Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1892-03-10


The deacon meant we'll, but he's &
dreadful unreasonable man when he gifts
his dander up; but Squire Lyman he pu
him down at once; he said lit was a poor
plan to let ministers hev their own way
and if they should give Parson Noble
500 this year, he'd be asking for $500
next, maybe Then the deacon got uI
and says he Il should like to ask Squire
Lyman IL he could live on $600n That
was a real tender pint and the deacon
knew it, for Sue Lyman told round that
her father gave her $500 year fur hel
clothes and to travel with, and they kept
two girls, and man to take care of the
horses, but the squire only paid $40 min
ister's tax last year,-but then, twOn't
do to git Squire Lyman mad, fur he's
worth morn half dozen like Deacon
Simonds. So Justin Martin made mo-
ton to raise 5000 and give the minister a
donation to make up the other 500.
"That kinder pacified all around and
they agreed to meet at the vestry the
next Thursday evening and give the
minister and his wife rousing dona-
ton and surprise party. They took
pains to invite everybody, old and
young, and when Thursday evening
come there was big crowd | can tell
you. Squire Lyman gave the word to
start and just as we got to the front door
we all commenced to sing, Praise God
from whom all blessings flow
1.-THE minister and his wife both come
to the door and they did look surprised
enough, but somehow they didn't look
so cheerful as you would expect. But
they was dreadfully surprised; they
didn't even think to ask us in; but we
didn't wait for an invitation but kept
crOwdin' in and the minister and his
wife kept backin' back, till the house
was full upstairs and down. Squire
Lyman's wife and me and some others
went out into the kitchen to look after
the victuals and other things that was
donated; and such sight as twas.
''Deacon Bates brought a bushel of
potatoes, and Squire Lyman peck of
onions. Levi Morse brought hull keg
of pork; to be sure Parson Noble or his
wife never eat any, but then it showed
Mr.. Norse's good will. Then Mrs.
Prentis brought them chrome of a
bare-headed girl pickin' flowers. You
see Mr.. Noble preached a sermon one
Sunday about folks making home at
tractive for the children. said they
ought to have books and pictures and
all such things. l 'spose Mrs. Prentis
thought 'twOuld please him and | think
she was very thoughtful-don't you?
Someone brought nice Bible. Bibles,
YOU know. are always appropriate to
give minister
81 should think a minister was the
last p rson who would need a Bible"
interrupted Miss Purdy. Miss Betsey
did not notice the interruption but con
tinued =
'sThen there was peck of apples and
some soft soap, four loaves of bread, a
pan Of doughnuts, two loaves of cake, a
couple of mince pies, and loaf of
ginger-bread-th l made myself. The
victuals, of course, was refreshments,
for everybody expects something to eat
at donation party. But there was one
thiHg-it did seem ~ IL everybody had
agreed upon, for / should think that
everybody that came must have brought
few links of sausages-such pile of
'em-we just sat down and laughed; we
couldn't help it when we saw 'em.
''Of course we helped ourselves to tea
and sugar and butter, and such little
things, we knew Mrs. Noble would be
glad to furnish 'em; then nobody
thought to bring any preserves. So we
called Mrs. Noble out and asked her
what we should do about it. She said
she'd got a jar of ounce sauce we might
have-Mrs. Pierce dished it out and she
said it wouldn't go half round; she
asked me if she'd b, tier get two or three
cans and open, but | told her 'twould
make more trouble and twasn't no mat
ter if the children didn't have any. SO
we made it 90 as far as 'twould-but it
did look kinder stingy."
swell | never heard of anything
equal to that!' cried Miss Purdy, slash
lug away at the cloth before her as if
she had some grudge against it.
"Bless my soul! what are you dong,
exclaimed Miss Betsey. "You've
spoiled that sleeve, and didn't get but
nine yards, 'twont do to waste any.
Well, as | was saying, we 'sposed every
body had something when Mrs. Lyman
came out and said there hadn't been a
thing passed in the library. So we
hunted round and found loaf of bread,
couple of loaves of cocoanut cake and
some pies that Mrs. Noble had baked up
for some company. You see she was
expecting minister to stay over Sun
day. Twas real fortunate for she
might not have had anything in the
house but for that; and she had all the
next day to bake in so we thought it
wouldn't do no hurt to take i5. Mrs.
Jones said she found pan Of seedcakt 8
afterwa DIS that Mrs. Noble had hid
away. We felt real worked up about j
children think so much of seedcakes you
know; and Mrs. Jones said that it
looked pretty small when we was givin'
'em such donation Bu5 may be twas
just as we'll, for some of the boys threw
cake at each other and it got trod into
the carpet, at times, and don't believe
in having things wasted. Use up the
pieces if you can, Miss Purdy, and leave
the hull piece for new sleeves.
"1here was one thing | was surprised
to hear; the children got to fooling uI
stairs and knocked over a pitcher Of
water and broke it; twas pity, for il
belonged to chamber set Mrs. Noble
had given her when she ma ried, anC
was painted by hand. And Mrs. Adams
said when Mrs. Noble heard of it sh,
looked real mad. Such an example Il
set before the children-and a minister
wife too! Children will be children yor
know, Miss Purdy."
, 1.-THE place for children is at HON,
} evenings, l think" said the dressmaker
sharply.
, "Well, dunno as twas any wors,
than what Mr.. Lum did he was leanin,
| l. r. l.. l. l.