Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1892-06-23

aared the host and hostess . vote Of
thanks for their kind reception end
adjourned. JoHs. G. CRyEn.
Secretary.
I A SHARP YAEgEE.-Uncle Jerry
Munger il an old farmer who Is
celebrated in our part Of the conn
FRY for his stiaginess, miserly habits
and guile. No one ever gets the
better Of him in bargain, and no
has . craftyswas Of evading al the
laws Of man and Of nature. For
instance the other day the miller
saw him soaking his sheIled corn in
water.
What do you do that fors' asked
the miller.
Saves grinding. said Uncle Jer-
ry.
Amt you afraid the good Of the
corn'll go on in the waters' asked
tie miller, angry 81 being defraud-
ed Of his grist.
4 calk'late to make the critters
drink the water drswled Uncle
Jerry.
But the time came when every
one thought he had met his match.
Hiram Pickett owed Jerry $40, and
Hiram was lazy, poyerty-stricken
longshore fisherman, who never
paid his debts.
Hiram whined Jeremiah, al-
most bursting into tears, that ERE
go is all I've got to look to to pay
my taxes and insurance and ali nv
winter expenses. Why, Hiram, /
reilly don't know which way to turn.
Amt there anything you could sell
SOS to pay me?'
NO, there ain {, said Hiram.
You've got a pig
Yes, N / mean to keep him,
too
I'm bound to have that 'ere
money or it's equivalent, said Jer-
~, and he took the sheriff to Hi
rams hut. There was nothing in
side or outside of the little cottage
where Hiram lived that could be
seized by law except the pig.
The large and noble form of this
animal was reposing in company
with one of Hiram's ragged children
On heap OF seawced in an outer
apartment of the house. II was the
finest pig that Jerry had ever seen,
OF short nosed Yorkshire breed, fed
on the crumbs that had fallen from
the tables Of the rich. 1t led q
Wild; greenwood life, roaming in
orchards and cabbage gardens till it
Fas as desirable q pig as any that
had ever grown fat on mast and
acorns in q Virginia forest.
Take the pig. cried Jerry.
'You can't, said Hiram, the law
allows the poor man one swine,
which no body can't attach
III he'd had two pigs said the
sheriff, 'you conld have attached
one of Them
A few days later Hiram was go
ing home with an eclspear and
crabnct over his shoulder. He
passed Jeremiah's house and saw
the old man leaning over the gate.
You needn't stink ont Of nv
way like that, Hiram said Uncle
Jerry meekly. 4 haven't nothin'
ag'in you, Hiram, nor don't bear
no umbrage on account of that bill,
Hiram. Pay me when you've a
mind. / know you've good many
mouths to feed, and hard time to
get along with that family Of yourn.
You be . poor man.
That's q fact asid Hiram.
4 have been wondering how |
could help Yon. | know fishing il
poor now, and cells is skurce, and
CLANS don't dig as they used to,
and Hiram, I've changed my mind
about that bill. Let it stand over.
till spring
an right, said Hiram.
And I'm going to make you a
present. Eve got 4 lot Of little
pigs. ! can't sell 'em and can't
afford to keep 'em. Now, Hiram,
I'm going to make Won q present of
little pig
Hiram hesitated. We're not the
gifts of Jerry dangerous gifts? Do
men gather grapes of thorns, or pigs
OF thistles.
4 dnnno ez | kin du justice ter
tn pigs, he said.
Jerry brought the pig and showed
il to Hiram. 1t was very small
,,;~