The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-03-07

selves we shall be fiat enough before
long, and shall deserve to be. It
grows on me. 1t has jest been
Board, Board, Board, for fourteen
years, and I'm tired of it. | never
did like boardin'," says I; "and even
if we are poor, l believe we might do
something toward setting up house
keeping for ourselves.
"Well, there's not many of us;
about hundred, believe; and some
of these is women folks, and some is
jest boys and girls. And we all have
to work hard and live close; but"
says I, ''let us show disposition, if
nothin' more, Hezekiah; if there's
any sperret left in us, let us show
some sort of disposition"
And Hezekiah had his toothpick in
his teeth, and looked down at his
boots and rubbed his chin, as he al
ways does when he's goin' to say
somethin.' 81 think there's some of
us that shows disposition"
Of course l understood that hit;
but I KEEP right on with my argu-
ment, and l said, eyes, and pretty
bad disposition it is. It's DISPOSE
ton to let ourselves be helped when
we ought to be helping ourselves.
It's a disposition to lie still and let
somebody carry US. And we are
growing up cripples- only we don't
grow.
'Kiah, says I, "do you hear me9"
Sometimes when / want to talk he
jest shets his eyes, and begins to
rock himself back and forth in the
old armchair, and he was doin' that
now. So | said, "Kiah, do you hear?"
And he said, "Some!" and then
went on. "I've got a proposition"
says 1. And he sort O. looked up,
and said, "Hev you? Well, between
disposition and proposition, guess
the proposition might be better"
He's awful sarcastic sometimes.
But l wasn't going to get riled, nor
thrown Of the track; SO 1 Jest said,
"Yes, do you and I get two shilin's
worth week apiece out of that
blessed little church of our'n do you
think!" says 1. "Cos, if we do, l
want to give two shillin's week to
keep it goin', and thought maybe
you could do as much" So he
said he guessed he could stand that,
and I said 'That's my proposition,
and l mean to see if we can't find
somebody else that'll do the same.
It'll show disposition, anyway"
"Well, I suppose you'll hev your
own way" says he; "you most alters
do" And said, 'Isn't it most alters
good way?" Then I brought out
my subscription paper. had it all
ready. I didn't jest know how to
shape it, but / knew it was something
about the sums set opposite our
names, and 80 / drawed it up and
took my chances. "You must head
it," says I,ii"because you're the oldest
deacon, and l must go on next, be-
cause I am the deacon's wife, and
then I'll see some of the rest of the
folks"
So Kiah sot down, and put on his
. specs, and took his pen, but he did
not write. whats the matteri"
says I. And he said, "I'm sort O.
shamed to subscribe two shillin'. l
never signed as little as that for any
thing. 1 used to give that to go to
the circus when l was nothin' but
boy, and l ought to do more than
that to support the gospel. Two
shillin's a week! Why, it's only
shillin' sermon, and all the prayer
meetin's thrown in. 1 can't go less
than fifty cents, l am sure" So down
he went for fifty cents, and then l
signed for quarter, and then my SUM-
bonnet went on to my head pretty
lively; and says +, "Hezekiah, there's
some cold potatoes in the pantry, and
you know where to find the salt; so
if I'm not back by dinnertime don't
be bashful; help yourself" And l
started.
I called on the Smith family first
1 felt sure of them. AMI they were
just happy. Mr.. Smith signed, and
so did Mrs. Smith, and long John he
came in while we were talkin' and
put his name down, and then old
Grandma Smith, she did not want to
be left out, and SO there was four of
'em. I've alters found it a great
thing in any good enterprise to enlist
the Smith family. There's a good
many of 'em. Next l called on the
Joslyns, and next on the Chapins,
and then on the Widdie Chadwick,
and so l kept goin'.
/ met little trouble once or twice,
but not much. There was Pussy