The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-01-28

know, are always appropriate to give a HGin-
ister."
al should think a minister Was the last
person who would need a Bible" interrupt
ed Miss Prudy. Miss Betsey did not notice
the interruption, but continued
Then there was a peek of apples and some
soft soap, four loves of bread, a pan of dclgh-
nuts, two loves of cake, a couple of mince-
pies, and a loaf of gingerbread-that 1 made
myself. The ~vituals, of course, was for re-
f~reshments, for everybody expects something
to eat at a donation party. But there was
one thing-lt did seem rs if
everybody had agreed "pon, fer L
should think that everybody that
of sausages-such a pile of 'em-we
Just sat down and laughed; ~weeoEldn't
help it when we saw 'em.
"Of course we helped ourselves to tea and
sugar and such little things we knew Mrs.
Noble would be glad to furnish 'em; then
nobody thought to bring any preserves. So
we called Mrs. Noble out and asked her
what we should do about it. She said she
had a jar of ounce sauce we might have.
Mrs. Pierce dished it out, and she said it
wouldn't go half round; she asked me 4
she'd better get two or three cans open; but
l told her 'twould make more trouble, and
'twasn't no matter if the children didn't ave
anv So we made it 20 as far as 'twould;
but it did look kinder stingy."
"Nell / never heard OF anything equal to
thatr' cried Miss Purdy, slashing away at
the cloth before her as if she had a grudge
against it.
'sBless my soull what are you doing?" ex-
claimed Miss Betsey. You've spoiled that
sleeve, and l didn't get but nine yards;
'twOn't do TO waste any. Well, as i was
saying, we s'posed everybody had hSd some
thing when Mrs. Lyman came out and said
there hadn't been a thing passed in the IL
brary. SO we hunted round and found a
loaf of bread, a couple OF losves of oocoanut
cake, and some pies that Mrs. Noble had
baked up for company. You see she was
expecting a minister to stay over
Sunday. Twas real fortunate, for she might
not have had anything in the house but for
that; and she had all the next day TO bake
in, so we thought it wouldn't do no hurt to
take it. Mrs. Jones said that she found 4
pan of seed-cakes afterwards that Mrs. Noble
had hid away. We felt real worked up
about it, children think so much of seed
cakes, you know; and Mrs. Jones said
that she thought it looked pretty small
when we was givin' 'em such II Donation
But maybe twas just as well, for some of the
boys threw cake at each other, and it got
trod into the carpet at times, and don't be-
lieve in having things wasted. Use up the
pieces if you can, Miss Purdy. and leave the
hull piece for new sleeves.
sFThere was one thing / was surprised to
hear; the children got to fosling upstairs and
knocked over a pitcher OF water, and broke
it; twas a pity, for it belonged to a chamber
set Mrs. Noble had given her when she was
married, and was painted by hand. And
Mrs. Adams said when Mrs. Noble heard of
it she looked real mad. Such an example to
set before children-and a administers wife too!
Children will be children, you know, Miss
Purdy.'
"The place for children is at home even
ings, l think" said the dressmaker, sharply.
"fWell, l dunno as twas any worse than
what Mr.. Lum did; he was leaning on the
ferneryiand the glass broke in minute. But
then, accidents will happen, and twas differ-
ent being a donation party"
"Of course aequiesced the little dress
maker.
"Then it was real funny continued Miss
the ministers folks 90 home real early-being
certain. 1 reckon they thought we would fol-
low their example, but law sakes alivenO; why
GU We SOt bAtOSh VIII NablhS bAihSo
and'-
"Then you had all the dishes to wash" put
in Mrs. Purdy.
"Bless you'll no; if we had attempted to
wash the dishes l know that Mrs. Noble
would have stopped us, and besides it would
have taken us half the night, and of course
she didn't expect it. But as l was saying,
they kept staying, and it was past midnight
before they all got away.
"Well. the next Sunday we all thought
the pastor would have an extra sermon. and
make some acknow ledgement ofthe donation
besides, and of course everybody went to
meetin'. 1 started earlyand stopped for Me-
LISA Jones on my way When we got most
there, Melissa stopped sudden, and says she,
What on earth is thesmatter?' 'Why?' says
I'D been talkin' and hadn't noticed any,
thing. Don't you see,' says she, that every
body stops and looks at the parsonage, as if
something was the matter?' Sure enough
says /, 1T can't be there's Grape on the door,
Well, we hurried along and what do you
think we saw festOoned the hull length of
the piazza a glistening in The sun? What,
indeed, but sarsages-link on link"
"Is it ~possible?" exclaimed the dressmaker,
shaking all over with laughter. Il beg your
pardon, Miss Betsey, but l can't help laugh
ing; 1t is too funny"
~Twan't anything l~aughable, Miss Purdy;
everybody was as indignant as could be. Of
course twas dsne just to insult us. Parson
Mobiles sermon might nave been in Greek
that day for all the good it done anybody"
"And he asked for admission did he!"
asked Miss .Purdy.
Eyes, he did, and got it, too, by a unani-
nous vote. And what do you s'pose he told
Mr.. Haywood? He told him he considered
two donations equal to one fire. And that's
the hull story, Miss Purdy-what do you
think of Parson Noble now. L think we're
well rid of him. but L tell you my faith in
ministers is dreadfully shaken"