The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1888-08-30


asd With Whatever shc did prpars.
II vas mol urtil sfsssssrd ~ undes-
stood the mischievous look 10 - syss. -
she said,
"iou make me that promise. 10 you'''
He answered. Certainly ! resdny ssoush
thinking meanwhile. Of the sSd11lsnt din
ners be hsd helped 10 eat that Jessie bad
prepared.
Tie dinner bell al the farm houss rang
out cheerily sta quarter Of )selve next
day. and the Deacon. with seasaed look
At the amount Of vork accomplished. threw
down bis rake, and With HE nsn started
for the barn. There be left tAsm 70 sss
to their teams. while be hurried 10 Kstis's
room. She was considerably osttsr. aud
he was feeling very glad and eateful. A.
be fingered With her Jessie's voios sudden.
ly called him to show the men 70 She din
ing room.
II vas. very pleasant and 80 u the
shaded room. susRiciously ~ bat the
Deacon never noticed thss: hs led the way
70 the table. and whsn I'll we're ssslsd bow.
I'd his head revsrs0tly; but The blessins
he was about 10 ask died svsy on bis lips.
ss bis downward glance fell 90 tbs dish in
front Of him, on which vAs tastsfnlly
spread the pork steak be had booght the
night before. aud which. the Deacon vas
Mortified TO see. vss still raw. Farther
down on the table was . dish Of early po
tstoes scrsped and washed ready 10 cook,
kept IN oonntenance By plates Of unbsked
biscuits. dishes u raw. green peas. unbAk
ed pies. ETC., etc.
The Deacon gave one hasty glance TO
Jessie. but beyond grave, anxious look
in her eyes. her face expressed nothing Of
her feelings. as she said: Il have done %
you asked me. John; got % good dinner
ss coul for your friends with the mater.
isl there was here II IL does not ssit you
please remember sm not 1ssd TO povid.
ing my own wood. ss Katie Is. and this is
the best could do without
For moment the Deacon was tempted
10 forget that be was Deacon and swear;
but before he had time to speak Ralph
Brooks. handsome young farmer, whose
opinion the Deacon valued very highly.
said.
"You are fairly beaten Deacon. You'd |
better give up" And as the Deacon slanc-
ID sheepishly around ct the men and saw
hey we're all beginning to smile broadly.
10 said.
II reckon Ill have to Ralph. and land
Il do give it up"
Then he joined in the laugh that fol-
owed.
Before the room was quiet again. Mr..
Brooks, pushing back his chair. said.
"Boys. ! propose that We got some wood
or Mics Jessie TO cook this dinner with.
Iud the cheerful way 10 which they 90
epted the proposition made the Deacon
shamed Of his momeutary anger.
When. an hour and bali later. they
gain seated themselves ct the table, he
ras honest enough to acknowledge TO Jes
lie before them oil that the lesson had been
eeded and he would try and profit by il
He did profit by it; for when. couple
( months later. Mrs. Lee WAS first able to
'slk out into the yard. the Deacon with
ardonable pride. took her to see large,
ew woodshed, we'll stocked with bard
'ood and kindling. telling her as they
sood there Of the way Jessie got dinner
,r him. and how sorry he Was that the
'oodshed had not been built yoars before
A mile or so from the Descon's there is
cozy little house where Jessie cooks din.
ers for Mr.. Brooks. and, to his credit be
said, she has never been obliged to try
,e same experiment with him that she
ID with her brother-in law. From the
ay that Deacon Lee laughs with her and
or husband about the way she taught
i'm TO keep supply Of wood on hand. 1t
safe to say he has forgiven her for the
sson.
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