Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-04-01
Deacon Grinders Experiment.
BY u. B. W.

l
By E.B.w.
i hope the children haven't beer
any trouble to pou, Miss Peck?' sale
Deacon Grinder, as his one horse
chalse drew up on the green in from
OF Miss Philena Peck's house.
Miss Peck hurried out, all smiles
to greet the portly widower.
The little darlings! cried she eli.
fusively. Trouble, indeed. Why,
deacon, how you talkl It's posi-.
tive pleasure to have 'em here. |
should like to keep them a week.
!! The deacon smiled and shook his
head.
/ THAT would be little too much. ;
said he, Come children jump into the
wagon
..a.e0 @pp1O onovn0u ...s.-
Griuders-two girls and a boy
were kissed and Rugged, and lifted
into the wagon by the beaming
spinster.
| 4 shall be so lonely when they are
gone she said. Il do SO dote on
childrenl Remember, darlines, that
the goose berries will be ripe next
week, and your own Peck will only
be too happy to see you again.'
The widow Clapp came hurrying
out as the chaise ratified by, with a
tin pail in her hand.
| Dear me, Deacon Grinder said
she, you are always in hurry. Do
stop minute can't you. Here's
pail OF our new honey in the comb
| know the darlings will like it on
their bread and butter Of an evening.
When are they coming to spend the
day with me? l declare Jessie is
growing perfect beauty!'
Tut, tut, Mrs. Clappr said the dea
con, bis face shining all over with
satisfaction. Handsome is that hand
some does. That's my MOTTO
And nobody cant do handsomer
than my little Joe,' said Mrs. Clapp,
and here's Tommy grown as hand
some as you; drop into tea some
evening this week
The deacon had hardly guided bis
| old horse around the corner of the
village green when Mrs. Barbara
Bowyer trippled out of the millinery
store.
4 do hope you will excuse me.
deacon Grinder said she, with all
the pretty confusion which naturally
belongs to a maiden of SO summers.
but was so edihed with your be,
yu tiful remarks in prayer.meeting
Wednesday night that couldn't help
setting myself to work to think what
| could do tor you. And here's
collar I've stitched for dear Tommy.
and handkerchief I've embroidered
for Josie, and doll I've taken the
liberty to dress for Dorothy. o,
don't thank me, pray. 1t amt moth,
ing compared to the peace of mind
got listening to your precious re.
But Naomi Poole. sitting at her
needle work, by the old red farm.
house window, had only smile and
a nod for the party as they drove by.
Pa, said Josie, who was a shrewd
sallow faced child of eleven, don't
Miss Pool love us as well as Miss
Peck and Mrs. Clapp and Miss Bar
bara Bowyer p
4 hope so, my Child said the
benign deacon. 'Whv do YOU ask
the question:
Because she never gives us any.
thing said Josie.
She is poor, child-she is DOOR,
said the deacon. But / am sure
you all have her good wishes
sd rather have honey said Tom
my.
And gooseberries and dolls ad.
ded little Dorothy.
But when the deacon sat alone by
his hearth-stone that evening, his
sister Mahala Ann Grinder, ex.
pressed herself on the subject with
great plainness and perspicacity.
If you've really made up your
mind to marry again, said she
Il think it would add to my domes
tic felicity said the deacon serenely.
in that case said Miss MahaIa
Ann, Il do hope you will make sen.
sible choice, and not allow yourself
to be imposed upon by pack of sci.
fish widows and scheming old maids.
Sister, said the deacon, mildly,
| you are severe"
mo, / amt said Mahala Ann.
IF you wasn't well.to- do in the world
and hadn't nice home and farm
and money at interest, they wouldn't
none of them look twice at YOU
do you think SOP said the deacon.
and he pondered the question long
and earnestly in his own mind. Up
on the WHOLE said be, bringing down
his palm upon the table, | ain t sor.
ry that those investments of mine in
tho Mariposa silver mining company
have proved failure.
sWhat do you mean p said Miss
Mahala Ann, curiously cycling him
over the top of her spectacles.
But the old deacon only shook his
head and smiled.
time viii show said he, 'time
will show.
rhe news that Deacon Grinder
was wrecked 10 Mariposa silver min.
ing stock flew like wild fire through
the peaceful community at Fitehvllle
-Four Corners
well, said Miss Phllena Peck, 4
am beat
| 'He never had NO judgment in
money matters said the Widow
Clapp.
I've thought all along that he was
living too FAST said Barbara Bow
yer.
Those poor little children, what is
to become of them? 2 said Noami
} Poole, wistfully.
The next day the deacon made
his appearance at Miss Peck's home
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