Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1897-08-26

by the merest legal quitble, and i
father was like any enc else b
would have gone ii Nv about i
long ago and got bsek bis own
But now TO see Il deliberatel.
willed to some one els
And Leah's needle NeF vindict
ively in and out Of Tie 10th like /
miniature iavelin piercing the hear
of some unseen enem
But the next mof.iing, when
Leah had gone to carry her bund.s
of vests of home. and get another
batch Of work, Friend Decker puI
on his hat and battoned his great
coat which was getting worn at the
elbows and shiny at the seams.
1t is a bright, clear morning
albeit trifie frosty said he. 4
think | may walk as far as the Len
nox farm without aggravating my
cough
And under his am he carried a
neat parcel.
Old Anastasia Akerly was wind
ing blue yarn before her fire when
be came ih. She greeted him not
without shadow of suspicion
Had he come like spy into the
enemy's quarters?
Il hope thee is we'll, Friend
Anastasia. said he. Il have brought
thee jar of nv daughters wild
plum sauce. Perhaps it might
tempt thy appetite
Anastasia Akerly colored.
1T amt of no consequence said
she. Il dunno rs care so much
about sweet things. Only there
used to grow a wild plum bush on
the hills at home, and mother used
to boil the plums with molasses
They were drefful sour, but there
was a flavor about 'em / amt new.
er since tasted And when Mary
Moore told how good Leah's was
| kind o. notioned I'd like to tsst.
o. 'em. But Leah said she fad.t
none to spare
Leah was mistaken, said Friend
Decker: in our house there is al.
ways something to spare for an ole
friend like thee
Il didn't know that you looke9
ON me as friend, she said, sharply
Thee ought not to have been Ger
tain of that
There was ugly things said about
the way the Lennox property wa
managed said Miss Akerly.
Nothing was said by me, Frient
Anastasia.' observed the Quaker
And as far in me lies / am anxiou
to be at peace with all the world.
'Humph y said the old woman
well, there amt no use maxim,
to me; my will was drawn up lonl
ago, and Moses Sawyer is my heir
Thee is welcome to do as tn
likes with thy own,' said Frieut
Decker, calmly, setting down tn,
jar of wild plum preserves ant
glancing wistfulIy toward the cush
Toned armchair by the fire, for hi
limbs were enfeebled by age and h
had walked considerable distance
But Miss Akerly did not ask hin
to sit down and rest, so he took
fresh grip of his knotty cane AM
started on his homeward journey
Good morning to thee, Frient
Anastasia,' to which the old lad
only responded with an articulate,
grunt.
But when he was out of sight sh,
unscrewed the lid of the Jar, ant
with an old silver spoon, worn thil
by long usage, she tested the sweet
ness of its contents.
Jest exactly like them mothe
used to to boil down with molasse
when | was a gsl,' said she. :
could most fancy ] was a ga! ag'i
in the old plum time, a-cuttinI
across the lots with my -bonne
hitched on by one string, and til
red dog a-caperin' at my heels
Waal, waal! II don't seem like
was close on to seventy years @
age.
Miss Anastasia had some Of th
| wild plum sauce with her scant
dinner. 1t gave it q relish. Sh
ate some more with bread an
cheese for her snpper.
Il never did taste nothin' tha
went to the right spot like thei
wild plums,' said she. 1T ain
cause they're relishin', it's 'caus
they make me feel like / was sgai
out in Wisconsin with the sassafrs
leaves tnrnin' yaller aud the win