The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-12-18
should like to see my own counterfeit

poor |" said Lisbeth. She was spark
ling little creature, after the hummiug
bird style of damsel, with yellow hal
curling over her forehead, intense haze
brown eyes, and small red mouth will
dinples lowering shyly in it's neighbor
hood. "Just look at US, Polly, yo1
and me, two girls of nineteen and sew
enteen, that ought to be enjoying our
selves and having a good time, and here
we are, washing and scrubbing, ant
turning wretched rags of dyed silk, ant
cleaning faded ribbons, and counting
every pound of rice and every potato
Even these wild grapes, Polly, that yo1
and I gathered down by the edgeof th'
swamp, we shouldn't venture on the OK
travagance of preserving them, if Mrs
Deacon Blodgett hadn't offered to sup
ply the sugar on halves. Oh, I do hat'
this life Even Brisket the butcher
thinks he can insult us with impunity.
"Yes." said Polly, thoughtfully, GIVE
mustn't order any more meat at pres
ent."
"But We must hve," flashed out Lis
beth.
"There is salt mackerel," said Polly
"and eggs, and vegetable soups, anc
Mrs. Pullett always sends US a nice cu
of pork and some fresh sausages wheI
they kill their pig. Oh, we shall ge
get along somehow, Lisbeth; anything
is better than debt"
Lisbeth looking up with sparkling
eyes.
"Polly," cried she, "why don't they
increase papa's salary? Six hundred
dollars a year is shameful pittance fol
such man as he is"
Polly shook her head over the grapes.
"Papa isn't young man any longer,
Lisbeth," said she, "and he isn't as
modern in his ideas as Mr.. Crocus."
"But he is such q learned man, cried
ont Lisbeth, shaking the yellow name
out of her eyes. "And his sermons
oh, Polly, they make ME cry, they are
80 deep and 80 solemn, and go down
into ones heart 80 Six hundred dol.
lars year, Polly, for such work and
study as that r
"There is no doubt" said Polly, 30
berly, "but that clergymen are, as a gen.
eral rule, very much underpaid in this
country"
"I shall never marry a clergyman, -
cried Lisbeth, with energy. "No, Pol
~, neverl I'd marry dust-man first
For dust-men get their pay, and Clergy
men don't, and"-
Lisbeth stopped short. scarlet and
confused, in this rhapsody of hers, for,
CHANGING to glance up, she beheld in
the doorway a tall and solemn.faced
young man, with an umbrella in one
hand and travelling sachel in the
other.
"We don't want anything, please,
said she, jumping at once to the conclu-
sion that she beheld book agent, or q
vender of patent polish, or some such
itinerant tradesman.
"I beg your pardon" said the gentle
man, apparently as much embarrassed
as was she herself; 81 must have mis-.
taken the house. I was looking for the
Reverend Francis Fem"
"My good gracious ! another mis-
sionary, murmured Lisbeth, sotto-Voce,
as Polly stepped graciously forward,
saying:
"You are not mistaken, sir; this is
the house. Please to walk into tho par
lor, and I will speak to papa"
The best room of the parsonage was
cool and dark, with green paper shades
drawn down, a jar OF fragrant dried rose
leaves in the fireplace, and home.
braided rug of parti-colored cloth laid
carefully down before the sofa to hide
the darned spot in the carpet.
"Not that chair, please" said Polly,
coloring up to the roots of her hair, as
the unwary stranger advanced toward 0
certain corner "the leg is broken and
we've glued it, and Tn afraid it's not
quite safe. This one is better"
While Lisbeth, hiding her face in he,
apron, murmurs to herself, els there nc
end to our humiliations Is our world
always to be full of glue and patches,
and mends and make shifts p
Lisbeth," said Polly, returning.
ego and call papa"
"It's another missionary, I'm sure,
said Lisbeth, unwittingly pulling dowr
the sleeves of her brown calico dress.
"And I know he'll stay to dinner, and
he's got hungry glare in his eyes, and
there's nothing for dinner but barley
soup and cabbage. Oh dear I" with 6
grimace which made Polly laugh ir
spite of herself, "I wish the race o
missionaries was extinct"
The country parson looked mildly ur
from the second paragraph OF hit
"Thirdly" as Lisbeth camein, smelling
of wild grapes, with an aureole of yellow
hair about her face.
"Papa," said she, "there's gentle
man in the parlor to see you, with s
carpet-bag and a white necktie !
"Ah |" said the clergyman. "a
visitor, I suppose. He is most welcome
But I am just at present deep in th'
thread of a complicated polemic theory
Make my compliments to the gentleman
Lisbeth, and beg his indulgence for (
quarter of an hour or 3d." And th'
psrson dipped his pen into the time
stained wooden standish. as if he wa
determined to settle the subject at once
"But, papa p Lisbeth had caught a
his coat cuff to reclaim him temporaril..
from the abysses OF theological argu
ment.
"Yes, my DEAR" looking absently a
her.
"Do you think he'll stay to dinner :?
81 shall invite him, my dear, mos
assuredly."
Lisbeth's countenance fell. "But
papa" faltered she, "there's nothin!
but barley SOUP"
eve will serve it with good old
fashioned sauce Of welcome. my dear,
said the Reverend Mr.. Fem, with
grave, sweet smile, "and I doubt no
it will suffice"
Lisbeth founced out of the room
with a heightened color and quick, i'm
patient breath. "Papa's an angel,
said she to herself, "but angels neve
were adapted to get along in this work
a-day world" She put her golden hea
into the parlor door for an instant
"Papa is very busy with his Thirdly
said she, with roguish twinkle in tn
deep hazel eyes, "and he begs you'll
be good enough to wait until he
through"
The stranger bowed, and looked NOR
embarrassed than ever, as he answered
ooh, certainly, certainly. am in n
haste whatever.
And Lisbeth went back to her sister
"Polly," said she, "what will We dc
Company to dinner, and nothing to Civ
them"