Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-12-01

eiy, '"y'"S AID bio"" o'o"" Ai"'")
soothingly on his daughters shoulder.
ats always darkest just before daylight.
Here's five dollar gold piece that Mrs.
Blake paid me for the hay in the up
medder. Twas going to take it toward
the taxes, but l guess taxes can wait"
"No, Father said Mary, "our just
debts are our just debts. ! oughn't to
touch this money"
"SQuinchcs, ch," said Luke Larrabcc,
who had como in with the stone pitcher
for gallon OF Mrs. Hays cider vinegar.
"S1uinchcs is mighty scuss this season.
| see Mrs. Biggard's folks doin up a
sight on 'em when was over there this
morning. Mrs. Biggard she's dredful
churchy, you know, and, tho parson
he'd said he was partial to preserved
squinchcs; and there was she and Ruey
and Almiry tuckerin' in like all poss-
cssed to get 'cm done, Says 1:
"Why, whor did yc git all them ere
squnchcsf
Says she:
az bought 'cm Of by at the door,"
"Says !:
mo, yc didn't, Elccta Bigsari; yc
got EN- last night outcn Farmer Hays
sidc.hil! squinch orchard, cluS' 20 the
railroad, says |; ''causc seen you and
Rucy a-carryin' the clothes basket be-
tween yov, cram jam full o'big, yallcr
sQuinchcs.'
"And so Ibid, for our COW she got
outcn the field and wandered quite \
ways down the railroad and l was A.
huntin' of her by moonlight, when l
seen 'cm from behind them sassafras
bushes down by the track. Wal, you
should have seen her turn rcdder than
the big bcll-pcppers out in the garden
| patch. Says she:
"'What an if did," says she. Mary
Lay she give 'cm to me-
"'Oh,' says !, that's horse of
another COLOR says !.
'But now it appears, with his shabby,
gray eyebrows slightly elevated, "that
yc didn't give 'em to her, hcy?'
Mary and her mother looked blankly
at each other. The good father
chucklcd.
"Thcm ounces was worth five dollars
at the very least" said he. II guess,
Polly, if l was you, I'd collect the
money"
The ladies Of 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.
Mr.. Mildmay sauntcrcd in toward tea
time, and was thanking Zeruiah and
Almira Biggam for the beautiful jars of
preserved ounces which had found
their way to the rcctory, when Mrs.
Biggard's shrill voice sounded above
the hum of 6 neral discourse.
"Now that the minister is here, there
amt 10 reason we shouldn't render in
our accounts" she cacklcl. "And Pm
happy to say that every lady in the
parish has given something to the Eboe
Indian Fund except Miss Mary Hay"
Mr.. Midmay bit his lip. Zruiah cast
down her whitc-lash eyes. Almira
giggcd family.
Ma is so frank spoken said she.
81 scarcely think" observed Mr..
Mildmay, 'that there was any necessity
10. particuliarzing in such a matter as
this"
81 hain't no patience with mean
folks" sal Mrs. Bggard, speaking in
a stagc-asdc.
But Mary Hay had risen calmly up
from her scat among the younger ladies.
"Nrithcr have J." said she. "And
so propose to subscriI TO the fund tho
five dollars which Mrs. Birgard is Ing
to pay me-"
Sic moved easily and gracefully
toward the lady Of the house, and held
out her hand with m air Of calm
expectancy.
"Me2' cried Mrs. Biggard. "Goin
to pay you five dollars! guess tlfc ga
is crazy! What shoull pay you five
dollars for?'
For the ounces" said Mary, enjoying
the sudden panic which turned tho
matronly, rubicund face to the color Of
badly risen dougl-"thc ounces which
you bought Of us last night and forgot
to pay for"
Mrs. Biggard muttcrcd something
nobody could exactly tell what it was,
but the changes of her complexion woult
have reminded one of the proverba
"lying dolphin" aS she drew out he
purse and deposited a crump'ed five