Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1899-09-07
paused upon her oars. She thought
she knew every one in Holdfast, but
this was q battling stranger. EEa

| y
this was a battling stranger.
"Who is she, Joa?" she repeated
curiously.
81 aint a her I'm a him |" roared
Adoniram, as tho strokes began
again; for there is an ignomipy too
great to be borne Tor any reasons OF
prudence. Just then Adoniram had
a great consoling bite. He stepped
out upon the narrow board that
formed the landing, the.better to
draw in his line. The line broke
suddenly, and over went Adoniram
backward into the water.
1t was not deep water, but ADO
hiram was frightened, and screamed
Justify, and Molly Piora came rowing
back as fast as she could.
Aloniram had scramb bled out by
himself, crying md choking. Nelly
and Joe both seized upon him, and
half carried him up to DR.. Picra's
house, Nelly humping him OH the
back all the way. Doctor Picra was
standing in the doorway with Dea.
con Mudgett, who had stopped him
to talk about a wood-lot just as he
was setting out upon his daily round
of visits. E..
"Who is she and what is the mat
ter?" asked the doctor, gazing at the
dripping figure.
81 amt sh-sh-she % screamed lit
tic Adoniram, made reckless by mis-
fortune.
dts the minister's boy in girls
dress!" cried Nelly Picra. "Oh,
isn't he too funny in founces and
embroidery ?" and hcartless Nelly
Picra dropped upon the porch steps
and laughed.
Good Mrs. Picra camo out upon the
porch and took the boy to her moth
erly bosom.
"It's q~living shame! How came
they to do it, sonny boy?" she asked.
"My clothes got given away to a
little boy that had got to work in the
mill. Angelica had just put my
others in the rag-bag, after she had
patched and patched them. And
there were only girls clothes in the
box W" had sent u.s." said Adoniram,
explaining fully in grateful recogni-
ton of the "sonny boy"
"1ts easy for those foreigners at
the mill to impose upon a man like
the minister. I guess we shall have
to take up a contribution to get the
boy a suit of clothes," said Deacon
Mudgett, with an uneasy laugh.
awe shall not do anything that
will humiliate the minister" said
Doctor Picra, firmly. otis my
opinion that he ought to have his
salary raisod.",
"IIe ought to be able to afford q
housekeeper, anyway" said Mrs.
Picra. otis too bad for that Seven
teen-year- old girl"
cit was because we never had paid
more that the church voted against
the increase of salary that Mr.. Drew
asked for" said Doctor Picra. "But
the others have been able to raise
something on the land, and he isn't.
We ought to be thankful to have a
man of such learning and eminent
picty, and it wouldn't hurt you and
me to make up hundred or two be-
tween u.s."
"1-l meant to get some clothes
for that boy that had the fevcr," said
Deacon Mudgett, with his head
turned away and speaking grufiy.
"}ut foreigners, that don't 20 TO
mccting-you can't tell-and l
don't say but what | should rather
have minister that had more COM
mon scnse. | amt thinking so much
about his learning as I am that it
don't look well to have the minister's
boy going round tho town in gals
clothes. I'd rather give him two
hundred more myself than to be O
laughing-stock for tho other meet
ing"
Whom Angelica rang tho dinner
bell no little Adoniram appeared
but Freeman, sont in search of him,
saw him emerge suddenly from be-
hind the Towering currant-bush.
Although Adoniram was breath
less, Freeman did not connect his
condition with tho aperture in the
fence. From Froeman's point of
viow, it was quito Incredible that q
boy should face the world in girls
clothes.
Tho minister came home from an
extra church-mooting one day in the
next week, and sat down at the sup.
per- table with bis face ali0ht.