The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1884-12-25
A GREEN CHRISTMAS.
a Red-Letter Day in the Life of
Absalom Strong.
uIra.,h1a an

I Old Absalom Strong stood In his shed
door and looked out into the falling rain.
las he had said, it was indeed disagree
able. that is If the quantity of rain could
make it so. The month of December
was wearing away and with it was van
fishing the signs of winter. The snow
had come early; the ground had been
previously well frozen; the swamps filled
with water and everything indicated a
regular old-fashioned New England
winter.
Absalom Strong had contracted to
haul a large quantity of hemlock bark
to a tannery a number of miles away,
and from all appearances would have
made an excellent thing out of it had
1T not been for the sudden collapse of
all these fairy air-castles, or rather FROST
castles, for spite of the aforesaid favor
able representations, the chilling breath
of winter had given place to almost
ispringlike mildness, and Absalom
IStrong's hauling road. which led across
a long stretch of DOGGY land, became
suddenly impossible, and his horses
munched their hay and oats in idleness.
tRainstorm followed rainstorm, and now
as Christmas time drew near the snowy
Landscape had given place to bare
ground, slush and ice.
.sThis pesky rain want needed an I
can't tell fer the life o. me why's come"
said the sharp voice of Mrs. Strong, as
she came and stood with arms akimbo,
beside her lord and master in the wide
door of the shed.
Absalom was exceedingly well-to-do
and much of their prosperity, SO the
neighbors asserted, he owed to his care
full, saving, scrimpiug %helpmeet, who
.toiled early and late, and whom he
almost invariably consulted on all bust
ness matters, though for once in this
bark-hauling arrangement he had neg
llected to do so.
you'll lose money on this spec, any.
way. continued Mrs. Strong, or Aunt
Polly as she was generally called. EEL
you'd a asked me I'd a told We bettern's
TO take the job so cheap
81 thought sure, Polly" answered
Mr.. Strong, in as plaintive a voice as he
could command, sthat I'd make a good
thing out of it, but
But" snapped his amiable partner,
this ERE talkin about ifs and butts and
all sech like don't do no good. I've
told ye, time an agin; to al'ays leave q
little leeway, a sorter margin; same's
when We start a load in the snow w
want a chance to rack the sled.
shouldn't be surprised EFF ye died in the
poor-house.n
Absalom WINGED and looked furtively
at his wife. who had assumed an orator.
ical attitude and vas swinging her bony
right arm in rather dangerous proximity
to his prominent nose. Then he turned
his wrinkled face toward the watery
outlook again.
At this moment a half-grown boy,
bearing a strong resemblance to Absa
lom, came hurrying into the shed, shak
ing the moisture from his clothing like
a huge dog just emerged from a bath.
well" said both parents, in a breath
81 thought We was helpin' 81 Wallace
finish off his tie-up."
$50 / was" returned the youthful.
Strong. "But ye see the Widdel
Nason's COW slipped on the ice an hurr
her SOS she couldn't get up, an ST he
went an helped get her into the barn
There want any money in it, an SO
I'M home. Guess she'll lose the cow"
'.Massy sake; it's all the cow they've
got. What'n she do now," said Absa.
lom as his son ceased speaking.
"'Taint nothin' to you how she gifts
along, Alb Strong" broke in Polly with
considerable show of spirit. EFF you're
agoin' to carry all their burdens where
do We s'pose wen end our daysP"
81 hain't carryin' their burdens, an
Up" retorted Absalom. Cant I be
sorry if they're in trouble?"
'Of ourse v can be sorry, but y'rt
arays a givin' away somethin'. Las
spring We give Pete Jones a pig"
"'Twas a runt, an WANT with rails
in" interrupted the more charitabl,
disposed husband, but Polly was no
silenced.
.An' then ye give away a calf las
fall am"
That calf, We know, was half sick
an the feed he'd eat was with mort
he'd be in the spring. So l didn't los,
nothin' OF him." again interposed Alb
SALON..
Polly's teeth came together with
vicious snap. ..See here now, Alb, dom
We stop me again. Y're al'ays a doin
somethin' of that sort. You let Bill
Taylor have seed oats last spring; yol
let old mar Matthews have seed pota
toes an / don't know who We didn'
help. P'rhaps We think they'll build
monument over We when y'r dead
"Twon't be nothin' more'n a slab stuci
up in the poorhouse buryin'-ground."
Absalom was somewhat vanquished
For a few moments he held his peace
then he venturcd to utter a few eStenu
ating words.
Taylor gin mt a bill o. sale of hi
boss, an Matthews let Inc have s'curit
on his sheep, an, they both paid me
good int'rest.'
..S,pos'n the hoss'n sheep'd a died,
snihsa talIy, whoru'd s'ks s'opits . ben