The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-08-25

o anu nur one O. they upstartish
9entry ood get to heaven eff so he il
"arnt FOR us poor volk."
10 sum up her estimation In q fau
Eolus' the parson was but a moor crea.
lure ar best; but what conld hn evnont-
eu from one who was apparently nnabIe
10 see through the most barefacad NJ
ner little tricks and devices?
Today her list of woes was grievous
anu Plentiful. She felt sure that the
messenger had helped herself freely
IIom the generous weekly basket sun
p!leu ner from the vicarage. The mud.
uinS had not suited the remarkable
style OF digestion peculiar to herself
vi Whlcn process she included A de-
talleu account; also it was evident that
the annual distribution of blanket,
would not take place till so late in tho
year that she was sure the poor bodiex
would be starved with cold before thew
came into their property. Her visitor
proposed to see into the matter.
AND they Goals. sir" she added.
Win plaintive wall of mingled injury
ana Indignation, "ef so be the kind la
uleS as Wound thic tuere coal money
was TO near on the sinful waste O. they
coaieu-- Coal, she continued scorn-
fuliy, mo more o coal than thiccy
chunk O. rock!"
The curate expressed his sorrow. but
Gran was not so easily checked. 1t was
not for her to say where the fault lay.
but they that had the spending of the
money should know best.
EVE a tight O vine doin's to look
ch
resignation, "wi'out heedin' the
troubles on the likes o. us poor volk."
Grant! came sharp voice of indig-
nation from the gateway. Gran, you
wicked old woman, how dare you say
such abominably ungrataiul things"
Then as the speaker entering the
wicket approached them she added.
It's wonder yo aren't struck dumb
on the spot, indeed it is. At any rate.
you may be sure it's not for the want
of deserving it,"
Gran gave shamefaced little cour-
tesy as these words fell unexpectedly
upon her ear, ard ut the same time the
curdte lifted his hat. 10 ali appearances
shocked, if not little panied.
1t was pity" he thought-that is
she was so very pretty, Miss DoreeK
Rivers-and working so energetically
in the parish, too; but how could she
expect these poor souls to learn to con.
troll their tongues if she made no effort
TO moderate her own language? Still
Gran accepted the reproOf with sur
prising moekness, even though it were
possible that The visitors open basket
suggested the best tea and other luxur-
les. Yet the loss of a tongue was a
somewhat SOLDERING prophecy even to
Gran.
BLESS zee. miss, meant nur harm. :"
she faltered alphabetically, though
faint for the likes O | say nur a word
ag'in"-
mo, Gran" remarked Miss Rivers
with emphasis, cit certainly is not, and
so | think you had better keep silent
for the future"
The curate frowned. She was hard
on these poor souls, he thought-he
had half-suspected 1t fer some time;
had even received insiuuatiOns from
the people themselves IN respect to her
infleXibility upon matter of pawned
coal tickets. TO come among these
humbled cottage folk and fail to help
and cheer them was unsatisfactory
enough, but to bully the long-suffering
creatures during her yisit-the idea
was intOlerable. He must speak to the
young woman on the subject, and at
the first opportunity. Not n very pleas
ant ordeal, he considered. On the whole
he might have found it easier if her
eyes had not been such a very trustful
sort of blue"
eff so be as I've said aught to Of
fend the gentleman - began Gran in
low mumbling voice.
"You are sorry" interrupted Miss
Rivers quietly. well. there's one
thing, Gran, your words are not OF
much avail, or it would be pretty hard
on your friends and acquaintances. I'm
afraid" Here the speaker save an ir-
resistible little chuckle. while the
young fellow at her side struggled hard
to preserve demeanor suitable to the
occasion, and tried not TO see the joke.
"Mr. Hilton has been very good to
you" continued the girl, with a touch
of feeling in her tones. wouldn't you
like to do something to please him, for
once?"
The old woman glanced at them
shrewdly. She half-suspected plot.
"Come to the harvest Thanksgiving
on Sunday" continued the speaker per-
suasively. Surely you've something
you are grateful for?' Her eye roved
around the tiny garden in search Of in
spiration.
HE do he a vine marrer." murmured
Gran, following the direction of her
glance.
at is, indeed" agreed Miss Rivers
admiringly. We'll, then. your beauti-
full marrow"
The curate thought it advisable to as
sist her at this point. 1t was by no
means a high-minded suggestion that
Gran should so to the church in order
to please him, or that, once there, she
should proceed to give thanks tor the
solitary vegetable that graced her gar
den; but after all Miss Rivers haI
made some Roadway, and that was ev-
erything with Gran. He resolved to
carry off the situation as lightly as pos
sible.
81 know now" he volunteered with a
laugh, what the poet meant by "a win
some marrow; it ces calmly does Gran
credit. We return thanks on Sunday"
he continued gravely, for all such gifts
of God-the kindly fruits OF the earth,
in fact"
"That he be-" interposed the old wo-
man excitedly, "he be-my marrer the
fruit O. the earth and no mistake"
ut ia really the finest ! have ever
seem" asserted the woman visitor with
the air Of a connoisseur.
Grams eyes sparkled with pleasure.
maybe as I'll come O. Sunday arter
ALL" she allowed graciously.
At this juncture The 70" SAINT faced
neighhor. Mrs. Jortl' in