The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-12-18
The Boyd Family.

Undoubtedly everybody in the yil-
lage was afraid of the Boyd's.. But
why? They were good, attectionate
people, faithful to each other, and 10y
ing to their friends. They had some
wealth and pretty home, and enter
tanned freely.
Yet at picnics or tea-drinking the
Boyds were not sought, but rather
stunned. When the squire came down
the street men were inclined to shrug
their shoulders, and if possible to
ayoid meeting him. Mrs. Boyd was
dropped out of many of the church
committees, and the young people lett
Sophy to spend most of her evenings
alone.
What was wrong?
The Boyds came down to breakfast
with a cherry, fond geetings to each
other. Before they are seated the
squire begins "Most extraordinary
thing! John Halyard told me last
night that he had just come from
Piainville where there was a heavy
nor'easter blowing. Now here Is q
south wind and sunshiny day. II
they had a nor'easter at Plainville last
night, so should we this morning.
Unless John Hylyard was Mistaken
and I consider him one OF the most
accu-"
"Dear me ~ interrupts Mrs. Boyd.
"Jane has put the yolk of the egg III
the coffee! 1 distinctly told her not 10
do it. l said Jane, it is down riSht
waste to use both white and yoiK oi
the egg" ,,,..
Just then Sophy opened her red lips.
"Sue Pomfret and walked TO the
fork and back last night. Ihat 1s
full six miles. Sue said five, but l
know I am right. 1 know the distance
from the village to all the SIX ferries
and the Lovers walk"
"Talking of John Halyard's accu-
racy,n broke in the squire pei once
when was boy, with Joe Ihomp'
son. that John Halyard could tell the
weight of his pig within nan pouhu: !:
You remember that brown pig OF
Thompson's, my dear? Well, pet
with him that John Halyard could tell
how heavy" ,
"I have q great mind to discharge
Jane anyhow" proceeded his wife IN
calm, steady monotone. "She minus
nothing I say. Only this morning L!
said to her particularly, DO not put
the yolk in with"
"Sue Promfret would have it was
five miles, but 1 showed her"
-"the pig was by lifting it by the
hind legs. John said"
Half of the white is sufficient as l
told her"
And so the trio 60 on, each pouring
out steady stream of talk about inslg-
nificant tritles.
The squire goes down town, and put
ton holes every man he meets 10 Iei'
about the nor'easter which Jonh aal-
ward had found at Plainville. Mrs
Boyd repeats the story of Jane and
the yolk of the egg q hundred times
before night, and Sophy, unWearled,
rings the changes on the odd mile be-
tween the ferry and the town.
The good old minister comes TO
make call on them. There has been
d death in the parish that morning,
and he feels that Gods hand has led
him very close to the world beyond
death-that he has helpful word to
speak watch he never knew before.
But he cannot speak it. His ears
are stunned with the weight OF
Thompson's pig, the six miles to the
ferry, the obstinacy of Jane about the
yolk of an egg.
Gall harmless, pleasant chatter
enough" he says to his wife when he
reache, home: tut such unending
streams of harmless chatter wash
away all the reality from life-evcn
death and God"
Do any of our readers belong to the
family of the Boyds?
Youths Companion.