Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1882-12-27
the DEAC0H'S new YEARS GIFT.
BY MARY LOWE DICKINSON,

The deacon stood in his shirt sleeves
before the tiny square mirror in the
front of the kitchen clock. He stopped
and writhed and made astonishing faces
at himself in the hopeless struggle to fit
the buttonhole in his collar to the button
ut the back of his shirt. He did not
swear, but the gray cat, blinking her
eyes drowsily from her sleeping place
under the stove, suddenly sneaked past
HIM into the sitting-room and took
refuge III the skirt of Mrs. Deacon's
calico gown. There were thunders and
dghtnings portentous in the atmosphere,
and the good woman looked up from the
stocking she was darning barrel " 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 p and the
pale, worried-looking woman laitt her
hand coaxingly upon his arm.
"Well, button it, then, if you're 20
ing to| ] should like to know if I'm
never to have button right as long as
live. Two women folks, and nobody
to take stitch iu my clothes Where's
Mary? She's always out OF sight when
ehe's wanted
There WAS no fault with the button or
tbe 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 col
lar lay in the very fact that ali his life
"two women. folks had done it for him.
She only fastened the neck-tie, brushed
his hair, and helped him on with his
Mary's getting ready to go with you.
You know yon always liked to have her
go to meeting with you on the last night
Of the year. IA.
"Then if she's going, tell her to come
along! can't wait for her to put on all
her furbelows. want to stop at Squire
Nelson's about that mortgage. OF
course he means to foreclose.'
"Oh, no! l don't believe it, Gideon,
He isn't any such man, and the poor
woman's face grew shade more weary
and white; "but you go right along, and
Mary will 60 when she is ready. It's
beautiful night, and I'll walk down with
her myself. You'll be there to come
home with her?'
"Of course I shall. III be there if
for nothing else than to keep George
Nelson from coming. He needn't think
I'm going to let the girl and the farm
both 60 into his fathers family"
Nov, Gideon, don't talk so! You've
heen behind Oh the interest before this,
and Squire Nelson was willing to wait.
] don't believe he will touch the far1n.'.
And the deacon didn't believe it
either; but he didn't get much comfort
%hot
Of his not having the money due, or save
him from the rasping duty of saying so
to the bland old squire. And Deacon
Frost was the last man in the world to
let bis wife be comforted, if he Was un-
comfortable himself. He always told
her the darkest side, and with an air
that made the meek soul feel III some
mysterious way responsible for all his
woes. He looked and acted as if they
were her fault; and she had grown 80
used to it that she often acted herself as
it it must be So. So when he added
sulkily that if his son had 'sbehaved
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. 80 -. -. -, ~ = -, -.
As the deacon, smoothed and brushed
and grumbling still passed out, Mary
came into the room just in time to hear
the vigorous bang her father, gave the
door; in time; also, to hear the great
Auttering sigh, almost a sob, that broke
from her mothers lips. rst' !'a,'..
Father gone p asked the girl. ~.
Eyes, dear, aud I'll walk down little
way with you, :" sa;d her mother, stoop.,
ing to pick up the: stocking She was
darping, TINS hiding her face from her
daughters questioning eyee: H">
Ono, mother, l don't want to 20. l
can't let YOU gol out; on such acold pight.
I was going more bebause L thtq1phts
father would iexpeot til than fdr ahya. 9e'
else." ;. s~.s
"Perbaps he:$awill not mind, :. s..iatt b
motbsr, |tesitating. Though, Is USUAL
hewas not pleased thatI did not go, and
Ithoughtperhlps I ought. to, if it would
make him any happier. 81 ~; So .'.'''
=" But it wouldn't, mother dear, said
the young. girl,o hastily; and, throwing
aside her cloak, She drew q low chair to
her mothers, side and gently pulled the
darning from her hands, as she went on:
81 really think the more we Try to
please him in every little thing, the
more fault finding and e:xk'acting he be-
comes. ,S - 5,.''
"Hush, child, and the mothers thin
hand passed softly down the child's
cheek to her lips. ..,.. ..- .sa.4 ..as IA =:
Mary captured ': it ia both her own, !
kissed it, and answered, langhingly: ! 2
Don't hush me, mother. Pm not %
child any longer, and see my father as
I would see any other man. x The fact