The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-05-18
cLEMENzY JANE FOWLER
Gives According to Her Blessings

visiting at MISS Rogers, ana Sne
said if the women folks would get
together she'd talk to them about
how the heathens lived. Well, I
hain't never hankered extry much
after the heathens. To be sure, I've
felt it my duty to do as we'll by them
as possible, so have paid my yearly
dues for the support of the Gospel
among the home and foreign hea-
thens without murmur. But [
never set any very great store by the
heathens themselves, didn't care
much about them, norreturned mis-
sionaries either, seeing as how you
may prepare for a collection every
time one puts in an appearance.
l didn't intend going to hear the
one visiting at Miss Rogers, but
Sister Rogers sent over special in
vitation, and not liking to appear
unfriendly I thought I'd go and set
a spell just to show I had nothing
agen the cause of foreign heathens.
You know some folks prefer to do
their duty by the home samples on
ly, and leave the foreigners to shift
for themselves.
Of course l knew there'd be col
lection took. I've never gone to a
foreign heather meeting yet when
there wasn't, and I've attended con-
siderable many in my day, because
my conscience is always nagging
me on into the belief that it is my
duty. l debated while in my
mind about how much | should
give; and that Scripture text, sac
cording as the Lord hath blessed
you," kept running in my head in
spite of me. l couldn't deny hav-
ing been signally blessed this year.
We had had plenty of rain, and the
beauty of it was it had generally
rained nights and Sundays so there
wasn't any time lost. 1t certainly
was as fine growing weather as ever
you see. The crops had all been
good, fruit middlin, and the pigs
and poultry extry. The calves, too,
couldn't be complained of, and that
old rhyme,
what shall render to my God
For all His gifts to me2"
that l learned awayback in my child
hood when children were expected
to say hims and Bible verses every
Sunday at Sunday school, began to
ring in my head, kind of keeping
company and going linked arms, as
it were, with the text According as
the Lord hath blessed thee" It's
curious how things we learn when
we're little do run in our heads all
our lives long, whether we want
them or not. That's why | stand
by the old-fashioned plan of having
children learn bible verses and other
sensible notices to kind of brace
them up in an hour of need, which
is more than likely to come after
wards. With the generality these
hours of need come frequently, a
sight frequenter than we enjoy hav-
ing them.
Wanting to put quietus on that
text and verse which had been run
ming in my head, | just said to my
self, firm and liberal like, "Clem-
enzy, in view of past merciesin the
way of growing weather, and good
crops, and pigs, and poultry, ETC.,
you ought to do the generous thing.
Just double your thank offering and
give so cents this time" But when
I came to consider it mathematics
ally (for | never was any hand to
spend money rashly) and reflected
that so cents meant four dozen of
eggs at shilling a dozen, and four
dozen of eggs were 4S in number,
which, if l had set would very likely
have Matched out 35 chickens, these
at 25 cents head (after they were
raised) would bring me most So
it did seem like a terrible heap to
give to a missionary woman that
I'd never laid eyes on before. l
could only hope she was the Lord s
servant. Anyhow, l gave her the
benefit of the doubt and carried the
so cents with me; but | took good
care to have it in two quarter pieces
SOS if the missionary woman
shouldn't seem like worthy object
| could give just the half of it: |
think we ought to season our char
ity with discretion.
The hired girl wanted to 60 to
singing school that night so helped
her up with the supper dishes and
the milking, and against | got to
Miss Rogerses it was tritie late.
The missionary woman was already
to begin, so I just laid off my things
quietly and took back seat out in
the setting-,oom, though ! could
see real we'll through the folding
doors into the parlor where the lady
sat. She was real pleasant looking
| made up my mind she was worthy
the minute l laid eyes on her, and
was glad / had decided in favor ol
the so cents.
She began by saying she wasn't q
missionary herself (which was quite
a blow to me as had hoped to SEE