The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-15
CONVENTIONAL GENEROSITY.
A Guest at n Silver Wedding Tries to Recall
a Present.

From he Leiciston ErentH1 Journal.
Last spring Zeke Murch and his wife cele-
brated their twenty fifth wedding anniversary.
Zeke lives on a side hill farm in one of the OUT
lying districts in a Maine town, He and his
wife have always worked hard. and been 'sav.
ing as folk have to be who make q dollar out
OF a farm in this particular part Of the Pine
Tree State.
Among their visitors that night were Hiram
and Mirandy Treat. Now the Treats wero
even more saving than the Murches. and the
latter were said to be snugger than the bark OF
a yellow birch.
But they felt in duty bound to give some-
thing. Not having bought any plate. they
could not add to the collection Of pickle Jars
and casters which adorned the sitting room
table. so they waited till the hat was passed.
Passing the hat may strike some readers as
a novel feature to introduce at a wedding an
niversary. but Ezekiel didn't propose to let any
one go away without a gentle hint that those
who a ssffin Il in tba MSits to a silver wedding
F. the benefit Of those as didn't have q
chance Ter get a present we VIII now pass
do can add their piece OF silver" be explained.
When the hat reached Hiram he pulled put
his wallet. carefully abst racted a half dollar.
looked at it lovingly. and then dropped 1t into
the chapeau.
That night after they got home Hiram and
the probable value Il those two pickle Jars
and trying to settle in their minds how much
was put into the general COLLECTION,
There was 80 cents that l give EN-" said
MiTandy,,,
WA WRhS.t ye efif Hir nira% we calSiat etyt 70 oS give fsa' EN-
that much. you know. We talked IL over be-
fo!Efsh %tl t 9nd b bEfrse9 Se lR %Ife we s said he sef husband b.
quiycring with excitement, don't ye-can'ty e
understand dropped a half dollar in the hat
it was a late hour before the two ceased
talking about that lost coin. and the next
accidental generosity than the night before
Last week Hiram and zzeke had a settling
IN Tbe IF f tjTnse 9l taI fIGs9u and a All w fSe m aoa iaR Rad
shifted hands Hiram's thoughts reverted to
that unattended Gift.
..y2ae kIsi :, he hn began softly
You remember, that silver Wedding q
d d2HFs dHTs s S1r;HE' of The real real Polnt At issn St'A
'',Qh, yes" Zeke remembered all about that.
mwS,phL sr when en-, the he R hpt cs %%s passed round 70
Yes. Hiram; / remember"
,"Wa'a!; unbeknown to me. my wife. :Mirandy.
"Ya'as." said Ezekiel. slowly. carefully avoid
ing any show Of UNDERSTANDING,
"Wa'al. we didn't intend to give but, one q
dollar, that Mirandy. gave ye,"
IT'S no more'n right yershould." pleaded
Hiram; We didn't intend to gin ye but half
1ohow I've worried about 1t all summer long.
an | made up my mind to speak out 70 70
about It, I've thought II, all over. and MI
randy. she's thought II all over. an we sar-
tlnly can't spare the 80 cents"
Ezekiel had been gathering himself for .
burst Of scorn.
''Wa'al. of all tho dog-Gonedest mean crit
ters | ever sot ms ewes on, yere a leetle the
wustl No. l won't give ye back your half q
dollar!"
But Hiram wasn't going to be touched by
scorn. The justice OF his cause led him to
make ono last appeal.
NO. / amt mean. Zeke. for here I've waited
TIL now without saving a word. Just think on
a dollar for over six months. an you oughter
70 10 all fair, an. Willin' to give it back 70 mo-
Won't yc. Iekey"
But Ezekiels ears were deaf to pleading
and he still retains the half dollar.