Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-03-31
THE DEACO IS GIFT.

III the hopeless struggle to fit the button
hole in his shirt. He did not swear,
but the gray cat, blinking her eyes
drowsiJy from her sleeping place under
the stove, suddenly sneaked past him
and into the sitting-room and took
refuge upon the skirt Of Mrs. Frosts
calico gown. There was thunders and
}ightnings pOrtentous in the atmosphere
and the good woman looked up from
the stocking she was darning barely in
time to escape the storm.
"Why father what's the trouble?
Here, let me button it. Sit right down
here, and let me fix you OFF, and the
pale worried looking woman laid her
hand coaxingly upon his arm.
"Well, button it, then if you're going
to- should like to know if Pm ever
going to have Il button right as long as
| live. Two women folks, and nobody
70 take stitch in my clothes. Where's
Mary? She's always out Of sight when
she's wanted"
There was no fault with the button or
the hole, but only with the stiff clumsy
fingers unused to any service so small.
But his wife did not tell him that the
secret Of his inability to manage his
collar lay in the fact that all his life two
women folks" lad done it for him.
She only fastened the necktie brushed
his hair, and helped him on with his
Oyercoat, saying gently, II presume
Marys getting ready to 90 with you.
You know you always like to have her
90 to meeting with you on the last of the
year.
Then if she's going, tell her to come
along. | can't wait on her to put on all
her furbelows. | want to stop Mt Squire
Nelson's about 5hat mortgage Ofcouise
he means to foreclose"
ooh, MOI don't believe it, Gideon.
Fie isn't any such man." and the poor
CONAN. face grew a shade more weary
and white; but you go right along,
and Mary will go when she is ready.
It's a beautiful night, and I'll walk
down with her myself You'll be there
10 come home with herr"
'Of course ] shall. I'll be there, If
for nothing else than to keep George
Nelson from coming. He needn't
think I'm going to let the farm and the
girl both 90 into his fathers family"
Now Gideon don't talk sol You've
been behind ON the interest before this,
and Squire Nelson was willing to wait
don't believe he will touch the farm"
And the deacon didn't believe it
either, but he didn' get much comfort
from that, since it did not alter the fact
of his not having the money due, or
save him from the duty of saying so to
the bland old Squire. And Deacon
Frost was the last man in the world to
let his wife be comfOrted, if he was I'M
comfortable himself He always told
her the darkest side, and with an air
ihat made the meek soul feel that in
some mysterious way she was respon-
slble for AL his woes. He looked and
acted rs If they were her fault and
she had grown so used to it that she
often acted herself rs if it must be so.
when he added, sullIily, that if his son
had behaved himself and stayed at
home and helped him, the mortgage
would have been paid off long ago,
she only sighed, but did not venture to
speak good word for her boy.
As the deacon, smoothed and brush |
Ell and grumbled still, passed out, Mary
came into the room lust in time to hear
the vigorous bang her father gave the
door; In time, also, To hear the great
iluttering sigh, almost sob, that broke |
from her mothers lips.
Father gomez" asked the girl.
Yes, dear, and I'll walk down II lit |
tie way with YOU" said her mother, |
stopping to pick up the stocking she
WAS darning, thus hiding her face from
her daughters eyes.
mo, mother, don't want to go.
can't let you go out on such cold night. |
| WAS going more because | thought
father would expecti it than for anything
else
Perhaps he will not mind, said the
mother, hesitating, though rs usual,
he was not pleased that | did not SO,
and | thought perhaps 1 ought to if II
would make him any happier"
But twouldnt mother dear, said
lhe young girl hastily, and, throwing
aside her cloak drew chair up to her
mothers side and gently pulled the
darning from her hands MS she Went on.
81 really think the more we try to
please him in every little thing, the
more fault-lnding and exactng he be- !
comes.
Hush, child = and the mothers thin
hand passed softly down the girls cheek
20 her. lips.