The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-01-21

Il you euOui0 nave sftH uek Euku tcOoek
than.the big beil-psppers --oue -in the
garden pHtch.
4" What an ii / didg says she.
Mary Hay she give 'em to me-
| o., says +, that's q horse OF an
iother color, saysI.
"But now it appears" with his
shabby, gray eyebrows slightly elevat-
ed. that We didn't give 'em to her,
heyW
Mary and her mother looked blank.
II at each other. The good father
chuckled.
"Them ounces was worth s. at the
very least" he said. 81 guess, Polly,
II was you, I'd collect the money"
The ladies OF the Fund COMMITTEES
were at Mrs. Biggard's house that aft
ernoon. A good many faithful and
devout sisters were present, and some
of the brotherhood as well.
Mr.. Midway sauntered in toward
Itea-tims and was thanking Zeruiah
and Almira Biggard for the beautiful
jars OF preserved ounces which had
found their way to the rectory, when
Mrs. Biggard's shrill voice sounded
above the hum of general discourse.
snow that the minister is here there
amt no reason that we shouldn't
render in our accounts" she cackled.
"And Pm happy to say that every
lady in the parish has given some
thing to the Eboe Indian fund except
Miss Mary Hay"
Mr.. Mildmay bit his lip, Zeruiah cast
down her white-lasned eyes, Almira
giggled family.
"Ma is so frank spoken" she said.
III scarcely think" quietly observed
Mr.. Mildmay, "that there was any
necessity for particularizing in such q
matter as this"
"I have no patience with mean
folks" said Mrs. Biggard, speaking in
stage side.
But Mary Hay had risen calmly
from her seat among the younger la
dies.
Neither have l." said she. "And so
! propose to subscribe to the fund the
SIS which Mrs. Biggard is going to pay
me-"
She moved easily and gracefully
toward the lady of the house, and held
out her hand with an air OF calm ex-
pectancy.
"Mel" cried Mrs. Biggard. "Goin'
to pay you SIS! Iguess that gal is
.crazy What in the world should /
pay you SIS for?"
"For the ounces" said Mary. en-.
joying the sudden panic which turned
the matronly, rubicund face to the
color OF badly-risen dough, "the gum.
ces which you bought of US last night
and forgot to pay for"
Mrs. Biggard uttered something
nobody knew exactly what it
was, but the changes of her COM
plexion would have reminded one
OF the proverblal "dying dolphin" as
she drew out her purse and deposited
a crumpled fve-dollar bill in Miss
Hays quietly-extended palm.
Ill confess I've been neglectful,"
said she. II s'pose I ought to hev at
tended to it before"
81 think yoa ought indeed" was
Miss Hays calm reply.
II didn't knows you cared nothin'
for them ounces" muttered Mrs.
Biggard, cor wouldn't hev touched
en-, not on no account.
"You might at least have paid us
the compliment of asking u.s." said
Mary CURLY.
And she put the SIS bill in the little
blue-ribboned collection basket"
which was in Miss Zeruiah Biggard's
especial care.
Mr.. Mildmay walked home with
her that evening. She did not
tell HIM the story of the
ounces, to her credit be it spoken.
Mary Hay was not one to strike a
fallen enemy. And perhaps she and
Mr.. Mildmay had pleasanter topics of
conversation than any of the numer-
Gus faults and failings of Mrs. Big
gard 49,.
But honest Luke Larrabee was by no
means so reticent. He related the lit
tie incident OF the moonlight raid on
the ounce orchard far and wide.
"And them Biggards is always a
quotin' Scripter texts" said he. "And
the old lady sings hymns the loudest
OF, any one in church. and Zeruiah is
settln' her cap at the young minister.
I'd jest like to see her face when she