Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-03-09
SAVED THE SPOON.

| stirring. The leaves of the big NAPLES and
graceful elms in the yard looked gray with
| the dust of the parched road beneath them.
| Down in the orchard, beneath the Porter
apple tree, Mordecai. the rooster. and a
few members of his numerous family were
scratching nimlessly for bugs Mordecai' S
comb looked Withcred and his tail feathers
| dropped dejCctedly as he dug away in "a
perfunctory strt of manner, indicating
that nothir Z but % sense of duty inspired
him, The clucks of the hens and the hum.
| ming of the tat bumbebecs were the only
sounds to be heard, save an occasional far
away rumble from the westward thunder
clouds.
Upon the back stoop. whence the best
view of the shady yard could be obtained
sat grandma. darning stockings. They
were her son :. aud no one could wonder
that she SIGHED once in awhile for John
goes upon the | Ian that if thing is worth
doing at all it Is worth doing thoroughly.
Consequently the holes in his stockings
are many ard ample.
At grandma 5 feet, swapping occasional
ly at an inquisitive fly and keeping his
eye open for possible perrermints, lay Da
RUS. Darius is disaerueable looking
dog, with scarcely a thought beyond his
dinner. He could eat more than any two
men could possibly consume, and his exer-
else being confined to waddling around
the house in grandrna's wake, he became
in consequence hopeessly fat and IN
wieldy.
No one but grandma could ever sec any
good in Darius. John had mentioned him
several times ir connection with the shot
gun, but grandma's pleadings always won
the day. "Raly Johnnie" she would say
at which infantile cognomen her stalwart
son never failed to frown, Il don / be-
gredge him the little he eats. And just
look at what he's done for you this year
keepin those pesky rats away from the
corn barn. John, who knew that the
word Rats would cause Darius to dis
appear as completely as if be did not xst,
would laugh immoderately murmur some
thing about a waddling meal bag and give
in.
Grandma darncd and rocked sang An
tioch" in her sweet, quaycring voice AID
talked to Darius as she worked Now and
then she would roll up "a pair of stock ngs
and put them With satisfied pat with the
neatly mendcd pile at her side. Then she
would lean over to pat Darius and drop
peppermint into bis suggestively oTcn
mouth. He would gulp it down languidly
and YEARLY thump his tail ON the floor, as
if the day was entirely too warm for e2er-
ton.
When grandma finished the sixth ard
last pair of dilaI idated stockings, and be.
slowed the last sweetmGat on her faithful
satellite, the west Was beginning to darkt n
with Ominous and angry looking clouds.
Looks like we'd hev tempest, don it,
Rus said grandma, placidly taking of
her glasses. "ShOuldn wonder but | q
better shut the winders. and She went
indoors, followed by the polite Darius,
who was So engaged in dwelling on pessi-
Die bones that he narrowly escaped gotting
his tail liuched in the screen door H. it
banged behind him.
1t was qdiGe dark whep she came back.
The COW MOuou discOnsulSteiy from the
pasture bars. AorGccai AID SIS harem
were prudeutly retiring in he direction Of
the barnyurd. The robins with treir
quick, sharp calls. We're ny!rG backward
and forward among the t.rs One of
them, daring ltIIc fellow, lighted for -
second on the walk in front OF g..uduIa.
Little cunnIut' said she teHdurly looks
like he'd get Wet if he don seal r,
don't it, Rus Darius only yaw NJ. ADJ
straCtedly. The bones bad not been +. h
coming, and disappointment broodea u.,r
his soul.
Grandma gave a last glance at the ia
miliar yard, looking so cerlc in the yellow
light and half turned to 60 in. As she GIG
so, a man came around the corner and III
on the stcop. He was ragged and dlty
and the scowls on his face rivalcd Tie
clouds behind him. Would she give him
something to eat? Oh, yes; grandma new
NJ
into the low buttery she went and came
back just in tine to See one of her sllN or
spoons slide into the man pocket, Right
eous Indignation filled her soul.
sec here, mister, she said, going to.
ward him rs he stood by the stoop door
"1hem spoons was NY mothers. We re
welcome to the titles, but ye can t have
them.
The nan krinned. Look yere old
WOMEN, be growled, eyer might as wei
fork over them spoons 'thout any fuss, con
ye' have to--see:" Outside low run hlc
of thunder seemed to echo bis words. The
naples were filled With the rushing of the
wind.
Grandma S placid blue eyes blazed. Give
this dirty uan her mothers silver spoons:
Never. She did Lot wish to hurt the man,
She thought, bat she must do it. "Slck
en- Rtu>-sIck EN-" she called eXcit-
edlv.
For the first time in his life Darius
",iekcued. out trom the shelter OF
graAaMa's vclDmirous skirts he sped
stra!.htat the rIriscd tramp-fcr Darius
had kept our Of SIGHT Very skillfully hith-
erto- ho>it>lcd, backed out Of the door and
then started GA a gentle dog trut down the
yard Whether howas deceived by Darius