The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1900-11-29

eye for any of these trivialities; his
mind was set upon more weighty mat
he was bent. indeed, upon nothing
less important than an appeal to the
community at large. Singly the neigh
bors had rejected and despised his peti-
ton; taken collectively they might. for
very shame's sake, be moved to grant
it. No man, as Joseph dimly felt, likes
his individual generosity to be over
much counted upon; but whole com
munity- member making quite
sure that his neighbor does as much as
| he-may sometimes be persuaded to
accetie to claim which all alike ac
knowledged.
Now voices fell upon his ear, accom-
! panied by the sound of spades at
| work An opening in the hedge reveal
ed a gate, toward which Joseph made
his way. On the other side lay the al
lotments, narrow strips of ground,
most OF which were already broken up
into brown ridges, while a few were
still encountered with the lingering
stalks of last years cabbage or an un-
tidy growth Of weeds. On this propiti-
GUS evening the place seemed alive
with men and women; some delving
some hoeing, some cutting up the
''sets not patch of ground but had
its occupant. Every one was busy and
every one seemed merry. Jan Domeny,
with coat flung off and shirt sleeves
rolled high, was Justify chanting a
three-year old music-hall ditty which
had just found it's way to Dorsetshire.
Further away the bent back of Jim
Cross formed moving arch against
the sky line; a grandchild had joined
him, and was trotting along beside him
carrying the basket of potatoes.
Joseph stood leaning over the gate
for little while, his eyes travelling
slowly from one group to another;
after long hesitation he passed in and
walked deliberately up the grassy track
which divides two patches of the allot-
ments. Many of the workers looked
up moment with word or nod of
recognition, and Joseph nodded back
paused as if to speak, hesitated, and
then went on. At last he reached the
| centre of the ground, and there came
to halt. He took off his battered hat,
fiouriShed it to attract attention, and
began, pitching his quavering voice as
high as he could:
''Neighbors all, I've summat to say to
ZEE"
Hello" cried the man nearest to
|
Here's old Joe Frisby turned Methody
preacher
'Nay, he've a jined the Salvation
Army, sure" cried another, who was
himself regular subscriber to the
"War Cry"
Il know what he's after" muttered
Jan, working away very diligently.
Don't you take no heed, none of
you"
1--WE been countin' of you up pur-
| looking nervously round Here be
twenty chaps workin' in the 'lotments:
aye, twenty chaps. not reckoning wo-
men and children, an We be all putin
i'll taters. An here am | wi my garden
at home waitin to be planted, an not a
| bit O seed to put i'll it..
Il telled zee. didn't T." muttered Jan
to his nearest neighbor. Il knowed
| twas that he was at.
I've lived among ye man and
! bwoy TO seventy-tive years. Ave, an
my wife an me has been wed among We
tifty-two year. There she d sit at
! home crippled, poor soul. We've
nought in the world but what parish
gives us. Half pound O tea week,
an some bread. Bread an tea, neigh
bors, bread an tea tisn't very satisfy
in to the innards Me an my wife
was never great folks for mate, but we
d. like later to our dinner, or bit o
green stuff. An so I've ha' bin think
| in'"-
He looked round again, hesitatingly
and pitifully.
Ills mortal sight O taters as is
here among ye between one an an
other-aye, a mortal lot. ! d low
again the pause and the appealing
| glance-'1f every man nd spare me a
few like I'd get two OF three ranks
made up without any of We bein' at
much loss"
The bystanders looked at each other,
! then each man glanced involuntarily at
his own store. None of them were
over well endowed with this world s
goods, and then the calculation of each
had been made to nicely. Old Jim
Cross continued to work without turn
ing his head, and Jan Domeny smiled
somewhat sarcastically.
"Why, you see, It's this way, Jo-
seph," SAID large, mild man, with an
habitualiy puzzled expression of coun-
tenance; I'VE be pore folks, all ON us;
We've a-many little mouths to feed, an
not much to put in 'em. An what wi
prices goin' up an rent day a-comin'
round so often like, mans hands d
seem to be always in his pocket, an it's
give, give, an pay, pay, ever and al
ways, dye see? Now my taters,'' he
cast calculating eye upon the half
filled sack at his feet, they'll not go so
far to make up three ranks for oursel-
yes, 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. If Ed'ard Boyt, who was we'll
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 aft ord him assistance!
| 'Aye, tits very true what Ed'ard says
| Charity d begin at home. 1t 'ud seem
bit ard to go a-buying for oneself
along of helpin' a neighbor," said some
| body.
"Aye, Id low it's trew,' agreed an
| other.
.Trew enough, sure?" chimed in a
third.
1--WE be sarry for 'ee," summed up a
fourth; AYE, we be very sarry for zee,
| Joseph, but It's the onfart' nate natur'
| o. things as pore folks d. have to do the