Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1883-08-11

''JOSldn, Sdiu WIS Miuuiooon,
"you will certainly end your days in
the po0-house?
The Deacon was reading his paper,
quite unconscious, in his furry and
haste, that he had got it upside down.
Mrs. Middleton, a tall, gaunt woman
of sixty, who, by all outward indica-
tions, ought certainly to have been an
old maid, was viewing him severely
through her spectacles.
~ hope not, my dear" said the
Deacon. Il hope not What should
put such I'M unpleasant idea as that
into your head?"
'.Don't be hypocrite, Deacon!'
said Mrs. Middleton, severely.
"A hypocrite, Elizap"
Eyes, hypocriter said the lady,
energetically, nodding her head:
What is it but hypocrisy, 1 should
like to know, to sit here and pretend
yon haven't just given half a cold
chicken to that wretched tramp who is
limping off across the swamp-lotp"
The top of the Deacon's bald head
turned very red
"He looked so cold and hungry,
Eliza" said he. "You should have
Eat and drink, ch?' satirica]ly re-
peated Mrs. Middleton. ''What did
you give him to drink. I'd like to
knowe''
"Only a bowl Of cold coffee, my
dear, said the Deacon, deprecatingly.
And that red comforter he had
round his neckp''
"Really, my dear" sta,i'hlered the
detected culprit, latter the bee new
mufiler which Miss Mitchell gave me
for Christmas, l did not need the old
red comforter And the poor wretch
was blue with coldr'
"Blue, indeedr shrilly echoed Mrs.
Middleton. Il wish he'd been black
and purple, and all sorts of colors, be-
fore he had ever come here! But il
don't make any difference who it is, or
what ridiculous trumped-up story he
tells-anything will take you in! Here
we are, in debt; the very house over our
heads mortgaged the land running
down for want of proper atten,i IN, and
you are shoveling out our household
goods to every wretched, law, idle
loafer and vagabond that comes along"
My dear! my dear!' feebly remon-
strated the Deacon.
Don't tell me said Mrs. Middleton,
waxing still more wrathful as she medi-
tated upon her wrongs. "All the coun-
try knows it! There isn't beggar nor
a tramp but knows he is sure of sup
per and a shilling, if he comes here and
gets your earr'
My dear, we are told in the Good
Book"
ave are told in the Good Book"
angrily interrupted Mrs. Middleton.
"that charity begins at home. Or if
not these very words, it's the same
thing. There's Lame Peter Pike, the
fiddler. I'm fairly sick of the sound of
his squeaking old tunes. don't believe
our barn would ever have burned up if
it hadn't been for his old pipe the night
ne slept there"
1t was the sparks from the locomo
tive, my dear, which,
''Sparks from the locomotive, in
deedH' cried the lady. 1.-The meals
you've given him; the nights lodgings
he's had in our barn; and once five dol
lars towards buying him new violin
when his got cracked by the frost-and
served him right! VOW and declare,
DcdCObs We nO DdOlcuCc WllD YOU. IOu
arc running us! Yes, running"
Deacon Middleton shifted uneasily in
his chair, and grew very rel. If that
Xantippe spouse of his had only known
of the coins slipped at odd times into
the old fiddler's horny hand; the cold
meat and mugs of cider surreptitiously
sent into the barn for Lame Peters
benefit; the ten-dollar bill at Christmas
to help buy him warm coat! If
"Bnt there's got to be an end of all
ihisr' said Mrs. Middleton, excitedly.
81 We he'd lock put on the buttery
door, and I'm going to buy Hobart
Hogley's big dog, that is as savage as
a meat axe, and then well see''
"Very well, my DEAR" sad the mild
Deacon.
"Tm tired of keeping free tavern for
all the wretches between here and
Mount Kearsarge," reiterated Mrs.
Middleton.
Eyes, my DEAR" said the Deacon.
Haven't you anything to say for
yourself?'' cried Mrs. Middleton.
What should 1 say, my dearp"
gently questioned the Deacon.
And the lady Hounced Indignantly out
of the room.
But the good mans face grew very
sad and detected when she was gone.
.'It's true enough" said he to him
self, as ne laid the newspaper on the
table and let his spectacles fall slowly