Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1881-06-22

produced from beneath her shawl, she
bade her visitor be seated while she left
the room to get the desired article.
AS her steps died away, Miss Patti.
ence noiselessly arose from her seat
and approaching the dresser upon which
the pie stood, peered curlously into the
aperalures in the crust, her sharp face
expressing eager curiosity. IN bet a
ninepence she didn't know enough ter
put crackers IN. l wlsh't l could get
one look, just 10 satisfy my own mind
she added. And, determined to ae-
complish her object at all hazards, she
ran a knife deity around small per-
ton of the edge. and inserting four
lnquisitiYe fingers, lifted the brown
crust, and took glimpse of the con-
tents.
A look of unmlhgated disgust passed
over, her face. Dropping into a con-
veuient chair, she actually groaned
aloud
We'll, l meyer! an we payin' that
man five hundred dollars year, besides
a donation party at Christmas. Ough !
Unsuspicious Mrs. Graham, as she
returned with the yeast, was somewhat
puzzled by the sudden frostiness ofher
guest, who hurried out Of the house as
If some dreadfal contagion had haunted
il: but when the minister in carving the
pie that the deacon's wife had sent
made two curious discoveries almost
simultaneously, the reason, for Patti
ence's altered demeaher was made
plain, and the young pair had hearty
laugh that made the old parsonage ring
like a peal Of Thanksgiving bells.
The Tuesday following was the regular
day for the weekly sewing-circular, and
seldom bad that interesting gathering
proved so lovely and animated as on
this occasion.
Miss Patience was in the field bright
and early, and 1t was evident at glance
to those who knew her best that she
was well.nigh bursting with some i'm"
portant secret that she was only wait
ing a fitting opportunity to divulge.
That opportunity was not long in COM
ing, for Mrs. Dea. Farrell, who was q
constitutional croaker, took occasion 70
say, in reference 10 the hard times
The Deacon has been tryin' ter col
lect the church tax and he says he never
found money so tight In all the years
he's lived here. It's as hard now to
get five dollars as 1t used to be 10 get
ten.'
AM no wonder,' spoke up Mics
Patience, with the stony severity ofs
sphinx. You can't expect folks ter
feel like payin' out their money when
they see it fairly thrown away and
wasted
Everybody looked curious, and some
of the younger girles began to bride
deiiantly. The minister's sweet young
wife was evidently a layorite with them
at least.
what do you mean by that {" asked
Mrs. Farrell, pointedly. Miss Graham
is young and inexperienced to be sure;
but, as the deacon was sayin' only
yesterday, she does very well indeed
considerin.'
Patience tossed her head knowingly,
Il don't want to say nothin' to hurt her,
but livin' next door as do, l always
can't help seein' and hearin' thinga that
other folks can't be expected to know
things like
There was an omineus pause, aud the
deacon's wife asked, excitedly,-
Like what
Chicken pies, with legs and feet of
the chicken baked imp
Had thunderbolt then fallen among
them, it could not have caused greater
surprise to those tidy, thrifty New
England housekeepers than this dread.
full revelation of the incapaci.y OF the
PASTORS young wife.
Are you sure Of it9'. gasped one
matron, breaking the ominous silence.
Il know it for fact was solemnly re-
turned.
Chicken legs in pieP
She's a born TOOL CALCULATED the
dea cons wife, Indignantly, aud I'm
thankful for her poor husbands sake
that 1 sent her over one OF my pies
yesterday. They had to throw hers
away, of course, and it's lucky that he
didn't have TO go without his Thanks
giving breakfast on account other igno-
rance and shiltlesness.
How did you know about the pleY'
asked one of the girls.
Miss Patience brlstled defantly.-
That's nobod's business but my own,
she retorted tartly. i don't 60 round
ter find out things that don't concerne
me, I'd have you know! but when
they're thrown right into my face. as
you might say, 1 don't shut my eyes
any more'n other folks
Just here the door opened, and in
walked the subject Of their converse
ton, with her pretty face glowing with
the haste she had made, and a mis-
chievous twinkle to her brown eyes that
nobody noticed, so occupied were they
10 hiding the confusion that her sudden
entrance had created.
Walking up to the table where most
of the ladies were sitting, she saluted
them cordially; and then holding out
on the tip Of one slender lnger well
worn thimble, she said archly--