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

mp his spectacles and replaced them
in their tin case, 'or else my sight
isn't what it once used to be. Well
a-day, one can't expect to be young
always. Is it thee. Leah | did
not look for thee SO soon."
Leah Decker came into the room
like breezy young whirlwind. She
had none of the repose of manner
which is st present so much in sog-
ne. Born and bred Quakeress,
there was nothing of the Quakeress
about her except her quaint Scrip
ture name.
yes, it's me- said Leah, short
i ly.
Did thee go to friend Anas-
tasia:' gently inquired the old
man, readiusting the big pine logs
so that they should burn brighter
for Leah's benefit.
'0h, yes, | went there
j hope she is better of her rheu-
matism 2
Yes, she is better. But-but-
she will not buy the apples, father.
Mean, stingy old thingv cried
Leah, wrathfully, flinging her cool
scuttle bonnet on the table. She
says she can buy all she wants at
fifty cents barrel, of old Jacob
Joyce, so she can perhaps. wretched,
knarly, wormy knotty, not fit for
pigsl Ours are apples! She says
thee asks an exhorbitant price
Friend Decker shook his head.
Friend Anastasia is under mis-
apprehension said he. Eighty
cents a barrel is what they are pay
ing at the cider mill. Only one
does not like to see such beautiful,
rare-colored fruit ground into bale
ful spirits to set mems brains on
fire.
Much she would stop to think
of that said Leah, still ruffied.
4 am sorry, said Friend Deck
er, mildly. Il need the money
much, and | think she would have
been better satisfied with my apples
than with friend Jacob Joyce's.'
'And after all that flashed out
Leah. the spirit of indignation rife
within her, she had the impu-
dence to ask me for jar Of plum
sauce / made. She says Friend
Mary told her how nice it was,
and
And quietly interposed hel
father, thee said; / hope, that thee
would be glad to oblige her p
NO, didn't bluntly answered.
Leah. Il said that / gathered the
wild plums in the Crook wood, and
cooked them after Aunt Mahala's
recipe, and that they were four jars
and | wanted them to keep for the,
especially since thy health was 50
poor and thy appetite SO vari
able
Il am sorry, DEAR said Friend
Decker. Friend Anastasia is very
old. and old people are apt to bt
fanciful about trifles. Moreover
she's our ki6swcman, a degree oil
two removed, perhaps, but
Then why don't she do some.
thing for us, flashed out Leah, 'be
sides giving US good advice and
tormenting US with her fault find
ing% / didn't mean to mention
it, father, bat she told me out and
out that she had adopted Moses
Sawyer, and that she meant to make
him her heir
We'll, daughter, why should sh,
not: p composedly questioned tn.
old man.
Because he is no relation to hel
at all, cried Leah, sand the prop
erty all came from our great-grand
father Lennox, thee knows
'Thee attaches too much impor
tance to mere dress, Leah sale
Friend Decker. Thee must stud,
the text Of the lilies of the field in
the Bible. we shall all be pro
vided for il only we can have pa
thence to wait
Leah bit her full, red under lii
as she glanced around the sparsel,
furnished room, and noticed be
fathers dropping figure and rapid
ly whitening head, but she mad
no reply as she took up the coars
pile of vests on which she had beel
working button-holes for a neigh
boring clothing contractor.
Fathers saint thought she
'But l am not, and | am afraid