The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1896-12-24
A CHRISTMAS EPISODE.
BY EBEN L. RENFORD.
CHAPTER I.

| hnd out Wnaf rHe J0neSeS were gong
to do ON Christmas.
We've promised to take dinner
with the Will;alnses.'' said Mrs. Jones
You know, none of the children cav
come home this year, so we're gGin' out
| to dinner for the first time Almost
sense I've KEEP house. don't remCm-
Der o eatin' Chris mas dinner away
fr.m home m3re'n TWO or three
times sense l was married. feel just
as nervous n fidgefy over it as l can
be. fer Mrs. Williams shes invited Mr..
Snyder, n you know how tbs between
him n The deacon. | shant draw an
easy breath I'll it's all over. | wish
we didn't have to go, or that MI. Sny-
der want invited, or there was suthin'
to keep them two men apart. | know
they'll git to wrlnglin' m likes not
have regular quarrel. l don't take a
msinEit's comfort thinkin' of it. l sh'll
feel jesl5s if l was settn' on kag o
gllnpowder tirat might explode any
minnit."
Its too bad that they keep aIhang-
in to that oil diffikilty like dogs to a
BONE" said Mrs. Perkins. Il sh'd think
they'd be sick of it by this time. Ev'by-
body else is. 1t happened so long ago
| that don't seem to remember what it
was all about; but I've heard so much
about it that I've got used to it, jest as
| have to The meetin' house, or any
tlring else I've known sense l was a
girl
at was about the meotfn' house."
explained Mrs. Jones. You know they
wanted to build a new one. N the dea-
con he wanted it in one lLace, N Mr..
Sydner he wanted 1T some'rs else. m
both of 'em Dein' so contrary, they sci
out that if they couldn't have their
own way tere shouldn't be Il new Une.
n they quarrolled m qualrehei till
uhey got the whole negihborhoOI by
the ears, n the consequence is We
haint had any new meetin' house, n
l don't sees we're ever like to have
I've go so sick O. lhe thing. hearin' the
deacon harp ON it by spells all these
years. that I've wished, mOre'n once.
there could be law made TO sllet up
his mouth ev'ry time he thought of it,
But, good land, that'd kill him."
laughed Mrs. Jones. Il do b'leeve he
injoys abusn' Mr.. Snyder, n l s'pose
Mr.. Snyder's jest as bad. from what
I've heard. They're well matched"
Its too bad, anyway" said Mrs.
Perkins, with sigh. It's made no
end O hard feelin's in the church. n
Rendered the work more'n everything
else that's ever happened. We all Ike
'em both. They're awful goGl men
in most ways, but it seems 5 ef ihey
was kind o loOny Oh t.lris one pint.
wonder if 'twiR ever be settiel!''
Not till one or fother dies" said
Mrs. Jones. decidedly. They're jest
alike-cOntl;:iiry as two men ever
could ben neither OF ON IL ever
give in to the other. unless there's Il
merricle. which l don't s'posell ever
take pace. | can't imagine esther of
'em aGmittin' he was wrong. They're
too set fer that"
We need new meetin' house the
worst way" said Mrs. Perkins. ''T'he
old ones been patched up an fiXeI
over till there ain't much chance o
doin' anything more for it. Ef they
can agree, l don't see why they
couldn't keep stin n let the others de-
eide about Il new one
"ketch 'em a-doin' thet." said Mrs.
Jones' They're jest as stubborn to-
day as they was tweIty year ago.
It's You snail do my way or yon
slran't do anything with 'om. I've toli
the deacon it WANT right n Christian
TO act 50. but he all'ays flares UP n
gifts so mad that I've got so ! hardly
ever mention Ii. fer the sake O. peace.
l feel jest as sure as can be ttrat
theaell be Il Set-to between 'eTn eff they
both go 10 Mrs. WillamsCs N go they
both will. One wOtMdn't stay away
fer fear the OthCCN say he daSsen't
come. | most wish the deacOn'd be
sick SO he mad TO stay to home. i
don't bleeve it's wicked to feel that
way, fer hate quarrdin' any time, N
specially; Chris mas"
Mrs. OJnes fc.t it her duty to say
something 10 her husband about rha
matter. on Christmas morning. before
they started for church. from which
place they were to go to the Williams
homestead.
Now, Lem'wel, do hope you won't
let your temper git the upper han
Of you to-day" she said. For the
fan's sake. don't git into dispute with
Mr.. Snyder.
Il s'pCse yCu'd have me hump up N
swaller anything he might see fit to
say TO me, wouldn't you:' demanded
the deacon. getting red in the face at
the Thought Of what he might have to
fear from his old neiGhbCr. ''Tllat may
be your way. but it amt mine
don't calk'itate to pick any quarrel
with him. If IS, minds his Eisness N
ld;s me afcle. I'll mind mine N let
him alone, but if he goes to ibwittin', n
thrCNin' cut. as of course he will.
slpan't PUT up with it 'thout givin' as