Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1888-01-19
CONTRIBUTING TO The EBOE
INDIAN FUND.

INDIAN FUND.
$50 you won't give us nothin' for the sub
scription?" said Mrs. Biggard, folding he
mittened hands sanctimoniously upon he
lap. Remember, Mary Hay, he VIII
glveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord"
"Yes, know, Mrs. Biggard," said Mar,
Hay, with the color coming and going OF
her cheek, while sense of the ridiculou
strove within her against meek, con
sciousness Of the solemnity of the word
just quoted; but the farm hasn't done a
well this year as We expected il to do, anC
until all the outstanding debts are paid
think it would be scarcely just to indulg,
myself in the luxury of subscribing to tn,
Fund for Evangelizing the Eboe Indians
Mrs. Biggard clasped the little red mo.
rocco subscription-book with a clicking
sound.
Hump" said she, "why don't you sa,
at once that you had rather spend your
money in navy-blue silk gowns and fashy
| bonnets?"
Mary redeemed to the roots of her hair.
Perhaps you are not aware, Mrs. Big
gard, said she, shat the navy blue dress
was mothers old one dyed over at home
and that the bonnet was present from my
All very we1I 10 uiK, gputJereu MIS-.
Biggard, shaking out her multitudinous
hounces. But know that Mr.. Mildmay
will be powerfully disappointed. He wants
something besides empty talk from the la
dies of his flock"
Once more the roseate color suffused
Mary's cheeks.
My duty is my duty" she said, "and l
cannot swerve from it to please any one, not
| even Mr.. Mildmay"
And the amiable Mrs. Biggard went
straight to the rectory and told Mr.. Mild
may shat Mary Hay said she warnt a. goin'
to subscribe to the fund to please Mr. Mild
may nor any one else.
The rector listened in silence, but he
was conscious of pang of inward annoy
ance.
He had scarcely expected so curt mes
sage from Mary Hay, in whose ve-like
blue eyes he had SO often read the light
OF sympathy, whose dow ncnst head re-
minded hiM of the beautiful "Mater Dolo-
rosa"
so different from my Ruey, now, amt
she2" snid-MEs- RiG0nrd--.. .WhH, -Rnev
she's fairly walked through the soles OF q
pair O boots a solicitin' subscriptions for
the fund. There never was nobody 80 de-
vout as she is. And she wants to know
my Ruey does-whether she and Almiry
shant come over to the rectory an put up
the parlor curtains for you this after
noon?"
Thank you!" said Mr.. Mildmay, with
something OF an embarrassed air; "but l
d ire say that Bridget will do very well. /
wouldn't trouble Miss Zeruiah, and"
"Oh, it won't be no trouble at all, said
Mrs. Biggard.
And off she went to give the needed di-
rections to Zeruiah and Almira, her two
lean, middle-aged daughters.
Il do feel such a motherly sympathy
for bacheldore clergyman" said she.
There amt no more helpless creatur on
the face of the earth"
Mary Hay, busy at her work in
the farmhouse kitchen, was puzzling her
brains to think of some possible or impos-
sible plan to get little money to help kind
Mr.. Mildmay's plan along
Il wish l could spare something" she
said, "it it was only dollar"
Il wish you could, my dear" said gentle
Mrs. Hay, who had overheard the eager
words.
Mother" cried Mary, "there are the
ounces = down by the railroadl Why
couldn't sell them at the store? The
trees hang full this year, and the fruit is
beautifully perfect!"
IL never thought of that" said Mrs.
Hay. I'VE will go tomorrow and gather
them, Mary-you and ].
Mary went singing about her work that
afternoon. Her heart was light as any
feather. Why, why had she not remem-
bered the ounce tree beforef Ounces
were rare and high-priced this season, and
she thought she was certain of at least So
for the crop.
But the next day, when she and her
mother-Mrs. Hay carrying the basket and
Mary merrily trundling the barrow along
before her-went down to the orchard,
whose slopes extended TO the glittering
steel rails of the railway, 10, and behold
the trees were utterly stripped of their gol-
den load.
Mary burst into tears. She sat down on
the edge of tive wheelbarrow and hid her
head in her mothers apron like child.
40, mother, who has done this2" she
cried. "Who can have been so wicked-so
cruel?"
Hay. "Don't fret, daughter aontl It's
done, and it can't be helped
The boys never served us so before"
said Mary between her sobs. yes, moth.
er, you are right. II can't be helped. Let
rs go home. There is an end Of the sub
scription- money now."
Slowly and sadly the two women toiled
back up the hill with the wheelbarrow and
the basket. Mr.. Hay, just returned from
the harvest-field, heard their story with
amazement.
Its the first time that ever tree of mine
was robbed" said he. II didn't know as
we had such boys in this neighborhood,
but, look here, Polly, don't cry" laying his
broad brown hand soothingly on his
daughters shoulder. ats always darkest
just before daylight. Here's a So gold
piece that Mrs. Blake paid me for the hay
in the up medder. / was going to take il
toward the taxes, but j guess taxes can
wait"
"No, father" said Mary, "our Just debts
are our just debts. oughtnt to touch this
money"
"Squinches, eh, said Luke Larrabee, who
had come in with stone pitcher for gall
Ion Of Mrs. Hays cider vinegar.
"Squinches is mighty scuss this season.
see Mrs. Biggard's folks doin' up a sight
on EN- when was over there this morn
ing. Mrs. Biggard, she's dreadful
churchy, you know, and the parson he'd
said he was partial 10 preserved squinches;
and there was she and Ruey and Al
miry tuckering like all possessed to get 'em
DONE"
"Says I:
Why. vhar did 70 get all them ere
squinchesT
Says shsi