Sharp County record., 1881-08-18

And s'pose l shall be clear beat out
time It l reach home. Hardly pays to
make the speck of bread eat. Is
alas dretlle small eater-drellle
small, Thomas"
Half a dozen crackers were placed in
her bag, then she left-in earnest.
81 believe she'll live as long as
Matheusaler," was Tom Aliens thought
while watching the wiry little woman
hop from the store.
Aunt Hannahs cupboard would often
have been as bare as old Mother Hub
bard's, but for the tboughtfulness of
the minister's and deacon'S families.
Her Sunday breakfast always came
from Deacon Aliens, because they
knew she liked their old-fashioned morn
ing meal. Once week Aunt Dolly,
the deacon's wife, baked in the brick
oven, as her mother and grandmother
had done before her. And Aunt Han
nah very we'll knew that no such de-
liciOus baked beans, no such nicely
favored brown bread, no such jelly-like
Indian pudding could be begged from
any other woman in the village.
Dick Allen was usually the bearer of
this toothsome breakfast; consequently
no boy had been as frequently the re-
cipient of her ungracious thanks as
Dick. And he didn't always receive
them with the same Christian spirit as
his brother Tom.
Dick was quick-witted as we'll as
quick-tempered. He was kind-hearted
also, and usually did errands of this
kind in the best of spirits. Too often,
perhaps, with spice of mischief and
fun thrown in. But one morning he
got very angry. He was down late to
his own breakfast, and before he could
eat his father sent him away with Aunt
Hannahs, that she might enjoy hers
while warm. His freckled cheeks
burned with resentment as he hurried
across the field with the dishes and
when Aunt Hannah took the beans from
his impatient hand with such aggraVa-
ting slowness, his cheeks and eyes
matched his reddish brown hair.
Aunt Hannah lifted the cover, took a
deliberate survey; then sharply: "Dlck,
did your mother sweeten um?"
"Spose so-always does," snapped
Dick.
They look mazin' lightish." An
other critical survey. "Really thought
the Deacon killed a big hog last Christ
mas. Pork most gomez"
"Don't know and don't care! Here S
your pudding, Aunt Hannah. Hurry
up! I'm hungry's forty bears" He
pushed his hat from his brown curls in
his impatience.
Aunt Hannah looked over her "specs"
very searchingly at the boy and said,
apparently to herself, "Apa's knowed
red hair was sign OF mazin' quick
temper"
Ali the while Dick stood with plate
of most tempting pudding in his ex-
tended hand, as the old lady very well
knew. But before she noticed the pud-
ding she must free her mind.
jest say to your mother that I'd
like leetle bigger piece of pork next
Ulul6, 1ulb Is ludLlu 6ludll'
"Smaller where there's none, I'm
thinking" was the blunt reply. But
then, Dick was hungry and decidedly
cross now.
She turned from the pork and beans
to the disrespectful boy, as she consid-
cred him. She never hesitated to do
her duty. And wasn't it her duty to
rebuke such disrespect for old age
She looked over her "specsn and
said solemnly, "Do you know who you
are speakin' top
"Should think might know by this
time" spurted out Dick.
when your good, pious father and
mother are ODDS be, shall you talk SO
to themP The Bible says"
"The Bible don't tell fellow to talk
half an hour before tasting a plate of
Injun pudding?' interrupted the boy,
wrathfully. beside, you amt my
mother, and never will be-thank my
stars for that" said Dick in hot con-
clusou.
"rm one of the Lords chosen ones,
Dick Allen"
Zone of the DEVILS chosen, more
likely" Dick muttered, then hastily set
the dish upon the wooden step and
rushed away.
Not in a Sunday frame of mind ex-
actly, but in very boyish frame con-
Sidering that Aunt Hannah's advice,
like her begging, was often out of sea-
son.
The truth of the old saying, The
ruling passion is strong in DEATH" was
literally verified in Aunt Hannah's case.
She died as she had lived-begging.
What accelerated her steps toward
Jordan was fall which came "sud-
denly and unexpectedly" as she ex-
pressed it. Her lame hip was again in
iur9d, and her hops were exceedingly
short and feeble as she neared the river.
At last they became no hops at all
she was simply borne along by the low
ing, Christian spirits which had hoversd
about her all these years.
The poor soul had the best of care as
she fingered on the brink, because she
had two of the best nurses in the world.
Mrs. Shurtlef and aunt Dolly shared
the labor almost wholly between them,
simply because the exacting old lady
would have no others. They were her
nearest neighbors, therefore they must
be with her
And Sbo AID not ollOu tho min Stor to