Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-11-20
FRIEND DECKER'S REWARD.

The days are shortening, sig neo
Friend Decker, as he folded up his
spectacles and replaced them in their
tin case; or else my sight isn't what
it used TO be. Well-a day, one can't
expect to be young always. Is it thee,
Leah2 / did not look for thee soon"
Leah Decker came into the room
like a breezy young whirlwind. She
had none of the repose of manner
which is at present So much IN vogue.
Born and bred Quakeress, there was
nothing Of the Quakeress about her.
except her quaint Scripture name.
Eyes, it's me, said Leah, shortly.
"Dd three 20 TO Friend Anastasia2"
gently inquired the old man, readjust-
ing the big pine logs so that they
should burn brighter for LEANS bene-
fit.
"Oh, yes, went there"
II hope she is better of her rheuma-
tism2"
Yes, she is better. But-but-
will not buy the apples, Father.
Mean, stingy old thingW cried Leah,
wrathfully, flinging her coal scuttle
bonnet on the table. "She says she
can buy all she wants at fifty cents a
barrel, of old Jacob Joyce. SO she can,
perhaps; wrelched, gnarly, wormy
knots, not fit for pigs Ours ara
apples She says thee asks an exorbi-
tant price"
Friend Decker slowly shook his
head
Friend Anastasia is under a mis-
apprehension" sand he. Eighty
cents barrel is what they are paying
at the cider mill Only one does not
like to see such beautiful, rare colored
fruit ground up into baleful spirits to
set mems brains on fire"
"Much she would stop to think OF
that, said Lean, still ru fled.
81 am sorry" said Friend Decker,
mildly. II need the money very
much, and / think she would have
been better satisfied with my apples
than with Friend Jacob Jovce's.
"And after all that" flashed out
Leah, the spirit of Indignation rifled
within her, "sho had the impudenco
TO ask me for jar of that plum sauce
| made. She says Friend Mary Moore
told her how nice it was, and"
"And, " quietly interposed her faith
err, ''thee SAID, l nope, that thee would
be glad to oblIge herr"
mo, l didn't" bluntly answered
Leah. II said that | gathered the
wild plums myself in the Crook wood,
and cooked them after Aunt Manala's
recipe; and that there were four jars,
and that | wanted to keep them for
thee; especially since thy health hath
failed and thy appetite was SO vari
able"
81 am sorry, dear" said Friend
Decker. ''Fricnd Auastasia is very
old, and old people are apt to be fanci-
full about triiles. Moreover, she's our
kinswoman, degreG or so removed,
perhaps, bat ---"
'Then why don't she do something
for us2' flashed out Leah, "besides
giving us advice and tormenting us
with her fault findings Ididn't mean
to mention, father, but she told me
out and out that she had adopted
Moses Sawyer, and that she meant to
make him her heir"
well, daughter, why should she
notl' composedly questioned the old
man.
Because he is no relation to her at
ALL 2 cried Leah, "aud the property
all came from our great grand
father, Lennox, thee knows"
Thee. attaches too mucblimportance
to mere dross, Leah" said Friend
Decker. Thee must study the text of
the lilies of the field in the Bible. We
shall all be provided for, il only we
can have patience 10 wait.
Leah bit her full red under lip as
she glanced around the sparsely fur
nished room and noted her fathers
dropping figure and rapidly whiten
ing head, but she made no reply, as
she took up the coarse pile of vests
on which she had been working but
ton holes for 4 neighborlng clothing
contractor.
Fathers saint" thor hit she,
but am not, and I'm afr lever
shall be. l should like to cut Off An
astasia Akerly's ears. If every one
had their rights half Of that big Len
nox farm would be ours. She gained
possession of it by the mereSt legal
bubble, and if father was like anyone
else he would have gone to law about
it long ago and got back his own.
And now to see it willed deliberately
To some one else"
And Leah's needle flew vindictively
in and out of the cloth like minia-
ture javelin piercing the heart of some
unseen enemy.
But the next morning when Leah
had gone to carry her bundle of vests
home, and got another batch Of work
Friend Decker put on his hat and but
toned the great coat which was get
ting so worn at the elbows and shiny
at the seams.
1T is bright clear morning, albeit
a tritie frosty" said he. Il think |
may walk as far as the Lsunox farm
without sggravating my cough"
And under his arm he carried neat
parcel.
Old Auastssia Akerly was winding
blue yarn before her fire when he came
in. She greeted him not without a
shadow of suspicion.
Had he come like q spy into tn enc
my's campH
II hope thee is well, Friend Anas-
tasia, said he. Il have brought thee
jar of my daughters wild plum
sauce. Perhaps it may tempt thy APP
petite"
Auastasia c9lored.
II amt of no consequence, said she;
81 dunno as / care so much about
sweet things, Only there used to
grow wild plHm bush on the hills at
home, and mother used to boil the
plums with molasses. They were
dretful sour, but there was a flavor
about EN- l hsin't never since tasted.
And when Mary Moore told how good
Leah's was, kind o. notioned I'd like
taste O 'em. But Leah said she had
none to spare"
Leah was. mistaken" said Friend
Decker. lin our home there is always
something to spare for an old friend
like thee"
Anastasia's yellow, old face was
oddly notified with crimson for mo
ment.
II did not know that you looked
on me as friends" she said sharply.
'Thee ought to have been certain of
that"
There was ugly things said about
the way the I,ennox aronertv Voc