The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-01-27
TWoman's Journal.3
THE pEAcoN's DINNER.
BY HELEN FOREST GRAVES.

Miss Bryce who, poor soul, taught the dis
trict school, and boarded around, ike the
scralso goat in the Scripture wilderness, :,
"Such piOus man as the dear Deacon IS !!
added Mrs, Hopkins, whose better half had
once been a sea captain, and who was still
ant TO be profane by fits and starts, when the
c @sp GOT into the clover field and the mid
night weasel maranded on his hen eoops and
with a store carpet on the best room
tioor!' put in Mrs. Jones' anu a weekly
newspaper, and white sugar in her tea every
day of her life, and horse. and wagon to
take her to meetin' Sundays
Sucb was the opinion of society as repre-
sented in Glen Hollow. Perhaps Mrs Dedg-
con Smart aeds very happy woman. But
we are told on the very best authority, That,
.The heart knoweth Its own bitterness"
Mrs. Smart was washing up her best china
one morning, preparatory to giving grand
tea party, and her cousin, Ella Daies was
helping her. when the Deacon put MS SHIN
ing, bald head in at the door !. oor 90
"My DEAR" he said, "here is paper OF
Mrs, Smart nearly dropped a gilt-edged
saucer in her CONSERVATION.
more pifls! said she.
"Yes my dear" said the Deacon, unctu-
ously, 'sPins are always useful"
''0h, yes. piilsl said Mrs. Smart, giving
her glass towel a toss as she wiped the last
glObule of moisture from goblet. but not
rows of rusty wire! do say for 1t EDene-
~ am going to Glen Depot, my dear, the
Beacon somewhat hurriedly interrupted, at
this iuncture; '.and perhaps shant be nome
" He CIV withdrew. and Mrs. Smart turned Ella
Dale with half laugh.
ssThere. my dear," said she, throwing the
saded green roll of pin-paper on the dress
err 'there you behold the secret OF my DO
nestle unhappiness-the skeleton III my
clOSetv'
Ella opened her round, hazel eyes very
wide.
she said. 'You unhappy? and the dear Dea-
con such truly good man.?
THAT'S the trouble" said Mrs. Smart;
The is too good
possible" said Ella, more perplexed than
And it's all at my expense" said Mrs:
Smart, dolefully do you see that paper of
@Why, of course / see it." said Ella
''Well, Mr. Smart has bought that paper
of pins of a peddler at the door, SAID MIS-.
Smart, fsPeddlers always come here. Ihls
house is a Mecca to the race of peddlers:
They know that Mr.. Smart always buys OF
thenl-he's too good hearted to say no; or,
rather-let us speak the truth, and shame
him who shall be nameless between us-he IS
really too INDECENT to resist their importuni-
ties"
Ella burst out laughing.
''But what very insignificant little trial,
she said
The sting Of a hornet isn't so very terrible
in itself, but when a whole swarm IS let
loose upon you, what them?
"a whole swarm?' repeated innocent Ella
"My dear said Mrs. Smart, lowering her
voice to a confidential whisper, up stairs
in my bedroom closet, have eighteen papers
of just such cheap pins utterly useless i9r
anything but to bend themselves up double
when you try to put them through single
thickness OF calico, and to deprive you OF
your temper Just when you need 1t most;
six cards of porcelaine buttons, an aItlcle
which never use; nine packages OF stove
backing thirteen bottles OF machlne-oll,
1--WE papers Of rusty needles; dozen pairs OF
shoe-strings, and eight rolls of tape, which
is an insult to ones common sense! II L
could reconcile it to my conscience, I'd hing
the whole collection into the fire; but was
brought up to economic. What do you
think, Ella, would it be a sin. to annihliate
all these pitfalls to my equanimity y
ut is rather hard problem" said ella,
soberly.
ing vehement, as she went on, "Ebenezer
is unwilling to give me money to buy decent
darning-needes and respectable tape; lie
wonders why ] can't make my dresses last
little longer, and thinks am eXIrayaganlt III
wanting new feather for my old velvet bon
net. He says that use too many ralsmS
and spices, and asks me why L can't raise
poultry and have eggs to exchange 1or gro
ceries at the village store. AND yet-on tlle
inconsistency of men--he expects me to give
bowl of coffee and sandwich, to say n0tn
ing of wedges of apple pie, and three-cor7
nered bits of cake, to every aDie-Dodled
tramp and stout peddler-woman that happens
to come along.
Doesn't he make any allowance ,, for it In
the housekeeping money!" asked Ella.
''Not he! Just look here! Mrs Smart
opened the drawer of the Kitchen table
'dThis is where / keep the housekeeping
money-which he gives me every week-and
he came here twice this morning-once to
get quarter for lame beggar. and again to
get ten pennies for that same outrageous pa
per of pies
And she cast a baeful glance at the arti-
Gle which still lay ON the dresser.
"This is piracy" said Ella, judiciously
Its highway robbery declared MIS-.
Smart; And here comes Inc 9u tt es,, carr,
weeks allowance to buy single STEAK, ana
here it is only Wednesday,
Cant you buy on credit?' .,
Never" said Mrs. Smart, Win spirit.
ITS a thing | never have done and never
Elias hazel eyes sparl1led, as she shook
her head yehemently at the butcher, who
was just checking his old horses at the door,
IN Othing to-day, she sad.
Mrs Smart dashed away tear. :.
''Give me some of that shelled corn, Ella,
she said. 81 suppose / can catch chicken
aDo nothing of the sort, my DEAR" said
Ella.
''Why. have a picked-up dinner, an
swered Ella. you just leave me to manage
it for you.' -,
' well, and if he doesn't? You don't like
the peddler business, do your" quickly re-
At one o'clock the table was all spread
with three hugh central platters carefully
shielded with the covers which were orolna-
rily brought out only on state occasions; ana
Mrs. Smart and Ella were peeplng OUT OF llle
window and wondering what kept the Dea-
There he comes, now!@ said Mrs. Smart.
Good gracious me! And there IS Wills
Mildmay coming home With INN! We never
counted on his bringing company? asked
Ella, stoutly maintaining her compoSufe,
though her pretty face had turned PINK all
over, like June rose. wins Mlidhay
won't care when he comprehends IL al.
Willis is sensible man. 80,
Come in. Mr.. Smart-come in, Mr.. Mild
may" said Mrs SIN art. you're hall an
hour late, Ebenez9r. Ella and could not
imagine what had become OF you;
~ hope / am not intrudlng. sad MI;
Mildmav. looking at Ella as if one glance at
her rosy face was all the dinner tbat ne
wanted.
ssO6, not in the least!" said Mrs. Smart.
PRAY sit down. We have but plain din
ing allowance would admit.
mo apologies, my dear" said Deacon
Smart-''no apologies" Hunger is the best
sauce as we well know.
And thereupon they all seated themselves
at the table, and the Deacon whisked off the
big platter covers with countenance of ex-
pectation.
"Hello!" said the deacon.
There upon the center platter lay the
eighteen pale green papers Of pins. At the
right and left, on smaller platters, were az
ranged the cards of porcelain buttons, and
the rolls of tape, and the shoe-strings, while
the bottles CT machine oil and packages of
stove backing were arranged like childs
biock-house on a side table, beneath white
napkin, by way of dessert:
Ella burst out laughing Mrs. Smart
Joined in. Willis Mildmay, ,spurred on by
The infectious sound, laughed too, although
he had not the least idea what he was laugh
inc at. The Deacon stared as if he had sud
denly become all eyes.
"Julianna, he said, what is the meaning
of this?" ,,..o ,,.,,.,
that YOU have spent my housekeeping
money for peddler's cheap wares, and that