The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-11-25

door, although she was thoughtful
enough, in opening it, to do so softly. The
minister's wife was just taking from the
oven newly warmed chickenpie, which
she nearly dropped from her hands, so
startled was she by the sharp, shrill
voice that spoke 30 close to her ear:
GOOD mornin', Mis- Graham. Haint
been to breakfast yet, see-we had ours
half an hour ago. / know my mother used
to say that if anybody lost an hour in
the mornin', they might chase after it all
day, an not ketch up with it then. That's
a good-lookin' pie-pretty rich pastry,
tough, for chickenpie! don't never
put much shortenin' in anything of that
kind; it's rich enough inside to make I'D.
But you're young, an have got good
many things to learn yet. l run in ter
see II you could spare me cup o. yeast;
mine soured, an the last batch o. bread
l made l had ter throw to the hogs"
Certainly" and a roguish laugh fit
ted over the fair face of the minister's
wife, at this specimen of her meddle-
some neighbor's own economy. But she
| had learned the rare lesson of Judi
cious silence, and taking the cup that
MissPatience produced from beneath her
shawl, she bade her visitor be seated
while she left the room to get the desired
article.
AS her steps died away, Miss Patience
noiselessly arose from her seat, and ap-
preaching the dresser upon which the
pie stood, peered curiously into the
apertures in the crust, her sharp face
expressing eager curiosity.
| "Ill bet ninepence she didn't know
enough ter put crackers in. l wish't
could get one look, jest ter satisfy my
own mind,' she added. And determined
to accomplish her object at all hazards,
she ran II knife deftly around small
p Jrtion of the edge, and inserting four
inquisitive fingers, lifted the brown
crust, and took a glimpse of the con-
tents,
A look of unmitigated disgust passed
over her face. Dropping into a con-
venient chair, she actually groaned
aloud:
"Well, / never! an we payin' that
man $500 year besides donation party
at Christmas. Ough"
Unsuspicious Mrs. Graham as she re-.
turned with the yeast, was somewhat
puzzled by the sudden trostiness of her
guest, who hurried out of the house as
If some dreadful contagien had haunted
it; but when the minister, in carving
the pie the deacon's wife had sent,
made two curious discoveries almost
/ .
altered de Ieanor was made plain, and
che young pair INDUCED in n hearty
laugh that made the old parsonage ring
| like peal OF Thanksgiving bells.
The Tuesday following was the regu.
lar day for the weekly sewing-circle,
and seldom had that interesting gather
ing proved so lively and animated as on
this occasion.
Miss Patience was in the field bright
and early, and it was evident at glance
to those who knew her best that she was
well nigh bursting with some important
sec. ct that she was only waiting a fit
ting opportunity to divulge. That op-
portunity was not long in coming, tor
Mrs. Dea. Farrell, who was constitu-
tional croaker, took occasion to say in
reference to the hard times:
The deacon has been tryin' ter col
lect tie church tax, and he says he
never found money so tight in all the
years he's lived here. It's as hard ter
get five dollars now as it used ter be
ten"
And no wonder" spoke up Miss
Patience, with the stony severity of a
sphinx. "You can't expect folks ter
feel like payin' out their money when
they see it fairly thrown away an
wasted"
Everybody looked curious, and some
Of the younger girls began TO bride de-
family. The minister's sweet young
wife was evidently O tavorite with
them, at least.
"W hat do you mean by thatP" asked
Mrs. Deacon, pointedly. mis- Graham
is young and inexperienced, to be sure
but,a the deacon was sayin' only yester-
day, she does very well indeed, conSid-
erin'."
Miss Patience tossed her head know
ingly. 81 don't want ter say nothin'
to hurt her, but, livin' next door as |
do, | can't always help seein' and
hearin' things that other folks can't be
expected to know about, and when see
an know things like"
There was an ominous pause, and the
deacon's wife asked, excitedly:
Like whatp"
"Chicken pies, with the legs and feet
of the chickens baked inn
Had IL thunderbolt fallen among
them, it could not have caused greater
surprise to those tidy, thrifty New Eng.
land housekeepers than this dreadful
revelation of the incapacity of their pas
tors young wife.
Are you sure of itp" gasped one
matron, breaking the ominous silence,
II know it for fact" was solemnly
returned.
Chickens legs in pie!"
"She's born fool" calculated the
deacon's wife, Indignantly, land I'm
thankful, for her poor husbands
sake, that l sent her over one
of my pies yesterday. It's lucky
that lie didn't have ter go withod
his Thanksgivin' breakfast on account
! of her ignorance au' shiftlessness."
, How did you know about the piep
} asked one OF the girls.
8 Miss Patience bristled defantly
That's nobody's business but my
2 own" she retorted, tartly. "I dom
! go round ter find out things that dom
concern me, I'd have you know; bu
: when they're thrown right into my face
as you might say, don't shet my eye
l no more'n other folks"
D just here, the door opened, and il
: walked the subject of their conversation
her pretty face glowing with the hast
: that she had made, and mischievou
r twinkle in her brown eyes, that nobod,
t noticed, so occupied were they in hiding
j the confusion that her sudden entranc
had created.
a Walking up to the table where mos
S of the ladies were sitting, she salute
5 them cordially; and then, holding ou
= upon the tip of one sleader tingera veil
!, worn silver thin BILE, she said, arehly: