Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-10-15
THREE GIFTS.
BY CHARLES N. TERRY, JR.

BY CHARLES N. TERRY, JR.
Once upon time there dwelt upon
the surface of the earth an old miser
named Donald McDee, who lived
alone in little cabin in the heart of
Ireland, raised his own potatoes, cut
turf for his own fire, and never spent a
shilling if it was possible to beg one.
The spirit of boarding had not come to
him with age, for in his boyhood he
saved all his half-pence, and never ate
his apples until they were soft and spot
! ted with long keeping. And when he
was quite young man he was known as
Donald the miser. His little shealing
was full of odds and ends, which he
had picked up in his wanderings, and
could never bring himself to part with,
although they seemed to be of very little
use, and hewould go far out of his way to
pick up a rusty nail or a crooked pin.
The children called him witch, and
hooted at him as he passed
through the village in his queer, high
crowned hat and long-tailed blue coat.
He never exchanged pleasant greet
ing with living mortal, but went his way,
guarding his pockets as though each
man ne met was thief, with his eye
upon their contents. Alone old Don
aid lived, and slept, and ate, and when
night came on, and the shutters we're
close barred, the old man would sit down
upon his moldy floor, and, lifting NOV
able plank beneath the window, take out
his worshiped pot of money, boarded
for long years, and count it over and
over again with groan for every piece
as it clinked against its neighbor.
One night, as he sat thus telling his
gold and silver, and never fearing inter
ruption-for a terrible tempest ragged
without, and few ever came to old Don
AIDS cottage even IN pleasant weather.
low, hurried knocking fell upon the
panels of his door, and made him hide
his treasure with the greatest CELEBRITY.
"Who can it be-" he muttered, as he
scrambled to his feet. Heaven protect
us, an what if it was thafe of a rob-
ber?" And he dragged an old chest
over the loose board, and locked the
closet, whose shelves held a slice of
bread and broken bit of cheese, before
he tottered to the door, and inquired,
Nth trembling voice, "Who's with
out, and what may ye be afther want
ing?"
at is a friend, Donald" answered a
soft voice. "Open the door, for I'm
standing here in the rain
"a woman, anyhow muttered the
miser.
"WeI, well, I'll just peep out at her
and send her away"
And with these words he drew the
door aiar, and thrust his head out into
the storm.
There, upon the doorstep, stood tall,
fair woman, dressed in white garments,
and, before he could prevent her, she
had slipped in, and sat drying her
raiment before the blaze of the light
wood which cracked in the fireplace.
Donald looked at her in amazement.
might I be SO bold as to ask what
ye're wanting?' he said at length.
yes, Donald McDee," answered the
woman, ct have come here to beg.
Give me shilling out of your hoard of
silver, and you'll be rewarded here and
hereafter"
ct give ye shilling!" howled the
miser. "Im the poorest man in Ire
land. Go to the great folks. I'm beg
gar myself. Would We have me starve
in me ould age? I haven't got it to
give"
"Donald, Donald!' said the woman,
"think what ye're saying. There's fear
full need of the gift, where you least
think of it. Give a sixpence, Donald
McDee."
"Sixpence! I'd die in the poor-house
if did," shrieked the miser. cit would
Keep me a week. Sixpence! Sure,
you're gone mad, woman
"Then a penny" pleaded the woman,
"only a penny, to save life. For the
sake of your soul, give me a penny, Don
aid McDee."
II haven't it to give, and if had I'd
keep it to have mass said with, and
save me sowl, without spending it till I
died." replied the man. $50, go! that's
a good woman, and don't be tormentin'
a poor man SO. If ye'd been saving
ye'd havei it yourself. Go, gol'
But the woman stopped before the
fireplace, and, picking up a charred
piece of plank, said slowly, eff you'll
give me nothing else, let me take this /;
and remember, [ ask it again for the
sake of your SOUL
"That board!" gasped Donald "why,
it's three feet long. Three feet of good
board, just little charred at the end.
What are We thinking OFF"
Donald McDee, perhaps it will save
some poor soul from freezing this bit
ter night" said the woman. "Out OF
all you have, can you not spare this for
the poor, and for the sake of your own
soul?~
There was something SO solemn in
the woman's manner that the miser
shuddered involuntarily.
"There, there he said, stake it, take
it, and go away-take it, or I can't help
snatching it from ye. Three feet of
good board! I'm a spendthrift in my
old age. Go-quick!"