, 1880-05-13
Paying Of a Church Debt.

~ - tF
The first church Of Atodia was in
debt. 1t was a case Of too much steeple,
too much frescoing, and too much organ;
a case partly Of necessity, since being
the first church it could not be second,
hence the steeple and the organ, and
the much frescoing; case of pulling
down barns and building greater when
there were no crops to bestow in them,
hence the debt.
Matters had gone from bad to worse,
until at last it was whispered at the
sewing society that there was actually a
mortgage on the church, and every
woman stood aghast with horror. They
could comprehend debts.
Something must be done, something
should be done; and with this determi-
nation burning in her heart, every
woman went home. From that hour a
noticeable solemnity brooded over the
hearts and homes of Acadia. Meetings
were called, papers were seen to circu-
late, committees met and separated;
there were consultations in the syna-
gogues and the market places; and as
the faces Of the woman changed from o
look of anxiety to one Of confidence, the
faces Of men began to brighten also.
When woman would she would, and
already the brethren were in prospect
that the mortgage lifted and the re.
proach rolled away from Zion.
eff they'll only persevere; great gains
come Of small savings" said Deacon
Doubtful, but repented Of his wisdom
the next moment when his wife decided
against the plum pudding she was con-
templating, concluding she might as
well put the money into her mite box,
and gave the deacon wholesome, plain
dinner. 4o
Nobody could say they did not per
severe. They laid everybody under con-
tribution, from the lord high mayor who
paid taxes to the Jones' baby that was
brought up ON bottle. They saved in
unheard-of ways. Servant girls were
put on short allowance of waste paper
for lighting fires; ancient bone, were
scrutinizcd with an eye to possible soups;
and the man who ventured TO return
his cup Of coffee with ga little more
sugar, my DEAR" was met with lock OF
reproach that withered his heart strings
More sugar, when the church was mort
gagged The man who could have asked
for it could have danced when Rome
was burning. Itwas strongly suspected
that Mrs. Greatheart herself took no
sugar at all, and there were hints of
cooking clubs that were secretly expert
menting on sawdust puddipgs without
eggs
The savings, however, were nothing
to the earnings Every contrivance for
enticing the coveted dollar from the
pocket Of the unwary and the wary was
resorted to- Nothing was too hard or
zoo high. Fairs, festivals, lunches, ba-
zaars, concerts, sociables, lawn parties,
pound parties, tea parties, parties where
you paid for the privilege of talking;
oyster suppers, strawberry suppers, ice
cream suppers, everything in season and
out OF season was made to minister to
their gains. The brethren smiled upon
them, sometimes with the far.off smile
OF lofty condescension and amiable toll.
Grafton for feminine weakness, but still
they smiled and bought tickets and paid
fees, and ate and drank heroically, and
winked at any addition to the grocer's
bill, which night have been supposed to
balance the gain to the church fund.
The results were marvellous and as.
tonished even the women themselves
who shook hands over the figures
laughed and cried and went home brave
for another year OF work.
Next morning Mrs. Greatheart sat at
her breakfast table pale and exhausted
there were three little wrinkles between
her eyes and ? Dozen about her temples.