Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1881-05-10

Il
20 near the scandalous old cats )!
"Leily Biscoe what under the blue
sky air you talkin' about:" She took the
child by the arm and pumped her down
into fence corner. Now !" says she.
"Why mammie, that horrid, sneakin'
p-yin' white eyed"
Leila"
"Nell, then, the beautiful Mistress
Florinda Daggett peeped into our win
dows last Sunday"
"Oh!"
"An' saw us sewing; and they are hav-
ing no end Of time about it, and won't
sit in the room with you, and say you
shall be expelled from the society"
$50"
| put in word now, and tried to
smooth down matters; but, my stars .
Sister Biscoe looked as if she could bite
steel
Lets go home, mammie," said Jenny
beginning 10 cry.
"lIome !" says she; "we're goin' to
the wool 1ickin.
"Bu; ! tell YOU, cried Leila, "they
wont have yol: they will insult you.
"You can 90 home il Won want TO.
Lelly felt. mlyb,, ,ha: she hlin t de-
served such a snub, - she tossed her head
an followed her ma. couldn't hardly
keep up with en-. / hadn't felt so
warm~d up an excited no, since | brought
Belle Burns through a congestive chill
after the docto! had given her up.
Ny soul them women jumped, ".hen
they seed the widow an her two daugh-
tcrs standin' at the door, as ifthe sheared
sheep was a.chargin' in after the wool
they'd been robbed Of
Il hear. says Sister Biscoe, THAT my
friends and neighbors have been maxim
mighty free with my name.
"I.orl' says Sister Wysnicker in a
quaverin sort o voice; "whos been bear
in any slauderous tale to you
"S!anderous, is it Well, my daugh-
ter Leila is the bearer. sent her on
ahead Of me this mornin, an she wasn't
no further from your talk than the next
room.
"Nobody's said no,hin' that they amt
willin' to stand by" snapped Florindy
Dagge,.. Woman that use Gods day
for putin money in their pockets must
be ready to face the consequences.
Two red spots come out on the widows S
checks; her eyes shot sparks like fiints
struck together. ''Tve nothin' to say to
you," she says, turnin' her back on Flor
indy. "but the rest of YOU shall hear
what's behind the story she's told. 1t
looks as if those that has known me all
nv life, watched me strugglin' with pow
erty. workin to keep roof over these
two girls that was left babes on my hands
an never heard so much as a breath
against me or mine. might a waited a
little before talkin' about expellin me
from the society,"
Everybody colored up, an Farmer
Sweets wife she whimpered little.
II wish you d take cheer, Sister Bis
coe," said Sister wysnicker real entreat-
in"
.Tll 81, in no house nor break bread
under no roof until my pardon has been
asked by all that thought i'll OF me.
Florindy shifted, but no one ined IN.
LAS, Friday night week ago, says
Sister Bi.coe, Roland Selph knocked
with his ridiu' whip against my door.
Jenny opened it, a-drawin back when
she saw who it was, for Roland has a
kiss an joke for every girl who will let
him come near enough. But he walked
in very quiet. a-followin' her into the
back room, where sat SEWN.
Mrs. Biscoe, says he. can you make
me some decent clothes agin Sunday
Not agin Sunday, Roland says l,
for it's Friday night now.
He set quite while without sayin'
anything a -hittin' his boot with his whip,
an finally he said in loud, defiant sort
of way, that he he'd thought Of bein' bap-
tised Sunday, If he could get anything to
put on his back, for he was perfectly rag.
ged.'
"'Bap,ised" says Leila pertly. is
the world comm to an end
".Mebbe, says he very sullen, an go
up as if he would 60. But | founc
strength to stop him. Good gracious
says l., don't fly off the handle; lets tall
it over.
"The long and short Of it is that | soor
saw Roland was tremblin' between two
worlds. He was that unregenerate tha
he wouldn't face the public at Big Mud
dy without the befttin' clothes, yet the
Spirit was so workin' within him that he
had set his heart on sealin' himself t
God the comm Sunday. thought o
sugses,in' to him to him to wait unit
Brother Powell came round again; bu
seein' as how just out Of the devil
clutches by needles length. as yol
may say, didn't dare to say put it OF
to him. Would any sister here hav
dare i, ?"
"No - says Sister Weeden, lettin' tn
word drop very ponderous.
at might be then or never. To b
, the means of st oppin' him was more Of
. responsibility than l could shoulder
There was tears on Jenny's cheeks, al
, she whispered to me, Say that you vii
mammie.' An even Lelie nodded whe
) | looked inquirin' at her. Roland. say
/ |, well do it. Come for your clothe
Sunday noon. They'll be ready, al
I without money an without price, for it