The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1897-11-25
THE DEACON DONATION

soe yoal Ny heart bss been ial Of "a
F. prise aul gratitude III day Il'.s blesse
#tisg yoaye done. deacon, blssse
,Ligs, .a8 yout rssard sill be rich oa'
Ismsufe.
The De caa leoksd ds2L
! doa'tt,te 10 raar ms.oiog, Mr. L,dd
be ssd, retcuiog 90 uusilltg hsnd iron
tho miuisisr's yn4 bsrtsssiug .rasp.
Ga, Dos, deacon. vent 90 Mr., Ladd
bic triof 10 uoSise dsmpeued, Yal
nsedI'i pretend yoa don't know sh't
near. Yo1 cant hide good deed iik,
the. lie light siil shine. Every BODY
knows II by this time, sad, best Of all
the Lord knoss It, deacon, sud Hell
bless you. jnsi wanted to get 10 my
personal thsnks. Dont say word, aud
the mister was of before the upeompre
hendias deacon could gather his scattered
uils
BY gun be ti.oaatsd. as be looked al
ter the minister's retrealing form,
This wss the strongest erpelive Deacon
Fsrnbsm ever allowed himself, aud When
he made use OF it be produced it with
great delibefalioo snd force,
Now, what's the psrson got ipto bis
headi be went Oh to him sell. rs be walked
up the path which led to bis house, It
beats mel 1t csu't be that mess Of peas
| seut him he's so everlss lngly grateful
bringing 10 the Lord In that way.
But the question was too puzs'iog and
be gave it up before be reached his door
The deacon sat down on the kitchen
stoop aud took the Greenhil Chronicle
from bis pocket. He put his striw hat on
the stp beside bin and settled Tor com
Portable reading OF the weekly news. let
ting the minister and biz mysterious graft
tude drop out OF his mind, as a subject
too exciting for warm day.
All about him stretched bis broad
felds, bearing promise OF full harvest, |
snd bis green orchards. laden With rich
abundance OF young fruit The whole
farm bore witness to uBsiiuted care and |
consequent prosperity.
The afternoon air was hot and heavy,
snd the drone OF the bees drowsy, and
DescoL Fsrhaw's head went on involun
tsry little journeys as be sat on the step
With the paper in hand, The Chronicle
dropped lower and lower. and would have
fallen from bis grasp had not his eye, 10
one OF bis lucid moments, caught sight OF
something which cansed him TO bring
bsck his wandering head with jerk and
startled him into wide wskeiulness.
1t was bis own name which go aroused
him I'd be adjusted bis spectscles aud
strsie htened his pspe':
1T has reached our editorial ears that
Deacon Farnham, Of Upland farm, has
donated the generous sum OF 5000 towards {
the building OF the new Congregational I
church. Minister Lidd is to be congrstu
lated on being able to count such liberal [
and public minded parshloner as one oil a
his flock. 6
The descon laid down his paper with 8
sniff of disgust. i
SO that's i'll be said, aloud. OF all the 9
Ioolsl And be struck bis fist on his knee. G
Nothing could be further from the dea 9
,on 8 mind than to give one cent towards p
he building OF the little church, to say
nothing OF 5000. l.
Not but that be could afford it; the des {,
ION was well of. bat be was also close.
Little Of the profit which 60 readily b
lowed into bis pocket was ever bestowed p
q free and ungrudging gifts. Only the
necessities OF lie found their wsy into fc
lis household, and neighbors spoke pity
ngy OF Mrs, FSrnhsm; she had so little o
o do With.
Furthermore, il ft OF generosity had 4
hsnced to come over the deacons spirit
be new church building down in the vii b
age was not likely TO receive the ber eft p
/ it, He had shown 10 interest 10 It's 81
rection from the very first, The old al
,eetins honse was dill pidsted and falling tt
1to decay, bu, the deacon could not see
ny res 90 for iorssking 1t. d.
No wonder the descon's irritation grew
: be reresd the startling announcement y
the Chronicle. d
Well, III have that settled before the
IN goes down, be exclaimed, rising TO bis di
vet. Guess better put this where
isris Won't get hold Of it, h0 added. fold th
~ the paper carefully and returning il to &C
is pocket She's dead set on that icol to
bness, Maria is. "
A few moments later Deacon Farnbsm
as climbing the steep sod dusty steps di
hich led TO the Office Of the Greenville
7oekly Chronicle. He found the editor y
his dstk, 10 his shirt sleeves, taking Il
ie easy. ss
Well Descon F.rnhsm, this is sn % bi
Ipected plessutel Sit dowD, was his VI
-ee,iDg. m
Look here, young man pulled the des
W, cot Of breath from tIertion OF climb th
9. but refusing the pfoGered chsir. Ell
~ re getting slloselher too smsrt 10 that TO
,per Of yours makinsiug free with my ne
'me 10 thst style. de
Or. you mustn't be 60 modes, descou.
good deed like that ought 10 be tnovn ne
Thm interpolation OF bis protest uss n,
,sI pected TO the deacon. aud be had to ue
gin AsSiu: 70
| don't kuou shat tdio, told you that II
1ii bot It's lie, aud you can take 1t a.
ck ~ yonr ntit. when ! give $500