Connecticut western news., 1886-12-08

| on lue euye ol tue NAceipatio" anu ni" her head in her mothers apron like child.
 "Oh, mother, who has done this9' she cried. "Who can have been so wicked--so cruel?" "It's the boys, Pm afraid," said Mrs. Hay. Don't fret, daughter don't! It's done, and it can't be helped"
 "The boys never served us so before," said Mary between her sobs. ''Yes, mother you are right. It can't be helped. Let us go home. There is an end of the subscription money now.'
 Slowly and sadly the two women toiled back up the hill with the wheel barrow and the basket. Mir. Hay, just returned from the harvest field, heard their story with amazement. ''It's the first time that ever tree of mine was robbed" said he. 'I didn't know as we had such boys in this neigh borhood, But, look, here, Polly, don't cry," laying his broad brown hand, soothingly on his daughters shoulder. 'Tts always darkest just before d aylight. Here's five dollar gold piece that Mrs. Blake paid me for the hay in the up medder. was going to take it toward the taxes, but I guess taxes can wait"
 "No, Father said Mary, "our just debts are our just debts. I oughn't to touch this money."
 "Squinches, eh," said Luke Larrabee, who had come in with the stone pitcher for gallon of Mrs. Hays cider vinegar. 'Squinches is mighty scuss this season. see Mrs. B:ggard's folks doin' up a sight on lem when I was over there this morning. Mrs. Biggard she's dredful churchy, you know, and, the parson he'd said he was partial to preserved squinches; and there was she and Ruey and Almiry tuckerin' in like all poss- essed to get 'em done. Says l:
 "'Why, whar did ye git all them 'ere squinches9'
 Says she:
 "I bought 'em of boy at the door,"
 Says l:
 "'No, ye didn't, Eleeta Biggard; ye got lem last night outen Farmer Hays side-hill squinch orchard, clus' to the railroad,' says I; "cause I seen you and Ruey a-carryin' the clothes basket be- tween you, cram jam full o'big, yaller squinches.'
 ''And so Idid, for our COW she got outen the field and wandered quite ways down the railroad, and I was a. huntin' of her by moonlight, when seen lem from behind them sassafras bushes down by the track. Wal, you should have seen her turn redder than the big bell-peppers out in the garden patch. Says she:
 "'What an if I did?" says she. Mary Hay she give lem to me-
 "'Oh, says l, that's a horse of another color says I.
 "But now it appears, "with his shabby, gray eyebrows slightly elevated, "that ye didn't give lem to her, hey?'
 Mary and her mother looked blankly at each other. The good father chuckled.
 'Them quinces was worth five dollars at the very least," said he. 'I guess, Polly, if l was you, I'd collect the money"
 The ladies ofa the fund committee were at Mrs. Biggard's house that after noon.
 A good many faithful and dcvout sisters were present, and some of the brotherhood as well.
 MT. Mildmay sauntered in toward tea time, and was thanking Zeruiah and Almra Biggard for the beautiful jars of preserved quinces which had found their way to the rectory, when Mrs. Biggard's shrill voice sounded above the hum of g neral discourse
 "Now that the minister is here, there ain't no reason we shouldn't render in our accounts" she cackled. "And Pm happy to say that every lady in the parish has given something to the Eboe Indian Fund except Miss Mary Hay."
 Mir. Mildmay bit his lip. Z.ruiah cast down her white-lashed eyes. Almira giggled faintly.
 Ma is so frank spoken," said she.
 'I scarcely think" observed Mr.. Mildmay, 'that there was any necessity for particuliarizing in such a matter as this."
 "I hain't no patience with mean folks," said Mrs. Biggard, speaking in a stage -aside.
 But Mary Hay had risen calmly up from her seat among the younger ladies. "Neither have l." said she. "And so l propose to subscribe to the fund the five dollars which Mrs. Biggard is going to pay me-"
 She moved easily and gracefully toward the lady of the house, and held out her hand with an air of calm expectancy.
 'Me?' cried Mrs. Biggard. "Goin to pay you five dollars! l guess the gal is crazy! What should I pay you five ) dollars for?''
 'For the quinces," said Mary, enjoying the sudden panic which turned the matronly, rubicund face to the color O. badly-risen dough-"the quinces which you bought of us last night and forgo to pay for.''
 Mrs. Biggard muttered something . nobody could exactly tell what it was but the changes of her complexion would