Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1881-11-10

teaAutej 6nuu TVS tno HheSt heEu III our
county. They're grade jersey"
"Yes," returned Mr.. Weston, little
obsently. Then, after slight pnuse,
"Deacon L,rrabee, I overheard tho con.
versation between you and your neighbor
Gray this morning relating to Mrs. Sperry
aud hor misfortunes. Poor lady! sho does
need substantial sympathy. Cannot you
offord to lend tithe Of your COWS to tho
Lord?'
(Which means that I give one of thom
to the widow" uttered the deacon
with wry face. No, sir; I'm afraid
cant. She wsnted to buy one the other
day, but told her I'd mono to spare. It
was all owing 10 oarelessness that she lost
her COW, and don't believe in upholding
improvidence. Get to going on that way
and weld all be on on tho town farm before
We kuowit
Mr.. Weston wore thoughtful oounte.
nance, yet glcam Of something like
amusement lighted up his eyes.
"WiIl you sell mo Que Of your oows?"
he asked
ell have no need Of money now,"
replied the deacon hesitalingly.
The minister continued II heurd you
say this morning that you would DO glad to
give good man extra wages to help you
through your haying, but that you were
afraid it would bo difficult to procure tho
neodful assistance at any price. viii you
take mo and let a,e pay for the COW 10 that
way.
a twinkle both genul and quizzical,
dawned in the dencon's gray eyes. For n
moment he studied the young minister at
tentivcly. lie was not at all what his
ncighbor would have denomiuated free
handed yet no had just appreciation Of
the quality of beneGcence 10 other people.
Neither wus he hard man at heart. 1t
was only that the prosperity which had
attended his every undertaking caused him
to look upon the lack of it in a neighbor's
affairs rs on entirely unnecessary eviI-one
which prudence aud forcthought might
overcome. Now ho shook his petitioners
hand heartily.
'It's bargain" said he. "Nheu will
you take the COW off my hands?"
"To-night, if you will lend me your as.
sistancc," was the ready response.
"Bettor take QUO of those | haven't
milked," said the deacon, with smile sand
save NE the trouble"
Accordingly, little time later, the min-
istor. accompanied by the deacon, led his
recent acquisition down the farm house
lane, and away along the thoronyhfare Of
the sleeping little hamlet TO the tiny cot.
tagc where d"ct Mrs Sperry and her
brood. There they fuatened tho animal
to convenient post, raped softly, and de-
parted, with the peaceful consciousness
which attends upon worthy deed resting
upon one of them at least, as q mantle.
Next morning when the deacon, hoe on
shoulder, was leaving his door yard for his
cornficid, he encountered Mrs. Sperry.
Her eyes were rcd as with long Watching
or weeping, aud her thin lips trembled with
the emotion which shc vuinly cndeavored to
conceal.
She put out her hands to him. "Deacon
Larrabec," said she, 81 have to thank and
co ask your forgiveness. Oh, have had
such hard thoughts of you!-how cruelty
bad only God knows-ond my own heart
Why, almost come to pray thut some
dreadful misfortune might oyertako you! J.
md all because you would not sell mo the
COW you meant to give me-
"l-really y-l,' began the deacon. The
situation was most embarrassing one, and
rendered doubly SO by the knowledge thn,
beside the open window of the room APP
proprated to his library, tho minister was
sitting, no doubt enjoying tho conversation
in the fullest measure
"Rcnlly, Mrs Spcrry-I-"
"Now, don'ttry 10 deny it, laughed the
widow little nervousIy. II lnow the
COW, deacon Larrabeo: aud -" she laughed
again--"l am bowed down with contrition
to think Of my unjust feelings towards you.
But l shall always pray that you may
prosper, hereafter, deacon; for I am sure
sou will have good account of your
stewardship for the master"
The deacon moppod his scarlet face in
sore perplexity. How could he confess
that the gift vas none of his! Yet there
really seemed no other escape from the
one horned dilemma IN which he found
himself, unless-
Well, the widows generous thanks were
very pleasant to hear; and after momcn-
tary dcliberation tho old deacon's good
sense and genuine maniness came to tho
front. lie only wished that the happy
thought had been his, the charity his own
spontaneous deed.
81 am glad if the gift pleases you, Mrs
Spcrry," said he, shaking her proffered
hand; "and now please say no moro about
it. Go into the house and see tho woman
I'll warrant sho has n glass of jelly for the
sick boy"
TO Mr., Weston later on ho said with q
laugh, and jocular twinkle in his eyes,
"I'vc hired my man, and shall not need
you; SO wen shake hands and coll it square
think that's what meant to do ali the