The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-08-13

should not wonder if, in time, You came
to be quite cook"
1t was Thanksgiving morning, and
Miss Patience Pringle stood at the min
ister's back door. TO be sure, it was
rather early for callers, but Miss Pringle
was, as she often boosted, 'one of the
kind that never stood on ceremony.
Indeed, she didn't even consider it nee
essary to knock before sho opened the
door, although she was thoughtful
enough to open itsoftly. The minister's
wife was just taking from the oven n
newly warmed chicken pie, which she
nearly dropped from her hand 50 startled
was she by the sharp, shrill voice that
spoke SO close to her:
"Good mornin', Miss Graham. Good
mornin'. Amt been to breakfast yet I
see. We had ours half 'an hour ago. T
know my mother used to say that if any
body lost m hour in the mornin' they
might chase it all day and not ketch up
with it then.
'"rhat's good looking pie-pretty
rich pastry, though, for chicken pie |!
don't never put much shortcnin' in
anything Of that kind, its rich enough
inside ter make up. But you're young,
an' have n good many things to learn yet.
L run i'll ter see if you could spare me a
cup of yeast, mine soured and tho last
batch of bread made I had tor throw
to the hogs"
"Certainly," and roguish smile
fitted over the fair face of the minister's
wife, at this specimen of her meddlesome
neighbours own economy. But she had
learned rare lesson of judicious silence,
and taking the cup that Miss Patience
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 Patience
noiselessly arose from her scat and ap-
preaching the dresser upon which the
pie stood, peered curiously into the
apertures in tho crust, her sharp face
expressing eager curiosity. "I'll bet
nine-pence she didn't know enough ter
put crackers in. wish I could got one
look, just to satisfy my own mind" she
added. And, determined to accomplish
her object at all hazards, she ran knife
deftly around n small portion of the edge,
and inserting four inquisitive fingers,
lifted the brown crust, and took glimpse
of the contents
A look Of nnmitigated disgust passed
over her face. Dropping into conve-
nient chair, she actually groaned aloud:
"Well, never An we payin' that
man five hundred dollars year, be-
sides donation party at Christmas.
Ough p
Unsuspicious Mrs. Graham, as she re-
turned with the yeast, was somewhat
puzzled by the sudden freshness of her
guest, who hurried out of the house as
if some dreadful contagion had haunted
it; but when tho minister in carving the
pie that the deacon's wife had sent made
two important discoveries almost stimuli
taneously, the reason for Patience's
altered demeanor was made plain, and
the young pair had hearty laugh that
made the old parsonage ring like peal
Of Thanksgiving bells.
The Tuesday following was the regular
day for the weekly sewing circle, and
seldom had that interesting gathering
proved so lovely and animated as on this
occasion.
Miss Patience was in the field bright
and early, and it was evident at glance
to those that knew her best that she was
well-nigh bursting with some important
secret that she was only waiting n fitting
opportunity to divulge. That oppor-
tunity was not long in coming, for Mrs.
Deacon Farrell, who WAS constitutional
croaker, took occasion to say, in refer
ence to the hard times
THE Deacon has been tryin' ter col
lect the church tax and he says he never
found money 80 tight in all the years
he's lived here. It's rs hard now to
get five dollars as it used to be to get
ten."
can no WONDER" spoks up Miss
Patience, with the stony severity of
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 girls began to bride de-
family. The minister's sweet young
wife was evidently favorite with them
at least.
"What do you mean by that ?" asked
Mrs. Farrell, pointedly. "Miss Graham
is young and inexperienced to be sure !;
but, rs tho deacon WAS sayin' only
yesterday, she does very we'll indeed,
considerin'."
Patience tossed her head knowingly.
'I don't want to say nothin to hurt her,
but livin' next door rs do, can't al
ways help seein' and hearin' things that
other folks can't be expected to know
obont md when T 900 md know Thin ua