Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-06-26

S.H ~ SS& Salu tne uOHlHle,
tNS IN counting.
"A IN That's ba d."
\ X@&~AA said his wife, with
m 3#k aMl a despafring sigh.
-M 0Nl9I "Might as we'll lack
A@.GU5l it all"
@-,e%A "Why?"
sI&N$$Z Because. Idon't
.e~ know where you
can get that dollar. The express com
pany won't trust you, and they will
send the package back to New York.
But perhaps L can borrow it,"
"Where? Elder Tripp has come to
his limit-he told you so. The other
church elders aud deacons are poorer
than our old rattlebones of hoss,
and 81 Manley, the only one with
property in the whole congregation,
might give it to you if you were starv.
ing to death; but to help buy me a
new dress-never. He would die
first"
"Well, what's to be done? My
salary isn't due for three months yet,
and in the meantime back it goesn
"Joshuay!' cried the disappointed
woman, "that mustn't happen. It's
the first dress I've had in four years,
and have sot my heart on it day and
night. / have saved those pennies by
piecemeal, and have earned every one
of them over and over dozen times.
Now, to have the prize come all the
way from New York, come to our very
doorstep, and start on its long way
back again just because the Methodist
minister of Beverly hasn't dollar
and can't get it, that's what 1 call too
bad"
The dominic heaved deep breath,
drew his slouch hat down over his
eyes, and went out of the house full of
mental calculations. He circled about
the woodpile once or twice, went NUT
tering through the parsonage garden,
and the people who observed him
thought the good man was composing
another columbiad to hurl into the
teeth of this unrighteous generation.
That dollar that miserable, paltry,
all-necessary dollar! He had seen
the time when it's round and shiny
mightiness was no bigger than n
mustard seed; now it appeared to him
about the size of the planet Jupiter.
and quite as inaccessible. The good
mans heroic slave of a wife had never
asked for anything that the Lord and
the flock of Beverly hadn't given her
grudgingly all these years, and now to
be compelled to turn back the first
sweet little messenger of joy that had
visited her humdrum life was like
denying an angel of heaven adm,ttance
because there is nothing but hog and
hominy to fee her on.
Suddenly there was heard the clat-
ter of hoofs along the deserted road
leading by the dominie's bleak domi-
cile, and then a rider drew up along.
side the garden aud peered about with
hesitation. Suddenly he espied the
old mau aud seemed encouraged.
'Do you know where Parson Xii.
dow lives, sir?' he asked in the high
falsetto of an overgrown boy.
Right here, said the worthy man,
catching at a straw as it, were. He
came forward and adjusted his glasses,
seeing shiftless youth, barefooted,
with trousers all patches aud shirt all
holes held togethe' with the wreck OF
a single suspendtr, face grimy and
ilirty. "Another funeral away up in
the gulch, suppose" he mused.
"Be you the dominica" followed
the hoy.
81 am"
"Then come right away. You're
wanted up at Dan Sykess to splice d
pair"
The good man smiled, but it was Il
smile that does not warm. That dol.
lar was ever before him.
"Hurry up, or it will be too late. .
enjoined the youth.
''TOO late for what?"
''For to do the ceremony. They'll
60 off and git some one else, and you'll
be out your fee"
For the first time in all his life the
Rev. Joshua Kildow grew. mercenary
With q wave of the hand he bade the
youth wait n few moments, then went
into the house to get his regulation
black coat. we've saved, Basheba
dear" he said calmly, as if impartine
good news were of hourly occurrence
'"There's a wedding on"
Nhere:' This was spoken hal
sceptically, as if she knew everything
in that little world, that was or was tt
be, aud doubted his accuracy.
Away up in the mountains, min,
miles from here" he said briskly.
The face of the woman fell, and sh.
went on with her task with hope dashed
She knew the mountain folks-knew
that among them dollars were rs scarce
as pearls in an ash dump. They livet
more like wild beasts in her estima
ton; aud she ran over the list of hel
husbands probable reward-a brace
of ducks, haunch of venison, pal
of wild honey, or bushel of hickor.
nuts-but money, never.
Soon the reverend reappeared from
ambush, wearing the same official gar
ment that had expostulated from th'
pulpit, spread its broad arms over thu
dead, and held many babe at christ
ening, and which seemed so habitua
ted to these tasks now that it woult
scarcely have surprised the good foil
Of Beverly, if the old coat went righ
OH marrying and christening and bury
ing people long after the good dominic
had passed away. ''Bashy. dear" 1t
said automatically, edo you think tina
would be justified in refusing to per
form that ceremony unless 1 got th
dollar in hand?"
His wife thought moment. "No,
she said at length. "You would onl.
be encouraging what is bad. You know
those mountain people-they're heath
ems, that's what they are. Joshuay
go and do your duty by them, even
even if that silk dress, the first one
have had in fourteen years. and tn
first garment I've had in four. does &
back to New York and stays there. q
IL