The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1881-12-10

so softly. The minister's wife was Just
taking from the oven newly warmed
chicken-pie, which she nearly dropped
from her hands, so startled was she by
the sharp, shrill voice that spoke so close
to her ear:
sGood-mornin' Mis- Graham. Haint
been to breakfast yet, / see-we had
ours half an hour ago. know my
mother used ter say that if anybody lost
an hour in the mornin', they might
chase after it all day an not ketch up
with it then.
"That's good-lookin' pie-pretty
rich pastry, though, for a chicken-pie!
don't never put much shortenin' in
anything of that kind; it's rich enough
inside ter make up. But you're young.
an have got a good many things to
learn yet run in ter see If you could
spare me a cup o. yeast; mine soured,
an the last batch o. bread made l had
ter throw to the hogs"
Certainly" and roguish smile
fitted over the fair face of the minister's
wife, at this specimen of her meddle-
some neighbor's own economy. But she
had learned the rare lesson of judi
cious silence, and taking the cup that
Miss Patience produced from beneath
her shawl, she babe her visitor be seated
while she left the room to get the de-
sired article.
AS her steps died away, Miss Patience
noiselessly arose from her seat, and APP
proaching the dresser upon which the
pie stood, peered curiously into the
apertures in the crust, her sharp face
expressing eager curiosity.
Jpn bet ninepence she didn't know
enough ter put crackers in. wish't /
could get one look, jest ter satisfy my
own mind" she added. And deter
mined to accomplish her object at all
hazards, she ran knife deity around
small portion of the edge, and insert
ing four inquisitive fingers, lifted the
brown crust and took glimpse OF the
contents.
A look of unmitigated disgust passed
over her face. Dropping into q conye-
nient chair, she actually groaned aloud;
- Well. / never! an we payij that
man five hundred dollars year, besides
q donation party at Christmas. Oughr'
Unsuspicious Mrs. Graham, as she
returned with the yeast, was somewhat
puzzled by the sudden freshness of her
guest, who hurried ont of the house as
| II some dreadful contagion had haunted
| it; but when the minister, in carving
the pie that the deacon's wife had sent,
made two curious discoveries almost
simultaneously, the reason for Patience's
altered demeanor was made plain, and
| the Young pair INDUCED in q hearty
laugh that made the old parsonage ring
like a peal of Thanksgiving bells.
| The Tuesday following was the regu.
lar day for the weekly sewing-circle,
and seldom had that interesting gath.
ering proved SO lively and animated as
on this occasion.
Miss Patience was in the field bright
and early, and it was evident at . glance
to those who knew her best that she
was well nigh bursting with some inn
portant secret that she was only wait
| ing a fitting opportunity to divulge
That opportunity was not long in com
ing, for Mrs. Deacon Farrell, who wa,
a constitutional croaker, took occasion
to say, in reference to the hard times
/" The deacon has been tryin' ter col
| lect the church tax, and he says b
never found money SO tight in all thu
4 years he's lived hore. It's as hard te
get five dollars now as itused ter be ten.
And no wonder" spoke up Mis-
Patience, with the stony severity of /
sphinx. g You can't expect folks te
feel like payin' out their money whel
they see it fairly thrown away an
wasted"
j Everybody looked curious. and som
Of the younger girls began to bride de
family. The minister's sweet younI
wife was evidently q favorite with them
at least.
what do you mean by that?" aske'
Mrs. Deacon, pointedly. Mis- Ora
ham is young and inexperienced, to B
sure; but. as the deacon was sayin' onl
yesterday. she does very well indeed