The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-03-11
PRISCILLA'S MANAGEMENT.
BY MARAH CROSSE FARLEY.

Deacon Dodge felt "blue" enough,
as he sat down 10 his six O'Clock tea
in his humble home on Forest Hill.
1t was not that the tea was either
badly served or poor in quality, for
he invariably purchased the best
groceries the market afforded, and
nothing Miss Prissy ever tried to do
or make ever resulted in failure. 1t
was neither the eatables nor yet the
drinkables that caused the cloud on
the deacon brow. AS he expressed
it, he felt blue as a wetstone, and the
cause arose from the tightness in
money circles.
Miss Pr,ssy, the deacon's strong
minded daughter, perceived the
lowering countenance, and wishing
to conciliate the old gentleman a
liltle, put an additional lump of
! sugar in his tea.
Third, and lastly, he said, in an
distracted manner, as he passed the
cup for rehllment.
Prissy smiled almost involuntar'ly
at this power of habit exempllfed.
The worthy deacon, busy with his
bread and butter, did not see his
listeners face.
I'll tell you what, said he, care
fully adjusting his knife and fork,
unless something happens in our
favor pretty soon, we are gone to
smash completely.
Even the lingering shadow of the
smile that had played round the
corners of Prissy's mouth died out,
and she looked anxiously at her
father as he went on:
There is four hundred dollar
mortgage on the house, with interest
at seven per cent. and no man can
stand such per cent. as that. There
is that one. .hundred-dollar note, and
two of fifty dollars each, besides one
hundred and sixty dollars yet unpaid
on the lumber, seyenty-five dollars
got 10 come somehow-for the car
penters, twenty-five for the mason,
twenty five more for the painting.
Besides, that leaves us with the
house not yet half finished. the
ground yet to be grubbed and laid
out and fenced, and not cent, mind
you-not a single cent-to do it
with.
The deacon leaned back in his
chair and fairly groared.
The strong minded Priscilla got
up, and walking round to his side Of
the table, laid her hand on his arm.
Listen to me, deacon, said she,
thoughttully-she always called him
that when she felt particularly in
earnest-listen to me, nov, and I'll
tell you the plan | have for extricat
ing our affairs from financial annihi
lation.
Talk away, growled the bear.
Talk, at any rate, is cheap enough ;
even in these hard times.
Prissy declined to notice the slight
gut upon her tongue, and continued,
bravely:
You know you have always re-
fused to keep COW, pig, or
chickens. Now, then, let us have
all three, and will show you this
fall that your interest money shall be
forthcoming, besides having our
grocery bill footed as it is made.
Pshaw, Priss! calculated he, with
groan of disapproval, how could
you do it? Besides my credit ism t
worth a blue bean. haven't the
money to pay for a COW, nor
pig, nor even the chickens, SO
there's an end Of that.
In no wise discouraged. that
strong minded young woman coolly
continued:
have ways and means for all OF
'em deacon. And if you will
solemnly to do in all things as | sug-
gest and advise, | in turn will
promise to ratify it, too, to take
these debts and the unfinished house
on my shoulders, metaphorically
speaking, and in three years time
we will owe no man, and our house
and ground shall compare favorably
with any in the country.
| The deacon considered moment
Show me your ways and means
Priss.
Well, a little reluctantly, yo,
know the Laurels? Mrs. Laure
wants to trade young new milcf
COW, with the calf, for twenty fou
yards of that new ingram carpet o
ours and as | have already enough
besides that to cover all the floor w
shall use for year Or so, | hav
accepted The offer. That is cow Nc
I, eh?
Cow No. I-yes.
Uncle Bemus has taken fancy t.