The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-03-08
THE PARTY

J ~ AN AHS OAO GU BAL
Deacon Miles smiled-a hard, hyena-
like smile,
Its the CUSTOM" said. "And we'd
all ought to do our duty"
"But Iain't nothing to give, " pleaded
the honest farmer. Crops has been
short this year, and I never felt poorer
in all my born daysw
There's them russell apples O
yourn?" suggested the deacon.
"Oh, good land O Goshen = said Mr..
Gregory. Amt fit to feed to the
pigs!'
Dom speak hastily, Brother Greg
ory," said the deacon, SIMULTANEOUSLY.
81 do not in the least doubt but that,
to our clergyman, all the goodly fruits
of the earth will be useful and accept
able"
but them amt goodly," said Mr..
Gregory with a grimace. I like Mr.
Corbin, an I'd like to give somethin'
worth havin' to the donation. But l
can't. And that's how Pm situated,
ezactly!'
The deacon smiled again1,the same
adamantine, dentists showcase sort
of a smile, and went home to pick out
the leanest of his fowls, the sourest and
hardest of his dried apples, the most
questionable bag of last seasons buck
wheat to make a gift offering to the
Lord. For the deacon was a thrifty
and well to do individual with money
in the bank and a conveniently elastic
conscience. And he was already plan
ming to do a little serious" match
making, whereby he might foist off his
hard visaged daughter Prudence who
had just past her nine-and -thirtieth
summer, upon the e minister who,
luckily, was still unmarried.
GA clergyman" said the deacon,
piously, "can greatly enlarge the field
of his usefulness by forming a judicious
alliance with some sensible female who
feels the Importance of the ministry"
And, to speak the truth, a hint of
this little conspiracy dropped into MIR.
Corbin's a had already tended to
make him not a little uneasy. For
Miss Prudence Malinda Miles had a
c-ountenance like a wooden doll and a
figure resembling a bed post.
Beauty is but skin Deep" said the
clergyman to himself; "but really,
Miss Miles does not commend herself
to the fancy. And if n pauses by
instinct to select a rosebud instead OF
the ~colorless flowers of the poteto-blosS
som, l don't see why a pretty girl
should not make as good a wife 81 one
with a plain face"
Mr.. Corbin was sitting at his desk
considering the Thirdly of his ser
mon that day, when old Hester, the
colored housekeeper, came to the door.
please, sir, said she, there's Mr..
Gregory's Patty wants tOspeak you"
ASK her to enter" said Mr.. Corbin.
CT have seen her occasionally in the
Bible Glass, and she is a devout and
inely-natured damsel.
Patty Gregory came in accordingly
"a rosy, fresh-faced girl, with limped
brown eyes, laughing lips and jet-black
hair forming itself into natural rings
and tendrils on her forehead.
"Mr. Corbin," said she timidly,
would you like a basket of blackber
ries4''
"'Bl Ackberries!" repeated the good
man, thinking how like one of Millais's
pictures Patty looked, as she stood
there in the checkered shadows of the
hop which were trained across
the study window. Truly, they are
a goodly fruit and most luscious to the
taste"
I'm so glad you like Them" said
Patty. Because I've picked nearly
a peckon Mulloch Hill, and-andf father
is poor, and we have nothing to give
you at the donation party. And if
you would accept the blackberries, I
should be so thankful. Because father
has enjoyed your sermons and he
would like to give something, be it
never so little.
"The gift is most welcome, Miss
Patty" said Mr.. Corbin. So Patty
Gregory went away leaving him in a
sort of brown study.
Father" said Patty, when the
good farmer came to his supper, I've
thought of something"
"You always was a master-one for
thinking, said Mr.. Gregory, looking
admiringly at the olive face with it's
sparkling eyes.
That old engraving that grand father
Mullett left us in his WILL" explained
Patty, with the bronze frame, that
hangs over the best room mantel: