Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-11-26

trife frosty" said he. 81 think ]
may walk as far as the Lennox farm
without aggravating my cough"
And under his arm he carried neat
parcel.
Old Anastasia 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 spy into tn enc
my's Campo
az hope thee is well, Friend Anas-
tasia," said he. ST have brought thee
jar of my daughters wild plum
sauce. Perhaps it may tempt thy ap-
petite"
Anastasia colored.
Il amt of noconsequence," said she;
Il dunno as / care so much about
sweet things, Only there used to
grow a wild plum bush on the hills at
home, and mother used to boil the
plums with molasses. They were
drefful sour, but there was flavor
about 'em [ hain't never since tasted.
And when Mary Moore told how good
LEANS was, I kind o. notioned I'd like
taste o. 'em. But Leah said she had
none to spare"
Leah was mistaken" said Friend
Decker, IN ouA home taere is always
something to spare for an old friend
like thee"
Anastasia's yellow, old face was
oddly notified with crimson for mo-
lnent.
''I did rot know that you looked
on Hle as friend?" she said sharply.
'Thee ought to have been certain of
that"
There was ugly things said about
the way the Lennox property was
managed" said Miss Akerly.
Nothing was said by me, friend
Anastasla," observed the Quaker.
''And as far as in me lies / am anx-
lous to be at peace with all the world"
"Humph!" said the old woman.
"Well, there amt no use making up
to me. My will was drawn up long
ago; and Moses Sawyer is my heir"
"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 arm chair by
the fire, for his limbs were enfeebled
by age and he had walked a consider
able distance.
But Mss AkerIy did not ask him to
sit down and rest, so he took fresh
grip of his knottJ cane and started on
his homeward tramp.
Good morning to thee. Friend An
astasia!" to which the old lady only
responded with an articulated grunt.
But when he was out of sight she
unscrewed the lid of the jar, and with
an old silver spoon, worn thin by long
usage, she tasted the sweetness of its
contents.
jest exactly like them mother used
to boil down with mOlasses when /
was GAL" said she. IT could most
fancy was gal ag'in in the wild
plum time, a cuttln' across the lots
with my sun bonnet hitched on by
one string, and the red dog a-caperIn'
at my heels WAL, wal! It don't
seem like was close on to seventy
years old"
Miss Anastasia had some of the wild
plum sauce with her scanty DINNER.
It gave it a relish. She ate some
more with brsad and cheese, for her
tea.
81 never did taste nothin' that went
to the right spot like them wild
plums," said she. sit amt cause
they're relishing'; it's cause they
make me feel like when | was ag'in
out IN Wisconsin, with the sassafras
leaves turnin' yaller and the wind
BLOWN in my face"
T 4 1ost,
boris child brought back the jar, neat
~ wrapped in an old newspaper, what
a treat she had unwittihgly afforded
the neighbors.
"What is it, Willie2" she asked of
the boy.
Its the jar that had the Wild plum
sass in it." said Willie; Miss Akerly
says she's much obliged, and she gave
me a ginger cookey fur bringing it
back, she did"
Father" said Leah, reproachfully
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 1t myself, Leah" said
Friend Decker, ALPHABETICALLY.
Leah ram to him and gave him
hug.
''Thee is an old darling, father"
aid she; land thee makes me asham-
ed of my own temper sometimes"
And she put the jar on the top shelf
of the little pantry, and never thought
anything more about it until one day,
when she wanted jar to put some
stewed cranberries in.
She was in hurry, for Miss Anas-
tasia Akerly was to be buried that af-
ternoon.
She bad died as strangely as she
had lived, sitting alone before the fire,
and this was the day appointed for her
funeral
Friend Decker had expressed de-
sire to attend the obseeuies of the
kinswoman who had been so little to
MIN, and Leah was hurrying through
her work, so that she might brush his
weil-worn suit and take a much-need-
ed stitch or two in his coarse worsted
OIovec