The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-30

then each man glanced involuntarily at
his own store. None of them we're over
well endowed with this worlds goods, and
the calculations of each had been made to
a nicely. Old Jim Cross continued to
work without turning his head, and Jan
Demeny smiled somewhat sarcasdcally.
why. ye see. It's this way, Joseph"
said large, mild man, with an habitualiy
puzzled expression OF countenance; we
be pore felix, all on US; we've a-many lit
tie mouths to feed, an not much to put
in EN-. An what wi prices goin' up an
rent day a-comin' round so often like.
mans hand d seem to be always in his
! pocket, an it's give. give, an pay, pay,
| ever an always. dye see? Now my ia
ters,'' he cast a calculating eye upon the
half-iilled sack at his feet, they'll not go
so far as to make up three ranks for our
selves, an three ranks is the laist-we can
do wi Aye, wi houseful of CROWN
Children taters d laist-well, mid say
they laisses next TO no time"
His hearers drew long breath of re-
lief II Ed'ard Boyt, who was well known
to be poor man with long family. had
| been imprudently generous, what might
not be expected of other folks who might
be supposed better able to afford him as
| sistance?
Aye, tbs very true what Edard says.
| Charity d. begin at home. 1t I'D seem
! bit ard to go a-buyin' for oneself along
of heIpin' a neighbor." said somebody.
AYE, d. low tbs trew,' agreed anoth-
er.
''Trew enough surei" chimed in third.
I'VE be sarry for ee," summed up a
fourth; aye, we be very sarry for ee, Jo-
seph, but It's the onfart'nate natur' O.
! things as pore folks d. have to do the
| best they can
Then amid general chorus OF regret
/ full approval, spades were Piled and backs
were bent as before.
Joe shambled back to the gate again,
and stood for some time leaning over it
! and staring at the toilers. His face was
very red, and his loose, irregular under
lip trenibied. A few furtiye gIances were
east in his direction. but no one spoke.
and after a time he turned and vent down
the lane again, his bent form clad in its
shabby white coGt, travelling slowly past
! gap after gap in the hedge until it drifted
out of the range of vision Of the workers.
As he walked, however his heart was hot
within him with rage and disappointment
and bitter sense of injustice.
They'll lave me to staTTe." he said to
himself; AN I've a-lived among 'em for
! seventy-five year
His sense of injury deepened each tine
that he recalled this fact and he shook
his head vengefully.
As he tottered on, his resentment grad
! ually suggested to him a startling plan OF
action. He thought of it all the way down
! the lane and across the road. and along by
the 1.-THE barn and the church, and by tho
I time he came to the horse pond his mind
was made UP.
"A man must i've he said. "If othe:
folks won't help en-, he must help hisself.''
There was a fine moon that night, and.
had anyone been abroad an hour or SO
after midnight they would have marked a
white shape creeping slowly up the lane
which led TO the allotments, and presently
entering in at the gate already described,
and moving from one newly planted patch
of ground 70 another.
only three from Ed'ard, because he-ye
a-spoke me fair" murmuTed Joseph to
himself; "an' I'll not take en- altogether
neither. l wouldn't lave the pore chap wi
a great gap in the rank
Joseph dropped something carefully into
the sack which he carried over his arm.
and then he drew together the disturbed
clods and patted them down. Then wad-
ding along with his legs across the drill.
he cautiously removed another set" and
then another.
"That'n do for Ed'ard," he mut.ered.
"a tbs for feedin' the pore, SO the Lard'n
make it up to en-. Now, Jan, I'll take a
good few from zee, because ye be & DANCED
ard 'arted chap. An l don't care where
i u ldht Ciu MOI IL IL w Haht nay
that I don't. You've a-sowed, an we've
a-watered, SO to speak, Jan, but u low
that it'll sarve ZEE right if the Lard don't
gle zee no increase"
He unearthed the SETS taking every
precaution. however, to make the ground
look undisturbed. He went the rounds, in
fact till his sack was nearly full, and then
beat retreat, carrying home his booty
unobserved.
II CHANGED that jim Cross. walking with
the dawn. faDcied he heard the sound OF
spade in the next garden. On his way to
work little later on, he observed that
a goodly portion of Jaseph's patch OF
ground was, indeed, freshly dug up. Jo-
seph was standing by the gate as usual
and nodded affably as his neighbor passed
Il see ye've a-bin diggin'," remarked /
Jim, pausing with a surprised expression.
Looks as If We was a-gettin' the ground
ready for taters.''
well. an maybe / am a-gettin' the
ground ready for taters, !" returned Joseph
warmly. My fellow-creatures have a
turned their back on me, so looks to the
Lard. Aye" repeated Joseph, turning up
his eyes piously. 81 looks to the Lard
for 'elp. Jim Cross. The Lairdll pur-
vide"
Jim was much impressed.
I've put me trust in Providence" pur-
sued Joseph, peering at him cautiously
out of the corner of his eye; land to show
as I've a-put my trust in Providence, I'm
a-gettin read my bit o. ground When
the Lard sends me them taters, neighbor,
he'll find l ready
Jim looked hard al him, and Joseph
folded his arms and looked back steadily
and mildly.
Il don't bear zee no grudge, jim" be 1
went on. Il don't bear nobody no grudge;
but do put my trust in the Lard.
Jim went on his way, scratching his
head from time to time. and casting back
sandry furtiye glances at his neighbor.
who suddenly appeared to him in a. rev
and impressive light.
When he disappeared. Joseph went back
to his digging, his countenance still wear
ing an expression of aggrieyed virtue. At
ter much pondering on his own conduct,
and the circumstances which had led up
&c ii, he had come to consider his recent
action not only justifiable, but in a GER
tain sense inspired He was therefore,
scarcely surprised when. late that even
ing. Jim Cross came up to him with de-
precating air.
me an a few of 'em yonder have been
a-talkin about you, Joseph" he remarked.
Have YEP responded Joseph, with an
air of lordly unconcsrn.
AYE. Us was sayin' il Gid seem a bit
ard to disapp'int zee like, when you was
so trustful an patient, so US agreed as
we'd try an spare zee a few sets be-