The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-12-28

"How do | know 2" reared the deacon
Cant see an hear?" And making an
effort to get control of his voice he con-
tinued: 81 jest got to the door an was
goin' to knock, when see something white
BLOWN round on the snow. 1t was
feathers. was so upset l admit know
what to do. didn't expect they'd be so
careless with their underhand work Jest
stood there, an then / heard the dishes
rafting, an one Of the girls says, I'll
have some more turkey, mother, an they
all laughed. -
"That didn't make it your turkey, did
it?"
Didn't hey? You wait. Pretty soon
some one says How did you ever ketch it,
Dick?' an Dick says, oh it went in the
shed behind the deacon's barn and |
knocked it over with hard SNOWFALL, an
before it knew where it was, it was comm
down home under my arm Then the
duffer has missed it yet, meanin me-
Deacon Patten-that's been helpin' them
for three years. Me an old duifer'' and
the deacons voice rose higher and higher
! till it ended in shrek.
"Now there, there, father. Perhaps they
did do all you say" said Mrs. Pattcn,
almost convinced against her will. "But
if they did take the turkey you can just
| depend on it they had need OF it.
Need of it. IIain't always helped EN-
an wouldn't | give EN- all they asked
for?'
Taking things to them of your own free
will, that giving; but letting them have
what they come and ask for, that's begging,
for them. know you've been good to
them. So have the other neighbors. But
since this bad spell Of weather we haven't
felt that we could 20 so far, and perhaps
the other neighbors have neglected them
too. There's no telling how bad off they
might be. -
That's no excuse for their steain."
''Perhaps not, but we must remember
it's the first time we've had any reason to
think hard of them; and | never knew any
good to come of spyin' round after ones
neghbors, and it amt like you to do it,
either"
''Hain't | right to know where my
things are goin' to? Why didn't they take
one OF the russell turkeys? They knowed l
was saving the white one. Jest wanted to
be as mean as they could. Then eat it
to-day, cause they knowed l always sent
EN- one for tomorrow. But they've fooled
themselves this time. They'll not get an
other thing out of this old duffer Oh,
no"
The deacon S harangue was cut short by
loud knock at the kitchen door. Mrs.
Patten went to the door and opened it.
''Morning. Deacon said a CHEEKY voice
from the outside. "The folks are going
out to dinner tomorrow, and thought I'd
come see if | could borrow your sled to
haul down Widow Davd's things tonight.
The women folks have a pile fixed for her."
"No," growled the deacon, starting
toward the door, ''you can't have anything
of mine to help folks that amt honest"
Don't say a word about it, father, -
supplcated MIS-. Patten, but the deacon
brushed her aside and closed the door
behind him as he went out. A short time
after, the man left the yard following his
team on foot, and Mrs. Patton knew the
deacon had not shielded his neiphbor
Mrs. David and her three children, the
oldest boy of fifteen, had lived for three
years in the little black house beyond the
lattens. 1t had been an abandoned house
for years, but the willing hands and the
generosity of the neighbors made it fit for
habitation, and continuance of that same
generosity, together with the work she
obtained, enabled the widow to exc out
living and keep her household together.
But the heavy snow storms had shut off
their neighbors and their offerings had
been laid aside to swell the donation they
were accustomed to make on Christmas
Mrs. Patton thought of her own part of
that donation. There were the wooden
stockings and mittens she had knitted for
the children, warm dress of her own she
had fashioned over for Mrs. David a shawl
she had added to the pile by little sacri-
flee. There were the vegetables and some
dainties she had prepared for them--all
doomed, alas never to reach the widow
and her family. Then she thought of the
dcacon's long illness in the spring, when
her neighbours ready assistance and kindly
sympathy brought both rest and comfort
Could such Christian solicitude come from
an unworthy heart?
Christmas dawned cold and bright,
cheer-hringing morning to everyone but
the deacon, who gloomily sat around in
the kitchen. Finally acting upon Mrs.
Patten' advice, he started for the barn to
secure turkey for dinner. A few minutes
later he landed in the middle of the kitchen
with a jump that sent the unbaked custard
in Mrs Patterns pie flying over the table
"Mother, he yelled, the white turkeys
homel | seed it poke its head out from