The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1876-11-17
THE LAST DONATION.

1 So MANY confused and contradictory
runnors have been circulated about the
last donation party at Willowbrookt
that (who have heard the whole story
from my friend and neighbor Miss Nix
would ike to give the world plain, un-
vanished account of the whole festivity
Let me, then, introduce my informant,
Miss Melissa Mix, spinster, owning TO
forty, moderately well endowed with
this worlds goods, housekeeper and
care-taker for her only brother Ralph,
some years her senior, both of them
prominent members of the WillowbTOok
church, and thus heralded she shall tell
you the story as she told me.
OF course we can't give our minister
much of salary, you know Miss HaT-
wood but we've always calkilated to
get a man whose heart wasn't set on
filthy lucre, as the 'postle says:
l must own we hain't had much sue
cess, for, would you believe it? cut 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 fam
lies in our church, and II was settled
the first winter that six dollars fam
iIy would DC a fair lax. maxim uizl.--.tc
four hundred a year, you see; yet It's
wonderful what trouble we've had to get
pastor.
| Brother Ralph thought tha' mebbe II
we had parsonage it would help US; 50
ba and the other trustees bought that
nice Iitt1e cottage where Miss Grey used
/ - nre, with hole rod OF land belongin
to it but, law 'twa'nt of no use none
of 'em staid the year cut and was
clean discouraged.
When Mr.. Ormsby came, nigh on three
years ago, he seemed more reasonable
than the rest, though he asked if we
couldn't furnish part of the parsonage
for him, as they was only new beginners,
and hadn't much housekeepin stuff
Well, the ladies were 50 well pleased
with him that they took right hold of
the work Che was te come back in q fort
night and got lots OF things together.
There was a handsome pincushion
made for each Of the bedrooms-there's
three on EN- in the house-and half
dozen tides for the parlor, and case for
his Shawn paper, and all sent in the first
week.
You've heard him preach Miss Har
wood, and you know how iuteTestin he
was, and what a beautiful readerand singer
too. Why, declare l took real comfort
goin' to church and sittiu' under such
preachin' and so we all did, I'm sure.
But was tellin' you about what we
gave him. Well, Deacon Stiles's daugh-
ter 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 cookin' stove out Of his own
kitchen. He'd just bought a new one
fog Miss Stiles, and he come over and put
it up himself, which thought was IN
common kind.
Then We took up q contribution to
buy some furniture, but ready money
was skarse just then. 50 we only raised
enough to git pair Of chiny vases and
an inkstank
But Silas Hart, that sold 'em . 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 a kitsbeD
table, and so I told Ralph I'd give en- a
couple of kitchen chairs and our cradle
the one we were both rocked in. So
did, and | pieced real handsome little
quilt for the cradle, a sunaower pattern
all out of spick and span new calico
Well, it's most TOO bad to tell bn,
Mandy Jones, who went TO help Mis-
Ormsby git to rights, told me that sbo
did act dreadful, and not bit becomin,
a minister's wife.
She went all around the house looL;.,
as if she was ready to cry, and at los+ I
sae sot down in the parlor on her truDI, I
and began to laugh at the vases and the q
inkstand, and then wound up by fnd;,,, T
fault with the stove, which She s,;d I,
looked as if it came out of the ark. I
I've always thought she made her b,. +
band discsnteuted, for Mr.rOrmsby wos . I,
meek, quiet, unselfsh man, that he no. .
would have made any trouble if a. ?
hadn't been always complainin' and nr+ 4
IN him up to grumble. =
But I'm wanderin' OFF from my story .
i started 70 tell you about the dom i
Ion party. You see, the first ve.r y
.ot along splendid with it, and 7 ~ :,
ay never saw better teatable sr,raaS -,
han we set that night for Mrs. OrmsS- :,
But that woman never could be sot; +
led, and she said afterward thar :. q
wouldn't take more than two such nas :,
les to ruin any family :,
1t seems she found fault hecar.. :,
Il staid to tea with en-, lust e + y :, :
adn't right to our tea after ssndi,,' y = :,
Il the victusls for It. . .