The Iola register., 1883-12-21

Ye may bet yer dollars on that! it's true;
For only yesterday, tell you.
| Wasn't she in high dudgeon,
Just hearing you called by Deacon Shaw
The keenest Old skin-fl.n mt ever he saw!
He said he would sooner have hoped to dra,
Sap from a hatchet or blond from a straw
Than money that wasn't allowed by law
From such an old curmudgeon.
"well. what have said2" Is Hush. Jamie
Cries the mother, in consternation;
While Eikanah starts. with an angry flush
And a vigorous exclamation.
| Did he say thaty-Say that of me?
He's tighter himself than the bark OF
| tree"
HE has more heart than he lets folks see:
| A little like you i'm that" says she.
=" Ho! no! waal. Wa al! that queer idee!
That's curis ca'calation!
| What friend you had been, how exceedingly
To my poor orphans" she went on,
:. And me-for the sake of him that is gone
| He was humbled; he took it quite to heart;
| Declared you had acted Il noble part,
And expressed sincere repentance
For having misjudged you 50 till now.
Mis- Brown" snarls Elkanah; but somehow
He couldn't complete the sentence.
"Who wants proof of it, there it lies -
| With glance of pride at the great squash
pies,
| And the goose superbly basted.
The deacon was here at half-past one;
And ut half-past two the proof had begun;
| The goose was brought by the deacon's son,
And then 1t seemed as if every one
Must do as the deacon and you had done,"
Yes, SIR" says Jamie: "a and wasn't it funI
1t was ring. ring, ring! it was run. run, run!
Squashes that weighed pretty nigh u ton!
Such apples you never tastedn'
" 1t came to us in our SOreSt need"
The widow resumed; and all are agreed
Twas harvest of which you sowed the seed.
You see your charity was, indeed,
An example that wasn't wasted.
"My charityr' Elkanah groaned. "weIl,
welli
Twas more of blessing than can tell
She choked a little and wiped a tear
For we have been dreadfully poor this year.
lis hard. hard struggle to provide
Faithfully, every day meant
To save little to pay my rent;
1 stinted and planned, but still found,
fed. anu
Hardly enough for Sundays bread
Such constant wearinesS, want and care
Seemed often more than life could bear.
Ihen came, oh, sir, your gracious gift,
Which all OF a sudden seemed to lift
The burden which weighed me to the ground:
And all these other good friends came round;
AID so in our joy and thankfulness,
1t seemed TO me could do no less
Than make feast" she said with smile.
BE patient be quietr' For all the while
The hungry children clamored,
And climbed the chairs, and .peeped at the
pies,
And ogied the goose with wistful eyes
Ills favor" said she, Il should greatly
prize
If you would sit by. and not despise
The bounty, which Heaven through you scp-
"Hem! wa'al! ye take me by surprise.
Don't know, the old man stammered.
She smilingly reached for his coat and hat,
And the goose was fragrant, the goose was
fat.
81 think you will stay" .swa'al, as to that,
don't dine out very often;
called to eXplain-but never mind.
Fact is, Mis- brown, Iduent dine6:
And If you insist-sence you air SO kind"
He was rather surprised himself to find
His heart beginning to soften.
Don't care f l du." And down ne sat
Ihe goose 'ods fragrant. the goose Uds fat
The old man did the carting;
rhe sauce was diShed the gravy poured
Nnd the plates all round that little board
Were filed in a manner that didn't afford
The slightest hint of starving.
i;ot in all that dreary year
HAD her cottage known such cheer.
With hope, and her happy children near,
The widow smiled contented.
Even old E!kanah ceased to be
Greatly scandalized to see
Cheerful faces and childish glee
In the home of the late lamented.
Natures ways are wise and kind:
| Clouds pass, dawn breaks, and ever behind
Each dark sea hollow swells a wave:
And fresh grass grows on the new-made
And softly over the broken heart,
And its so;rowful recollections,
The leaves of another hope will start,
And tender new affections.
The widow talked and told her plans;
What a dutifu child was Nance!
The parson had got her boys chance
To blow the organ the coming year:
80 there will be twenty dollars clear!
The girls will help me more and more;
I'll sew; and often, as heretofore,
Earn bread for the morrow while they sleep,
And so have hopes that yet may keep
My little flock together
With Heaven so kind and friends so good
Send them to school and provide them food
And shelter them from the weather.
But oh, what change for them and me.
How different now it all would be-,
IF my dear husband" Mrs Brown
Here. for some reason, quite broke down;
And even old Eikanahs s sight grew weak;
You might have observed in his withered
cheek
Some unaccustomed twitches,
And in his voice, when he tried to speak,
Some very unusual bitches;
For, seeing how long she yet must strain
Her utmost energies. just to gain
|<Bread for her babes-perhaps in vain
He had some twinges of shame and pain,
And a curious feeling i can't explain
AT the thought of his boarded riches.
''Hem, wa'al. Mis- Brown! it's a pooty tough
easel"
He made q motion as If to place
His hand in his pocket, but drew it back.
Though must say, youy We got knack!
You re gittin along, an I'm drefre glad.
Nc more no. tn ank' 'ee ma'aml hain't had
Sich dinner as this, don't know wben."
Down went the uncertain hand again.
Your children are we'll an CROWN;
Few years, your boys II be rich men
Mabby they will. no KNOWN"
He merely pushed back his empty plate,
Then tugged at his watch. "Ha! is it so late
I'd no fdee ont. train won't wait;
Guess III haf ter be goin'F
Must you, indeed! How the time has
fOwni'
The lonely old man had never known
So grateful soul. q look and tone
So gentle and so careSsing;
And while she handed his hat and coat,
Arranged the collar about bis throat,
Smoothed the creases, and brushed his arm,
He felt a strange, bewiidering charm,
The very touch of her hand shed such
Unconscious love and blessing!