Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-07-04
THE DEACON'S TITHE.

home, anG IL his stead had come an honest,
plain-spokcn young divine,with an earnest,
fearless eIoquence. And now the worn
door-stone Of the little gray church on the
hill was once more trodden by feet which
had long been strangers to it. The minis
ter boarded, having no family, at Deacon
Larrabee's.
He's 4 bit uncertain on some points, -
said the deacon, leaning on his hoe handle
and talking aero $ the fence to his neigbhor
GRAY. who leaned on his hoe handle to lis
ten" ! biz uncertain. But l like him
DO, no mistake; ana believe the Lords
going to bless 10 through him"
Amen " was neighbor Days hearty
response.
They hood dozen hills in silence ther
hoes keeping tine 10 the merry song Of q
bird in the orchard. Then Mr. Gray paused
TO wipe the persp.ga,i0n from MS face.
This hot weather liable % make sick
ness" sa.l he. - suppose ycU have heard
that one of The Widow sperry's boys is
down with the 'evor7'
''Sho! now yUu dJn'tsay sou exclaimed
the deacon commiseratngly. Make !;
hard for her, won't it2'
yes. particularly when she's lately lost
ought 10 take hold and make it up to her.
IfPd more than one COW On my place,
wouldn't stand to talk long, nov tell ye
but lost my two best ones last spring. II
| hadn't --n
1t might have been unintcnGonal that
sudden facing about, as Nj. Gray threw his
chances toward the hill pasture where his
neighbours cows we're quietly feeding. At
all events, the deacon could scarcely help
noticing the action. And he understood its
purport An uneasy flush mounted to his
face IS he struck vigorously into the next
hill
She ought to have kept her COW out of
the road. Ny cattle never get into the mill
pond and drown. If they should I would
not expect anybody to make 'em up to me.
Shed no more call, had the widow, 10 let
her COW run, than I'd have to tuza my
whole drove out"
It's a pretty hard case, nevertheless, "
said Mr.. Gray.
And then the fragnentary conversation
tossed piecemcdt back and forth across the
fence a. the neshb5rS went steadily On
with their work, drifting into different
channels.
There had been an interested listener to
the cOil0Quy narrated above. On the shady
side Of the wall which separated Deacon
Il
in hand. the Rev. \Ir. Weston. He arose
Us the chat which hoatcd to his hearing be-
oen 10 he of cr0us and having. and walked
sIoy-Iv AWAY along the orchard path with q
thoashtfu} smile upon his lace.
That night when the Deacon took the
shining milk-pails from The dresser and
proceeded 10 the ferln-yard, the young
clergyman followed him. lie stood lean
ins against the bars, watching he yellow
stars come ouc in the sky and looking
abroad over the Deacon's possessions,
shadowy now, but substantial enough by
daylight.
You are q prosperous man, deacon"
A smile of satisfaction oversprcad the
deaC1n's countenanCe as he stood for z
moment batting the sleek neck Of favor
tie COW.
Well yes" said he but I've made
myself. 4 pig aud d pitCbtOr& was all
hal to BEGIN With"
How does your ueighbor Gray get
along?'
"Grav2 Well truth to tell. he'll never
he f2ra6ar7.d If he lives to the are Of Ne
tbnsnlab He's n Woodworking man
e,o-,.-b b,,. ti,n ,yav 'tis emit ten van
tLn-a7s regcr 8 moor creature comes into
or ION .het doesn't mead direct for John
O.. ai,,st no ire.ir,o+ teaches 'a,f, for
he - 70 I'm eli deseryjn, or not. ! be-
Taya ho'd TAKE tha coat of his back i twas
-,ooJcI H. n cod 77a;gbb0r-a Good
11c;rj,6or Int Le'il never .et ANYTHING ia
a,Ioot- - ,bes5 %
. Pn+ law mn for Yourselves treasures in
ho,l,on ,yGorf naithc~ moth nor rust doth
ror-,,,,t ana where thieves do no. break
tIro,,nh and steal - cuoted the minister
~ -. b-rt 1T mind me rjgbt tho
,.o,j 80 so,.e sorla+i.in-, too abonf pr9-
- "a, 80 80 - 49,, 5rsehold-eh p
~ W. Wiz s,n;Ir1 II believe there is
q $50 M fbat effect
t,snd7 - ,,,sr,t ~, -,c deacon q little tr;-
v,,-lbar+l,, ~ neighbgr (;rav would Give
y certain 6ortion''-
"A ti,hc?~ interp5lated the minister.
"And not bayond that" continued Dea-