The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1884-12-27
luke Berry's Supper.


BY "a COUNTRY pARsoN."
The deacon showed back from the
we'll appointed breakfast table and reach
ed for the family Bible, on the ebony
stand in the corner. The bright sun
shine was flooding the room with glory,
the bird sang in the bay-window with
its southern exposure, cheerful fire in
the CRATE took the chill from the air,
the first hint of autumn. The room
was a pleasant picture of itself. The
crystal and silver seemed to smile with
pleasure, the napery was of the whitest
and finest, and the viands were such as
only Mrs. Luke Berry's Nova Scotia
cook could prepare, trained by long
years of careful supervision.
Did Luke Berry regard his mercies !?
As he took the book, he glanced out of
the window, and John Tracy was hurry
ing by to catch the horse Gear; he look
ed pale and haggard. He wondered
why he was SO late, and then he remem-
bered he had a sick child that had been
very low for some days. John Tracy
had started in life when he did, but he
had been unfortunate, one ofthe unlucky
ones He had failed in business, was
nc ERIK in his former store, and at
Ala, --isse2''s.ces ar -aasiar-,hfs
was working hard for bread for his
large family. Was there providence
in it? The deacon's mark was at the
fourteenth chapter of Luke2 "When
thou makest dinner, or supper, call
not thy friends, nor thy brethren,
neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich
neighbors lest they also bid thee again
and recompense be made thee. But
when thou makest a feast, call the poor,
the manned, the lame, the blind, and
thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot
recompense thee; for thou shalt be re-
compensed at the resurrection of the
just"
Mr.. and Mrs. Luke had been discuss
ing the project Of giving party. Mrs:
Berry was quite noted for these social
affairs, the distinguished people she
gathered and the rare entertainment she
provided. Luke glanced at his wife as
he read these words, and his prayer was
tenderer as he asked God to bless the
word, to their spiritual good. Would
he try to answer his own prayers? He
was more thoughtful than usual as Jack
carried him down to his office, driving
the gray colt. Luke Berry was fairly
benevolent man his friends called him
unusually so; he would never turn
away worthy cause. But life had
smiled on him, he had no idea how
tough a thing it was to many, and ne
had latent feeling that they must be
shiftless if they did not fairly succeed !;
but Berry was business man, every
fibre of him, he instinctively saw the
bearings of operations. and was regard
ed as the sharpest and shrewdest man
on the street, not in the modern sense
but really wise in business matters.
He was thoroughly honest, he did not
trade on the misfortunes of his neigh
bors, he was man of his word, met
his note the very day it was due, and
conducted vast operations with the ease
of proprietor of country store. Ii
Luke Berry favored an enterprise, it
was quite sure to be success, for the
judgement of the man was exceptional
.ly sure and he carried a firm hand in
all his business. Mr.. Berry's people
could not be called fashionable, for
they had a mind of their own, and
certain old-fashioned notions that they
adhered to, whatever society held.
Mrs. B. was very happy in her young
peoples gatherings, but she would never
allow cards, not that she thought it the
greatest sin in the world for young PEG
pie to amuse themselves in friends
parlor in that way, but she had boy
at college and she knew if he played
| them with young lady friends, he
would very likely be led into it in col
lege, and then there would be lessons
sighted, late hours, dissipated compan
ions, gambling, and she said he SHOULD
not learn if she could persuade him
And Mrs. Luke could persuade any one
she set out to. She was but eighteen
years his senior and very fascinating
woman. She had always delighted II
fascinating her own family, rather thar
her neighbors, and retained the cordia
respect and love of her husband ane
children. The young people Nigh
have sneered at the puritanic views o
Luke, Jr., but Mrs. Luke was not to b.
sneered at, she was too powerful socia
force to set aside her opinion, and he
parties were so delightful.
When the deacon came home to din
ner, by the way some thousands richie
than when he went away, and they wer
trihing with the dessert, he broachet
the subject of the party.
"Betsy," he.said-Mrs. Berry hat
been farmers daughter, and she ant
Luke had commenced life poor; h
loved to call her by the old name
"Betsy, suppose we have a gospel sup
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