The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1879-10-03

every day as usual, not quite SO many
nor so great variety as formerly, for a
part of the garden had been wasted away,
but enough to give me an increased ad-
miration for the sweet old lady who was
so persistent and unwearying in her
neighborly acts of kindness.
The next Mondays local newspaper
had this unique notice at the head of the
village items:
''All who have ever been the recipients
of kindly deeds from Auntie Lee, and |
who would like to reciprocate now in |
their day of misfortune, are invited to |
Thursday afternoon at five o'clock, and
talk the matter up over neighborly cup |
of tea"
At the time appointed had carriage |
comet to take my hostess and me, and my
basket of cakes and buns fresh from the
bakery, to the beautiful grove. As we
were driven along I was surprised to see
so many people, lunch-basket in hand,
speeding in the same direction.
"Almost every body in town is going,
said Mrs. Evans, ''high an low rich an
poor"
AS I was being assisted to a seat, a gem
tie, motherly little woman spread soft
shawl over the back of the chair intended
1
| for nv lame foot to rest upon.
'sThis is Auntie Lee" said Mrs Evans,
| and the sweet-faced little woman and 1
looked into each others faces with lit
| tie curiosity, perhaps, as well as sympa-
thv, and shook hands cordially.
| 81 don't know what all these good peo-
pie are to do with Elijah and me, she
said, with a smile that was as genial as a
| sunbeam, ''but the minister would have
us come, and he and his wife drove
around for us.
The minister ascended the platform
Just then, and after tenderly yet impress
sively invoking the divine blessing, he
looked down benighly upon the faces up
turned to his, and with touching into
na;ion of voice asked ''Who is my neigh
bor?" He then went ON to tell how
Auntie Lee answered that question in
regard to himself.
"When I first became acquainted with
, Mr.. and Mrs. Elijah Lee," he said, 81
was finishing my theological studies here
in the village with DR.. Mills, and they
had Just married and settled down in
their little house yonder, which they had
t inherited. One day I was sent foc to
preach on trial in the adjoining town of
threadbare, extensively patched, and 1
} had no way of procuring another. Feel
/ ing sorely grieved and dispirited, I
| started out for walk, and for the sake
= of telling my trouble to some fellow crea-
? ture, and with no thought of receiving
r any aid in the premises, turned into
Mrs. Lees house, and read to her the in
$ yitation had from Luxboro' and frankly
, told her why could not go at present.
3 'tLeave it to the Lord" said the good wo-
man, and forthwith she proceeded to take
: my measure with piece of tape. Go
home, she continued, write your SER
e mon and come here again on Saturday
= morning. I obeyed. I subsequently
!, found that the woman had actually taken
}, a piece of cloth that she had laid by in
}. the house for cloak for herself, and
O tailoress as she was by trade, had cut
g and made me coat from it. I preached
Vt my first sermon in it, and shortly re
= ceived and accepted my first call"
o "Oh, DEAR" whispered Auntie Let
:, from her seat by my side, ''he's paid me
e for that coat every New Years since, and
y it wasn't much for me to do after all.
> Major Sanford, the richest man in tht
r town, was the next to take the stand
d The old people smiled and nodded thei
It heads, hut the young folks looked a
q each other and wondered what he could
I be indebted to Auntie Lee for.
2 "When was boy" the Major began
IT ''I was bound out in H to a very
a very bad master, from whom I deter
n mined to run away. l avalied mysel
a of an opportunity to escape one Satur
e day afternoon, when I was sent to tn
h pasture to salt the cattle. came straigh
over the mountain to this place.
d wanted to get out of the State as soon a
I possible, so came directly to the bridg,
down there at the river, which is, yol
10 know, the New Hampshire boundary
IS just after had stepped upon Vernon
Is soil, I overlook on the road Mr.. and Mrs
n Lee, young people then. They had 1
n basket and spade, and had been digging
Ii up wild flowers to transplant in their gar
accosted me kindly. Noticing that hat
n been crying, Mrs. Lee asked me m,
trouble. Before knew it had blurtet
n out the whole story, and had been in
n vited by her to go home with them ant
l. stay over Sunday. I was, of course, onl,
lie too grateful to accept the invitation
1, After supper we set out the plants
le and then Mr.. Lee took M
with him down to the hill t,
Y, the bank of the brook, as we called
le then, and into his little machine shop.
lie evinced my fondness for tools, and con
fided to him an invention that had in
~ | CIuuo lOIm lOH5 iid1A POoSCSoloA VI LII.
d brain. Being natural mechanic, b.
saw the utility of my invention at
id glance. The subject was not mentioned
X on the morrow, which was quiet, rest
full day to me. Mrs. Lee loaned me
n- clean linen suit belonging to her hus
N band, and I went to church with them
n The next day Mr.. Lee went over to H
ID and made terms with my master, becaus
l. Mrs Lee said she could not allow me t.
feel like runaway. Then Mr.. Lee too
rs me into his employment and gave me
N corner in his shop, where could, at cd,
sr moments, work at my model. My in
lie vention proved success, and made M
lie fortune, as you all know. I am thankful
W my dear friends, that I am able to repai
n, the damage done to the dear little home
stead and to rebuild my old friend
," shop" and Major Sanford sat down
lie wiping his eyes with his handkerchief
lg while his delighted audience applaude
st vociferously.
ut ''Dear heart p said Auntie Lee to me
" 'twhat was he talking about? He's pai
n us over and over, and he's tried and trie
ne to make Elijah go into partnership wit
a him, but he would not, and won't le
~ I,