The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1891-12-11


81 amt one to believe in new tangled
dishes, - said she.
And nothing would induce her to touch
a piece OF the deceitful pie.
The deacon was lighting his pipe for an
after-dinner smoke on the back piazza when
the soft sound Of an old fashioned ballad.
accompanied by the piano, reached bis
ears.
"Well, declare" said he, eff that amt
'Annie Laurie. Who's that singin'? And
where did she get the p;aDnytortyP'
Isabel came out with a haif-wiped tea
saucer IN her hand.
t'tt's our Mani said she, triumpbantly.
Hasn't she got a sweet soprano voice?
The piano9 Why, Joe SedIey brought it
over this morning. Nan is to play the
organ in church and lead the choir, and of
course she must have something to practice
on. Mr.. Ssdley is quite enthusiastic about
her musical abilities"
"Humpb!" said the deacon. sHow
much do the trustees calculate to pay?''
"A hundred and fifty dollars a year.
Isabel answered. And Nan can clothe
herself nicely ont of that sum. seeing that
we all cut and make our own wardrobes."
"Humph!' again commented b deacon.
Il wonder if she can play this ere tunes
My father used tossing it when I was a boy
And be began to whistle after a some
what awkward fashion.
"Ob," cried Isabel, that's sBrignal
Bank" OF course she can play it-and
sing it tooi!''
And within five minutes the deacon.
leaving his forgotten pipe on the piazza
rail, vas listening to tie refrain of his
youth, with a round tear-dfep on either
cheek.
ut does sound goodn' said he. Il de.
clare | can most see father a settin' By the
h'srth of the old log cabin a.singin' it ard
stampin' his foot to keep time, an mother
rockin' Johns wooden cradle opposite"
The New York girls reputation grew
and spread. In a few days she came to
the deacon.
Uncle" said she, 'Jemima don't get
along at the factory. She's too old to put
up with new ways. Now I've thought of
a plan. Do you object to my hiring her to
look after the chickens and turkey-ponlts,
while | give music lessons Instead? l can
afford to pay her, and make quite a margin
of profit besides"
"Well, l do say fort, said Deacon
Prout, you seem to have a pretty fair idea
o. business
lsabel's cooking became daintier aud
more toothsome every day. Hester dis
tinguisbed herself in the dairy. Old
Jemima toiled silently in the poultry yard.
and acknow lodged to herself thai them
New York gals had more ability than
they bad received credit for.
And at the months end Deacon Prout
found himself in a quandary.
II dunno which o. the three to keep"
said be. II like 'em all so well I don't
know how to make a chico. The house
wouldn't seem like itself without Mans
music: aud that picture of the big north
medder that Isabel painted and hung on
the best room wall is more material than
natur' itself. And the story Hetty made
up about my gran'ther's scrimmage with
the Pequeechee Indians and bad printed
in the paper, it does excel everything"
We'll, uncle, said Mamie, that same
evening, (which of us is to stay"
Uncle is going 10 draw lots, suggested
Isabel. See, hes got three slips of
paper, with three names written on them,
and his old silk hat for a ballot box,
Pretty soon we shall know our fate
Deacon Prout rose. balanced his spec.
tacles on the top of bis head, and knocked
the old silk hat of the table.
~ don't care, said he. l amt goiu'
to draw lots at all"
Are we all going away?. said Mamie.
MOI" bawled the deacon. you're all
to stay-every one of ye. There amt a
gal in the lot as can make up my mil d
to spare. And look here, I'm goin' to buy
a new parlor organ for Mamie, aud build
a paintin' room on the north end of the
house for Isabel, and Hetty she can have
the big south chamber for a study, or what.
ever she likes to call it, wher she thinks
up her stories"
Uncle" cried the three, in chorus,
you're a dsrling!''
So thought Joe Sedley, when he came to
practice church music with Mamie; so
thought the editor of the aboriginal, when
be casually stopped over at Barnet's Cor
ner, on his way to a copyright convention
at Omsha; so thought Ezra Elton's nephew.
one of the out-West a~cademicans, when he
saw the studio where Uncle Prout had put
up tuch a grand north window. And so
most of all thought old Jemima Willets.
',We're fixed real MICA now, said she.
"But l dunno how long it's goin to last,
with all these fellers comm round here, y
And Deacon Pront himself had bis
doubts on The enthusiastically Nigh.
m. ,useEeapers Friend.