The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-04-10

woman you ever saw on ordinary Occa
sions; but when l came around she was
always fast asleep-or pretended to be
and. though often gave her a good
hearty nudge, it never amounted te
anything; she never so much as quiv.
cred. but sat as immovable as a marble
statue, with her eyes as close shut as
the jaws OF sprung bear-trap. l did
catch her once. however, by returning
unexpectedly to her pew, after having
passed it. Her eyes were wide open.
but as soon as she saw me she looked
up toward the ceiling with heavenly
expression. as though lost in p;ous
meditation. 1 stayed as long as ]
dared, but it was no USE Her eyes
never quit the rafters, and had to give
it up and move on.
Then there was Grabemall, the rich
contractor. 1t almost made me split
my sides sometimes to see the ostenta-
tious way in which he would drop a
nickel into my pouch. l knew, of
course, just how much he contributed;
but everybody else supposed, from the
air of careless prodigality which he
put on, that he had given five dollars,
at least. How different his manner
was from that of Widow Goode, who
sat just behind him! She never gave
less than dollar. l knew she cOuldn' t
afford it, ard it almost made me feel
like thief to take it frnm her. She
used to slyp the money into my pocket,
as though she were doing something
wicked, and were ashamed to let any.
body know it.
1.-The young ladies would hold out a
dime in their delicate gloved fingers
with a sanctimonious air, and then Just
as likely as not giggle right in my
face, though l never could understand
what they saw to laugh at; the chill
dren would throw their Great noisy
pennies into my pocket with a Jolly
eagerness that was quite refreshing,
but must own that | went away from
their pews Oftentimes W tn a very heavy
heart, and feeling quite cheap, not
withstanding their plentiful donations;
and there was one family of boys
the little rascals!-who used to put
lozenges into my pocket. | afterward
found out that their mother gave them
ten cents apiece, and they used to buy
candy with it and feed me with sweet
meats. But perhaps the young scamps
were not really so bad. after all. Pos
sibly they thought the Little heather
ch ldren m ght like little candy now
and then as well as themselves.
Il have noticed that people like to
sit behind the man who gave a dollar
bill. They all of them always gave
someth ng-and | have been so I'M
C charitable as to think that they wanted
to have it seem to the pews back of
them that it was they who contributed
the dollar, and not the little bald
beaded man in the front seat. | sup
pose one reason why | got this idea
into my head was because when the
first pew gave only a small piece OF
| wouldn't receive another cent
in the whole aisle; as though, so l
everybody was afraid to give
himself away. as they say nowadays.
Il used to smile when the deacon
who carried me around would stand up
before the whole congregation and
throw a handful of coin into my
pocket. Everybody got the impression
that the good deacon was a very benev-
Dlent gentleman, and | more than half
telieve that he thought so himself. His
lace looked like horn of plenty, and
Re gave the money in such an abb
stracted manner that, though nobody
could fail to see the operation, every
body must have thought that he was
quite Oblivious to anyOne's presence.
but between you and me. the deacon
never put in any mOney-nOt cent.
assure you. When he went to church
he always had a lot of tin disks. Of
course, they were always discovered
when the money was counted, but
laid it to the boys up in the
gallery. However, the deacon's con-
tribution did power of good, not so
much for it's intrinsic worth as from
the beautiful example it afforded to
others. If the deacon could be so
liberal, others felt as though
they could give generously also.
There's nothing SO potent in this
world. after all, as a good example.
Il couldn't begin to tell you all the
queer things I've seen," continued the
contribution box. 'Some folks who |
knew hadn't paid their butcher for six
months would give literally. and others
who were worth no end of money
would hold out a ten cent piece and let
90 of it with great reluctance and with
4 sigh and shudder that were quite
But the !meanest man
ever knew was well-dressed chap
whom detected more than once put
ting in a dime and taking out a quar-
ter. never passed HIM unnoticed,
md he was generally considered one of
he main supports of the church. but
could have told quite different story"
The contribution box stopped speak
NC. Possible, however, it might hava
and told many more strange
.hings, but just at thus moment the
sexton came along. and remarking: Il
guess you are good for nothing now
out firewood," crushed the contribu-
ion box beneath his heavy heel and
it into kindling wood. A mo-
nent later and poor old contribution
1ox was but a handful of ashes at the
bottom of the furnace.-Boston Tran
script.