Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1886-12-10

on the edge Of the wheelbarrow and hid
her head in her mothers apron ike
chir1.
"oh, mother, who has done this9a
she cried. 'sWho can have been 50
wieked--so cruel2p
Its The boys, I'm afraid, " said Mrs.
Has. "Don't fret, daughter don't
It's done, md it can't be helped"
The boys never served Us 50 before,
said Mary between her sobs. eyes,
mother you are right. 1t can't be helped.
Lesa' SO home. Their is an end Of the
sub rptlon money now"
Slowly and sadly the two women
toiled back up the hill with the wheel
barrow and the basket, Mr.. Hay, just
returned from the harvest field, heard
their story with amazement.
Its the first time that ever a tree Of
mine srobbed, said he. II didn't
know as we had such boys in this neigh
boraood, But, look, here, Polly, don't
cry laying his broad brown hand,
soothingly on his daughters shoulder.
''lt's always darkest jus, before daylight.
Hc.s's a five dollar gold piece that Mrs.
Bake paid me for the Lay in the up
modder. l was going to take it toward
the taxes, but gucs taxes can wait.
''No, Father said Mary, sour just
detts are our just debts. l oughn't to
touch this money.
'Squinches, ell, 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. Biggard's folks doin' up
sight on 'em when | was over there this
morning. Mrs. Biggard she's dredful
chprchy, 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-
essel TO get 'em done. Says l:
fWhy, whar did ye git all them ere
sgd d6nehesF
''Says she:
81 bought 'em OF boy at the door. .
"says /:
"No, ye didn't, Eleeta Biggard; ye
gof sHa last night outen Farmer Hay's
side-hill squinch orchard, clus' to the
railroad says l "cause seen you and
RuF b a-carryin' the clothes basket be-
twla YOU, cram jam full o'big, yalIer
sqtiuehes.'
aa 70 ibid, for our COW she got
ou.as.tbe field and wandered quite a
~ The railtoas, and / '~as 8
huntA' of her by moonlight, when ]
seen@em from behind them sassafras
bushes down by the track. Wal, you
should have seen her turn rcdder than
/ the big bell-peppers out in the garden
patch Says she:
4" What an if did2" says she. Mary
Hay she give 'em to me-
" '0h, says l, that's horse OF
another color, says |.
But now it appears, with his shabby,
gray eyebrows slightly elevated, "that
We didn't give 'em to her, hey27
Mary and her mother looked blankly
at each other. The good father
chucked.
Them ounces was worth five dollars
at the very least, said he. II guess,
, Polly if was you, I'd collect thu
money
The ladies of the fund committee
! were at Mrs, Biggagd's house that after
noon.
, A good many faithful and devou
sisters were present, and some of tn,
| brotherhood as well.
Mr. Mlldmay sauntered in toward tea
time, and was thanking Zeruiah anc
! AJmira Biggard for the beautiful jars o
: preserved ounces which had founC
theF way to the rcctory, when Mrs
r Biggard's shrill voice sounded abov,
| the hum Of g neral discourse.
"Now that the minister is here, ther,
r amt no reason we shouldn't render il
r our accounts, she cackled. "And Pn
happy to say that every lady in tn
! parish has given something to the Ebo
t Indian Fund except Miss Mary Hay"
: Mr. Mildmay bit his lip. z.ruiah cas-
down her white-lashed eyes. Amir
gigglcd family.
. Ma is SO frank spoken said she.
z scarcely think observed MI
Midway that there was any necessit
ior particuliarizing in such matter a
this
! u hain't no patience with mea
e folks said Mrs Biggard, speaking j
stage-aside.
But Mary Hay had risen calmly u
J from her seat among the younger ladies
r ''Neither have !" said she. can
50 | propose to subscrit to the fund th
? five dollars which Mrs Biggard is goin
to pay me.
2 She moved easily and GRACEFUL
toward the lady of the house, and hel
out her hand with an air of cali
2 expectancy.
"Mel" cried Mrs. Biggard. "Goh
to pay you five dollarsl l guess the g
IS crazyl What should l pay you fy
dollars forp'
For the ounces, /" said Mary, enioyln
the sudden panic which turned IL
: matronly, rubicund face to the color
badly-risen dough-''the ounces whic
you bought OF US last night and forgt
to pay for.n
Mrs. Biggard muttered something
nobody could exactly tell what it wa