The Penn's Grove record., 1896-05-08

Kosy- very well b there was n NmN
to his wtfc's patience n when 'nh'
umIf was reached he was usually rou''
ed with great sIsughteC, though 1t vas
done 50 neady that be wondered, at'ef
I the nrst sting Of defeat had disappear
cd. how 1t happened. His plan was 10
deliver himself OF a broadslde and then
n RI on some Grand to the postotaee
or grocery or church meeting, trusting
TO find the enemy quiet when lie F%
turned.
This WAS the plan the evening OF
which we write. lie went down the
snOw.coyered road to the p0stonlca
thinking the whole matter would Do
settled by the time he got bach' ano
that would end 1t. In the moment OF
victory, how often ver-conhnehce
leads to defeat.
At the ~postofice the usual crowd NAT
may he found at any country postoince
on the day when the mall comes was
found, and, as usual, the CONDITION OF
the surrounding country was unoe'
consideration.
The deacon sat down after greeting
a friend or two, and casting a gruu
look at Jack Sweet, who was among
the crowd.
~ hearn to-day that the Wilder Hun
Is In a Pretty bad way as fur az things
"a eat ia concerned" said n OF the
assembly, did you hear anything nbou'
1t, dcaconr'
mo, | hadn't heerd from her Tor
some time. / s'posed she had enough TO
eat; II not, I should think 1t would be
easy enough for her to say so, an no
one need to starve in a Christian coun'
try"
well, she's pretty proud, an Amt
one o. the kind that goes about maxim
a great fuss about her W troubles,
but | think some one ought to look her
up mn see that she don't suffer, an
that those little children don't want for
a bite to eat"
"TIer Benny told our Frank that they
hadn't no Christmas at their house
cause his ma hadn't any money" spoke
up a boy who was present.
81 think we'd better see about this,
deacon" said the man who had started
the subject. what dye say"
"Le'me see, this is Thursday" said
the Deacon, rubbing his leathery cheek
retlectively. "We can meet here Sat
urday evenin' an talk 1t over, and
some of us can git at the facts by that
time. S'posing Won see the wilder,
neighbor, an report then"
81 ain't got much taste for that sort
o. thing, myself, but I can send my old
woman around, If that'd do" was the
reply. D
With this the conversation came to
IN end, and the deacon returned to his
home, feeling that he had done his part
so far in the matter of the Widow Huff
and her children.
Saturday evening the deacon made
his way to the postoffice, and Mrs.
Whitaker had reason to wonder what
detained him so long, us ne had not told
her of the poor widow. preferrlng prob
ably to keep his right hand in ignOr-
ance of the work his left hand was
about to do.
1t was after 10 o'clock when he re-
turned, an hour which had not found
him out of bed In many years. He did
not seem very communicative, though
1t was plain to be seen that his mind
was revolving some weighty subject.
lie got the old well-wOrn family Bible
md sat down to read 1t. His spectacles
gann1nI tynpN TnfrpnfDru and nnn1adl
much wiplng, and he seemed to he at a
loss where to begin, for he turned the
New Testament over from beginning to
end, dipping here a minute and there
n few seconds from time to time.
After n while he got up and replaced
the Bible, restored his spectacles to
their proper place on the mantel, and
going TO the kitchen, lighted a candle.
rs them sacks | brought to the
house mended yet. mother?" he asked.
Yes, long ago." replied his wonder
ing wife.
The deacon disappeared into the
wOodshed. only to return with the
sacks on his arm, and to open the eel
lar door and go through 1t into the
fruity smelling depths.
Presently he came up out of the
darkness with a sack of potatoes on his
shoulder, and then another was brought
up, until half a dozen lay on the
kitchen floor.
How much -four Is there?" asked
the deacon, as griinly as II he were
commanding his wife to stand and de
liver.
You know you Jest got ten bushel
o. wheat ground" was the reply, IAN
1t hain't been emptied into the -four
bin yet" answered Mrs. Whitaker.
In fear and trembling, for she feared
her husband had gone crazy.
The -four was brought out and added
to the pile of sacks on the floor. Then
the deacon went out of doors and re-
turned with a load of hams, shoulders
and bacon from the smoke house.
Father, what on earth do you mean
by your actions, I'd like to know"
asked Mrs. Whitaker, now thoroughly
alarmed.
"Pll tell you later" answered the
deacon, Jest now I've got to make up
fer lost time. Amt 1t most time to go
to bedF"
) II should say 1t was; why, it's almost
Z II o'clock, an to-morrow's Sunday, too,
an quarterly meetin' at the Ridge, an
l You seem to forget that services begin
at o."
l The deacon was not In d mood for
l conversation that night, and o re-
| tired and fell asleep, Or appeared to,
> but poor Mrs. Whitaker lay awake,
, filed with n vague fear of some i'm
pending disaster because of the un-
wonted actions of her husband.
A, Bright and early the mex morning
! the deacon arose, and as soon as break
Z fast was over went to the barn and
~