
willin' to stay and do the Lords work.
"Why, there's only about sixty fami-
lies in our church, and ii was settled that
first winter that six dollars a family
would be fair tax, maxim nigh onto
four hundred year, you see yet it's
wonderful what trouble we had to gita
pastor.
brother Ralph thought that mebhe if
we had parsonage it would help US; so
he and the other trustees bought that
nice little cottage where Miss Gray
used to live, with a whole rod of land
belongin' to it; but, law! ftwa'n't of
no use none of 'em staid the year out
and was clean discouraged.
"When Mr.. Ormsby came, nigh on
three year ago, he seemed more reasona-
BILE than the rest, though he asked if
we couldn't furnish part of the parsOn-
age for him, as they was only new be-
ginners, and hadn't much housekeepin'
stuff.
"Well, the ladies was so well pleased
with him that they took right hold of
the work (he was to come hack in
fortnight) and got lots of things to-
gether.
"There was a handsome pincushion
made for each of the bedrOoms-there's
three on 'em in the house-and half a
dozen tides for the parlor, Gnd a case
for his Shawn paper, and all sent in the
first week.
you've heerd him preach, Miss Har-
wood, and you know how interestin' he
singer too. Why, | declare took real
comfort goin' to church and sittin' un-
der such preachin'; and so we. all did,
i'm sure.
"But [ was tellin' you about what we
gave him. Well, Deacon Stiles's
daughter Sally made drawin' of the
church, and framed it in pine cones, to
hang in Mr.. Ormsby's study, and the
deacon he sent us a cOokin' stove out of
his own kitchen. He'd just bought
new one for Miss Stiles, and he come
over and put it up himself, which l
thought was uncommon kind.
"phen we took up a contribution to
buy some furniture, but ready money
was skurse just then, so we only raised
enough to git pair of chiny vases and
an inkstand.
"But Silas Hart, that sold 'em to US,
was one of our members, so he threw
in a chiny dog for the baby and a match
box for the parsons wife.
"Miss Jones and Uncle Midian sent in
a new painted bedstead and kitchen
table, and so I told Ralph I'd give 'em
a couple of kitchen chairs and our
cradle, the one we was both rocked in.
So did, and 1 pieced real handsome
little quilt for the cradle, a sunfower
pattern, all out of spick aud span new
calico, too.
"WelI, it's most too bad to tell, but
Mandy Jones, who went to help Miss
Ormsby git to rights, told me that she
did act dreadful, and not bit becomin'
a minister's wife.
"She went all round the house lookin'
as if she was ready to cry, and at last
she sOt down in the parlOr on her trunk,
and began to laugh at the vases and the
inkstand, and then wound up by findin'
fault with the stove, which she said
looked as if it came out of the ark.
'I've always thought she made her
husband discontented, for Mr.. Ormsby
was such meek, quiet, unselfish man
that he never would have made any
trouble if she hadn't been always COM
plainin' and putin him up to grumble.
"But Pm wanderin' off from my
story-I started to tell you about the
donation party. You see, the first year
we got along splendid with it, and /
must say 1 never saw better tea-table
spread than we set that night for Miss
Ormsby.
"But that woman never could be sat
isfied, and she said afterward that il
wouldn't take more than two such
parties to ruin any family!
at seems she found fault because we
all staid to tea with 'em, jest as if we
hadn't right to our tea after sendin'
in all the victuals for it.
"But 1 don't know as Aunt Betsy did
do exac'ly right, for she took Miss
Ormsby's preserves to put on the table,
and they was all eat that night, and ]
s'pose that put her out some.
"Well, as was sayin', the second
year come round, and it was read out in
meetin' that the donation party would
be given the next Friday.
''Mr. Ormsby read the notice, and
then be looked all around anu cleared
his throat two or three times, as if he had
somethin' pertickler to say, but after
waitin' a minute he changed his mind
and sat down.
"I though he acted kinder queer, but s
was quite taken up with noticin' Mis-,
Ormsby. She got as red as could be
and when meetin' was dismissed she
Jest hurried out as if she didn't want
any one to speak to her.
"Well, Friday came, and by three
O'Clock we was mostly all at the par
sonage. Mr.. Orms6y looked dreadful
sober, more as if it was funeral than q
merry maxim, 1 must say but his wife
was awful. She was just as huffy and
short as she could be with every one,