The Forrest City times., 1890-10-25

6XlA M ' the anno"n,e new minister with an mir ot stating the possess pin Of n great moral virtu' peculiar to the people of Scragsby Corners.
 "l have never found donation par ties very satisfactory" said the min ister. Il would greatly prefer hay ing stated salary and having il paid in cash"
 "Wall, yes, l s'posc yo would. said the deacon. That's what al the ministers say. But, yc see 'twon't hardly do, here in Scrngsb, Corners.
 Why not?" asked the minister.
 70, they've got in the habit a havin' donations. an they expect 'em, ye see, replied the deacon, ''ar they'd feel sorter offended efa preach. CT sot his foot down an said he wouldn't have 'cm. Some folks give tsuthin in that way that wouldn', sgive nuthin' in cash. an we're bound to git all out O the community that we can, ye see"
 "My experience has been that q great deal of what people bring to a donation party Is worthless or use less, said the minister.
 Wall, yes, 1 s'pose so," assentcd the deacon. But it wouldn't do to kick agin' donations on that ac. count here. Yc'd have folks down on ye in no time"
 Well, then. said the poor minis ter, with sigh of resignation to the inevitable. 'I suppose 1t will have to be-" He thought of his last do nation party. with u dozen loads oi dozy. half-rotten stove wood; wood which was worthless to the donors because it had been cut so long that it was unsalable. and which they would never have thought of using Ut home. More thun once his wife 's temper had been sorely tried with the miserable stuff, and she had threatened making n bonfire ot the whole lot, and probably would have attempted carrying the threat into execution if she had had my idea that it could have been coaxed to burn itself up.
 Dear mel exclaimed Mrs. Spooncr, in dismay, when Her husband told her that n donation party was heinz talked up. "l did hope we might escape the iniliction when we came here. don think was ever moro vexcd than was tho morning after the last ono. There wasn't n room in the house fit to use until it had been cleaned. There was half ehoc. olate cake between the pillows on the parlor bed. pie in the bureau, nnd someone had emptied pl.te oi baked beans behind the sofa. 1t took me all of two weeks to get strengthened around And now that | we've just got settled there's to be another. It's too bad, but don [ know that we can help ourselves, since minister and his family are considered objects of charity, and, therefore, obliged to take up with whatever the people see fit to give them, without a chance to say n word for themselves"
 "A donation party will be held at Elder Spooner's next Thurday even- ing, the Lord willin', an it's hoped ev'rybody'll turn out an bring suthin' for the sport O the gospil, " Deacon Spears announced one Sab bath, after service. The Lord loves a cheerful giver," he added, in sort Of postscript, after which he blew his nose vigorously in a great red and white bandanna, in n manner that suggested applause over the neat way in which the announcement had heen made, and then sat down. Immediately there was a buzz among the female portion of the con- gregation, and little groups of wom- en put their heads together and he gan discussing what to carry in the shape of eatables; while the men got together in the vestibule of the church and consulted with each other on | what they were to donate" ''lreckon Pll take beans this year. !" said Mir. Wade. Its been great year for beans. l hnin't raised so big a crop enny year since '65. a can recollect. lean give beans 'thout feelin' it much."
 ''So cnn l. said Mir. Pettigrew. "I got n joiired big crop ofl-n the side hill lot. guess I'll take beans, too. can spare 'em better'n enything else, an they nin't a-goin' to sell fer much this year, cause they're so plenty"
 Several others who listened to their conversation nconclud.tl to take beans also. fur it had "been n great year fur beans" in Scragsby Corners. as Mir. Wade haul said.
 live n good notion to take some O my Almiry's clo'es," said Mrs. Deacon Spears to Mrs. Pettigrcw 'She's outgrow'd 'em, but they'd d | jest about fit tho elders oldest girl. sh'd jedae, an thcy'r re most as good As new, sonc on 'em. You don't s'pose Miss Spooncr d feel put out about 1t, do you now, Miss Petit grew"
 ''I can't see why she should." re- sponded Mrs. Pettigrew. sJlo'es is cto'snn' minister's folks hadn't ought | to git mnd at what's give em SO long as they hev to depend on us fur a liivin.' 'Tain't as if ,hey could af- a--e . A --b A