Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1890-09-20
THE DONATION PARTY.
BY EBEN Z. REXFORD.

"Were great on donations, elder. we
lest 90 in heavy on them things"
deacon Spears made the announce
ment to the new minister with an air of
stating the possession of great moral
virtue peculiar 20 the people of Scragsby
Corners.
81 have never found donation parties
very satisfactory said the minister. II
would greatly prefer havinga stated sal
airy and having it paid in cash"
wall, yes, I s'pose ye would" said
the deacon. CHATS what all the minis
ters say. But, we see, 'twon't hardly do,
here IN Scragsby Corners"
"Why no?" asked the minister.
90, they've cotin the habit o. havin'
donations, an they expect 'em, we see, :"
replied the deacon, IAN they d feel sOr-
ter offended eff preacher sot his foot
down an said he wouldn't have 'em.
Some folks give suthin' in that way that
wouldn't give nuthin' in cash, an we're
bound to git all out O the cmmunity that
we can, we see"
"My experience has been that great
deal of what people bring to donation
party is worthless or useless" said the
minister.
"Wall yes, s'pose so, assented the
deacon. But 'tWouldn't do to kick
ag'in' donations on that account here.
Ye'd have the folks down on we in no
time"
"Well, then" said the poor minister,
with sigh of resignation to the newt
able, ~ suppose it will have to be-"
He thought of his last donation party
with it's dozen loads of dozy, half-rotten
stove wood; wood which was worthless
to the donors because it had been cut
SO long that it was unstable, and which
they would never have thought of using
at home. More than once his wife's
temper had been sorely tried with the
miserable stuff, and she had threatened
making a bonfire of the whole lot, and
probably would have attempted carry
ing the threat into execution if she had
had any idea that it could have been
coaxed to burn itself up.
"Dear me - exclaimed Mrs. Spooner,
in dismay, when her husband told her
that donation party was being talked
up. 81 did hope we might escape the
inflictiOn when we came here. | don't
think | was ever more VeXed than | was
the morning after the last one. There
wasn't room In the house fit to use
until it had been cleaned. There was
haR chocolate cake between the pill
lows on the parlor bed, pie in the bu-
reau, and someone had emptied plate
of baked beans behind the sofa. 1t
took me all of two weeks to get straight
ened around. And now that we've just
got settled there's to be another. It's
too bad, but | don't know that we can
help ourselves, since a minister and his
family are considered objects of chart
ty, and, therefore, obliged to take up
with whatever the people see fit to give
them, without the chance to say a word
for themselves"
"a donation party will be held at Ell
der SpOoner's next Thurday evening,
the Lord willin', an it's hoped ev'ry-
body III turn out, an bring suthin' for
the s. port o. the gospil," Deacon Spears
announced one Sabbath, after service.
't'The Lord loves cheerful giver," he
added, in sort of postscript, after
which he blew his nose vigorously on
great red and white bandanna, in
the neat way in which the announce
ment had been made, and then sat
down.
Immediately there was a buzz among
the female portion of the congregation,
and little groups of women put their
heads together and began discussing
what to carry in the shape of eatables;
while the men got together in the vesti-
buIe of the church and consulted with
each other on what they were to do
nate.
81 reckon III take beans this year."
said Mr.. Wade. Its been great wear
for beans. / hain't raised so big a crop
emmy year since IS. s can recollect I
can give beans 'thout feelin' it much"
so can |" SAD Mr. Pettigrew. 81
got iofred big crop offHn the side-hill
lot. guess I'll take beans, too. l can
spare em better'n enything else, an
they amt a-goin' to sell fer much this
year, cause they're SO plenty"
Several others who listened to their
conversation concluded to take beans
also, fur it had ''been great year fur
beans in Scragsby Corners, as Mr..
Wade had said.
1--WE a good notion to take some O.
my Almiry clo'es,' said Mrs. Deacon
Spears to Mrs. Pettigrew. "She's out
crowd EN-, but they d jest about fit the
elders oldest girl, l sh'd jedge, an
they re most as good as new, some on
'em. You don't s'pose Mis- Spooner ID
feel put out about it, do you now, Mis-
Pettigrew."
IT can't see why she should,' re-
sponded Mrs. Pettigrew "Clo'es is
clos an minister's folks hadn't ought to
git mad at what's give EN- SO long as
they hev to depend on us fur livin'.
'1ain't as if they could afford to be in
dependent, Y know. l s'pose might
take some jackets and trowsis that air
gettin putty snug for the boys. l will,
if you conclude to take some o. Almiry's
dresses. Mis- Spears"
"Wall, then s'pose we do, responded
Mrs. Spears.