Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1881-10-06
The PARSONS new COAT.


Hartford Times.
The PARSONS new COAT.
The village of Buzzville having gone
safely through the canning and preserv-
ing season having with praiseworthy
zeal carried off the palm as regarded the
e" Annual County Fair" over and above
the surrounding towns; having shone
conspicuously In an elaborate Harvest
Festival for their church-and vet sur
viving, now cast about for other worlds
TO conquer before settling down for the
winter.
"Our minister needs new coat
said Miss Mirandy Stebbins, rafting
her knitting in huge delight at
first producing an idea she does, most
dreadful bad, an that's a fact. Hain't
any of you noticed how shiny it's got ?"
She cast a reproachful glance on all of
the circle-who, while they waged war
N unbleached cotton and red flannel,
also carried on admirably the war with
ongues-and then proceeded can
say it's cryin' shame to see him git
up into that pulpit another Sunday with
chat old coat on. Somethin' must be
done. I'm awful glad thought of it."
You hahn t thought ofitany quicker'n
anybody else, spoke up little Mrs. Bis
bee, stout, buxom matron, with fam
ing cheeks and her black eyes flashed
volumes. faint dlaUus talkin' folks
gifts the first idea. I've ben a-thinkin'
of that same thing for some time now,"
she added. with n venomous snap at the
placid figure behind the rafting needles.
i" An / shall do my best to git the par
son one, she added, the best rye bread
premium, which Miss Mirandy had sue
cessfully carried off before her very
yes at the County Fair, urging her
on.
d" / shall begin a subscription right
straight off, this very minute" cried
Miss Mirandy. with great determination,
and starting from her chair, ignoring
her rival completely. Glow much will
you give, Mrs. Bassett ?" she asked,
going into the center of the group to
attack the "Square's wife"
"An' | shall start one, with my own
name first, before | ask other folks to
give, exclaimed little Mrs. Bisbee tri-
umphantly, with an unpleasant laugh at
Mirandy, who was known to be eight
AS the bark of tree" ''I'n give So"
She added, in q loud voice, determined
to go without her new winter bonnet
sooner than that her rival should carry
the day.
" An III join you with another So"
spoke up the Squares wife," looking
paStMiss Mrandy to the stout little fig
IRE with flaming cheeks. "Now, then,
Mrs. Bisbee, that's good start, I'm
sure.
There was no show now for the spins
ter's side, since, for various reasons of
her own, the "Square's wife" had gone
over to her rival So she stalked back
to her rocking chair grimly, took up her
Gnittiug work and watched, as best she
might, the subscriptions grow enthusiast
tically under other hands than her own.
At last, as the laughter and excite
ment progressed on all sides, she was
utterly unable to bear it another moment
longer, and, jumping up, she mumbled
some hing about "must be home" and
bounced out of the room.
I'm glad she's gone" said the
Squares wife, as the door closed after
Ike retreating form Of the spinster; "I'm
ok to death of havin' her always come
0 me for subscriptions; an she never
lives the first cent herself.
"She wouldn't see the need of the
.arson's coat, if she had to open that
ocllet- book of hern, said tall, square
uilt matron, who looked % il she has
ienty OF opinions of her own, and could
xpress them when occasion required.
Gracious - calculated little Mrs
Bisbee, with a short laugh "who even
see that poeket-book anyway L never
did, an l don't b'heve any of you havt
either"
"A cents as big as a cart-wheel t.
her, said the big square woman, who
didn't love Miss Mirandy to DEATH ct
all runs in the family. They wouldn't
any of EN- open their mouths to breathe
if they didn't git somethin' at the same
time they Civ it out. =
"Well, she won't put anythin' in hel
mouth this time, observedthe "Square's
wife" laughing and settling back com
fortably. cts the first SEWN meetin',
guess, where she's gone home before
tea. "
''An' it means somethin' to go home
before tea from Mrs. Deacon Higby's,"
exclaimed little Mrs. Bisbee, enthusiasts
ticallv, with an energetic bob of he's
black curls over at the hostess. So
she's lost her cake an credit too"
II don't know" said Mrs. Deacon
Highly, deprecatinglg. though she
wriggIed all over with delight at the i'm
piled praise to her suppers "My
doughnuts amt so light as usual. an the
loaf-cake amt riz quite as I'd like it.
The deacon come J ONE last night in a
chill. an / run in the midst of every
thm' to give him a camfre sweat. So
lidn't hev as good luck as l set out to
hey.'
Notwithstanding these lamentable
ailures, the round, comfortable visage
of Mrs. Deacon Highly presented a Sc
ries OF ripping SMILES that threatened
10 eclipse every feature of her expressive
face, while she smoothed her fat hands
,omplacently together.
"Oh, well, you can talk, said little
Mrs. BiSbee, energetlcally, and begin
aing TO count up her list of subscrip-
tions to the parsons new coat, "but we
MI know. as we'll as the next one, what
your cookin' is. Fifteen, twenty, TWEEN
w. ne. no, twenty two-Mrs. Spencer
Higginson's makes twenty-two-twenty-
five. twenty eight. thirty. thirty-one-
thirty-one an quarter. Oh. dear !!
what a pity 'twan't Jest an even thirty
two
on make it up" said the Squares
wife" quickly, enjoying the distinction
Il bsing the only woman in the room
10 who,a a dollar or two more or less
didn't make a matter worth moments
consideration. Now, then, thirty-two
dollars ought to git real first-yate arti-
Gle Where1l we buy it? that's the
question -
Hereupoa ensued a liz Is discussion.
the deacon's wife favoring employing
the village tailor. and. as he vas second
cousin to her husband, family reasons
might have something to do with her
opinion. Some Of the ladies falling in
with her. the idea would soon have
been carried, hut for the warlike, deter
mined attitude Of the other party. who
decidedly favored the coat beiug made
out # town.
Twill be lots more stylish" sail