The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1885-11-28
MRS. STEBBINS' TEA-PARTY.
BY ELIZABETH c. DAVIS.

BY ELIZABETH c. DAVIS.
Mrs. Stebbins was tired and nervous,
but she had decided to have the
ministers folks" to tea that day,
and that very day they must come.
She had baked a Custard pie in the
early morning, almost with the dew
on it, if that were a proper phrase to
use IN connection with custard pies,
Tor everybody knew if the minister
had a weakness for anything earthly
it was for custard pie. He liked them
deep and rich and baked as a custard
should be, a long time in a slow
oven. Mrs Jenkins, a well-to-do
farmers wife, said she always put a
cup Of cream into her minister's pie"
and then she turned her back and
dashed in some more"
Mrs. Lane, whose husband was said
to be ''shiftless, and whose larGer
was never very well supplied, spoke
up, with a pink spot in her cheeks,
and said, rather sharply, that al
though she couldn't turn her back on
a cream pot shecOuldn'. nor wouldn't
Tor the pie she'd turn out.
Another, a charming little lady with
deep blue eyes and dimples, declared
she kept her head in the oven one
whole afternoon lust to see that it
didn't get too hot to bake the minis
ter's pie.
twas amusing to hear the different
experiences. A rather severe female
said she thought twas q shame for a
minister OF the Gospel to be so given
to tiesh-pots. Upon this a mischie,
VOus young girl began estimating how
much cust8rd pie the minister really
had consumed since he'd been settled
among them. They all agreed it was
a good deal, but then he was such a
Judge, and it gave them such a chance
for emulation, that the minister stood
a pretty fair chance OF feasting upon
custard pie to the end OF time, ii he
lived so long and staid there.
And now Mrs Stebbins' pie was set
out on the back-room table to cool,
side by side with a generous company
cake, hiding its fluffy richness under an
icy covering ornamented with deli
cate tracery OF leaves and ferns, as
though the frost fairies had already be-
gun their work, otwithstandingit was
only September.
"There," said the lady, 'if Mrs.
Jenkins can beat that let her." and
she surveyed the tempting dainties
with a satisfied air. Then the French
china tea-set with purple twigs, that
had been her grandmother was taken
l.Zvz ! fr,iJ =,
We're a quaint, shallow shape with
handles, and in a long service only one
had been "nicked +" While this was
being done Minnie, the little daughter,
was instructed to 90 over to the min
ister's and invite himself and wife to
tea. Tell them to come early" said
she, mot be ceremonious.
.'Can I invite Susie, too, MAJ"
questioned Minnie, with a pleading
face.
ooh, you're going to have her to
your party, you know, when your
birthday comes" was the rather
doubtful answer.
Minnie's face clouded DWELL, shall
| ask Aunt Debby, them" said she.
Aunt Debby was a superannuated
derby cherished in the family, from
having educated her nephew at great
sacrifice to herself.
"Say, shall ask Aunt Debby ?"
persisted Minnie.
''NO." snapped Mrs. Stebbins, whisk-
ing out a suspicion OF dust that had
accumulated in the china cream-pitch-
En- with purple sprigs on it. mo, |
can't nave the whole calabang to-
day"
Minnie walked away swinging her
hat by one string, only regretting that
she was not to have the pleasure of
Susie,s company while the elders
would be so entirely occupied with
themselves.
The minister was writing his sermon.
It was such a lovely autumn day that
he had felt unusually inspired. He
thought how thankful he ought to be
that the lines had fallen for him in
such pleasant places. He looked out
over the fields, now yellow with ripen-
ing grain, aud his heart swelled with
mingled thankfulness and rejoicing. II
ne could only put some Of the richness
and .meilOWness OF the time into his
sermOn-tell with the words that were
crowding upon him, in way that
should impress his hearers, how sure
We're the rewards OF earnest hope and
work. 1t no longer seemed to him
that they We're sometimes too dull to
see the hidden meanings in the wonder
tul book OF nature, or even to follow
him as he pointed them out. He had
forgotten, III the golden light of this
perfect day, how he had often bitterly
thought he was spending his days and
wasting his time in sowing seed on
stony ground. He only remembered
the kind word, the thoughtful act. and
resolved anew to more perfectly do
his duty, and Consecrate afresh his
best powers to his Masters work and
the dear people among whom his lot
had been cast.
The sermon grew and glowed with a
tender sentiment of trust and peace.
20 intent was he upon it that heheard
without needing Minnie's little shrill
voice at the door rendering her invita-
rlon. Then he heard his wife say
keeping the thread Of his sermon at
the same tlmel, did mamma want
Aunt ilehby to come toO2"
No. she said she wanted you to
come an not be spronious' Here
Minnie hesitated; she wasn't sure
about the .spronious, but with the
fatality that always accompanies such
slips, she said it again, AN not be
spronlous. and-and the minister"
she added. not feeling quite sure
whether sheshOuld say, minister"
or Mr.. Fales;" an she didn't want
Aunt Debby cause she said she could
not have the whole caIabang today"
and MlCuIe stnnnel TO tax hraatI, h.