The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-09-26

| oHu llOtLlCI uSCQ W DOll Tic plulllS Will
molasses. They were dredful sour, but
there was flavor about 'em I hahn
never tasted since. And when Mary
Moore told how good Leah's was,
kind O. notioned | should like taste
of 'em. But Leah said she hadn't none
to spare"
"Leah was Mistaken" said Friend
Decker. ''In our house there is always
something to spare for an old friend like
thee!"
Anastasia's yellow, old face was odd
ly mottled with crimson for few mo
ments.
"I didn't know thee looked on me a.
a friend!" said she, very sharply.
"Thee ought to have been certain Of
that"
"There was ugly things said about
the way the Lennox property was man
sged," said Miss Akerly.
Nothing was said by me, Friend
Anastasia, observed the Quaker. "And
as far as in me lies, am anxious to be
At peace with all the world"
:.IIumphl'' said the old woman.
"Well there amt no use maxim up tc
me. My will was drawn up long ago,
and Moses Sawyer is my herr
"Thee is welcome to do as thee likes
with thy own," said Friend Decker,
calmly, setting down the jar of wild
plum preserves, and glancing wistfully
toward the cushioned armchair by the
fire, for his limbs were enfeebled by
age, and he had walked considerable
distance.
But Miss Akerly did not ask him tc
sit down and rest, so he took fresh
grip of his knotty cane, and started on
the homeward tramp, with a genial,
"Good morning to thee, Friend Anas.
tasia!" to which the old lady respond
ed with an inarticulate grunt.
But when he was out of sight, she un.
screwed the lid of the jar, and with an
old silver spoon, worn thin by long
usage, she tasted the tart sweetness o1
| its contents.
Just exactly like them mother used
to boil down with molasses when was
a gal," said she. 81 could most fancy
| twas gal agi'n in wild plum time, a
cuttin' across the lots with my sun bon
net hitched on by one string, and the
red dog caperin at my heels. Wal,
wal it don't seem like 1 was close on
seventy year DID,"
Miss Anastasia had some of the wild
plum sauce with her scanty dinner. 1t
gave relish. She ate some more with
bread and cheese for her tea.
81 never did taste nothin' that went
to the right spot like them wild plums, -
said she. cit amt that they're relish
in it is because they make one feel
like I was a gal agi'n out in Wisconsin,
with the sassafras leaves turnin' yaller,
and the wind BLOWN in my face"
Leah did not know, until a neighbor'
child brought back the jar neatly wrap
ped in an old newspaper, what treat
she had unwittingly afforded her neigh
Dor.
"What is it, Willie?" she said to the
boy.
''It's the jar that had wild plum sass
in it," said Willie; "and Miss Akerly
/ SAe sayr sho'c much obliaed-and she
give me ginger cookey fur bringing it
back, she did,"
"Father," said Leah, turning re-
proachfully to the old man, "this is thy
doings! Thee is always thinking OF
some one else."
"It has done me more good than if
had eaten it myself, Leah," said Friend
Decker, apologetically.
Leah ran to him and gave him hug.
"Thee is an old darling, father" said
she, "and thee makes me ashamed Of
my own temper, sometimes"
And she put the jar on the top shell
of the pantry, and never thought any
thing more of it until one day, when
she wanted jar to put some stewed
cranberries in.
She was in hurry, for Miss Anasta.
sia Akerly was to be buried that after
noon.
She had died as strangely as she had
lived-sitting alone before the fre-and
this was the day appointed for her fu.
neral.
Friend Decker had expressed desire
to attend the obsequies of the kinswo.
man who had been so little to him, and
Leah was hurrying through her work.
so that she might brush his we'll worn
suit and take much needed stitch OF
two in his coarse worsted gloves.
AS she tore off the newspaper wrap
pings, she stopped suddenly.
"Father!" cried she, here is a piece
of thick, yellowish paper rolled up and
put inside this jar that came from
Friend Anastasia's! What does thee
suppose it is? Father, father, it is
will"
She ran eagerly with it to Friend
Decker. He looked obviously at the
outside.
"Thee is right, Leah" said he.
"Friend Anastasia's heart has softened
toward us. This is doubtless the will
she mentioned-th will in favor oi
Moses Sawyer. She has sent it to us tc
destroy. Nay, daughter-nay," as Leah
eagerly caught it up and fastened to.
ward the fire, "give it to me. 1t is moi
| for us to make or meddle. If Friend
Anastasia wished the will destroyed she
should have done it herself. I shall take
it back to Friend Johnson, the executor" "
"Father," cried Leah "thee never
would give back the will"
"Does thee think it would be right
and honorable thing to destroy it,
Leah ?"
eff she wanted us to do so7 father.
"But we have no right to presume
anything of the sort, daughter" rea
soned Friend Decker, buttoning it uT
under his coat. "Nay, nay, do moi
fret" For Leah, overcome by the
sudden hope, the after blackness Of
despair, had burst into flood of tears.
"It will be we'll with us-never fear. "
Judge Johnson, the great man of the
neighborhood, received the paper with
some surprise.
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