The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1902-04-25

amt gittin' stingier an stlagler!
l nd druther be u pauper than SIGH
as Amasa, emmy day. Wonder what
made him git SO, ennyhow? lie didn't
usen to be 50, but he wuz allus
little near, and how i has growed
on him! l don't suppose that l can
do ennything with him about that
bush. Guess l hev cum on fool
errunt, as far as that is concerned,
but l thought Id like to come up
ennyhow an see how the place
looked, now Betsey is gone. l guess
it will be pretty lonesome.
Silas was still thinking out loud, IN
this distracted manner of his, when
he knocked at the front door.
Come in," said Amasa's voice, and
Silas knew from the sudden draft
that the door had been opened. Il
hain't got no light tcr-night, an l
thought eff we didn't hev emmy you
wouldn't mind sittin' by the fireplace.
l think it is jest as pleasant, an it
saves lie"
Silas laughed. why don't you
burn some Nv Aunt Betsey's taller
dips?' he asked. Il reckon that she
had about Il million Nv UNI made.
"Oh, no." replied Amasa, there
were only a few, an l am saVln on
UNI for an emergency"
"Why can't you light one Nv them
famous dips an celebrate my coming
up?" asked Silas.
"Taller's mighty high, an a-goin'
up every day." said Amasa, doubtful
ly. Dunno but l might, seem it's
you, eff you thought you'd take the
bush.'
Amasa went to the cupboard and
after fu1nbling around for awhile re-
turned with a bit of tallow candle
that had been made by dipping
Irvine string repeatedly into hot tai
low.
There" he said, triumph antly, as
he lighted it with silver OH pine
knot, that is the fast one Nv them
candles that I hev burned since Bet
sey died. My, amt it bright!'
'.Bright!" reiterated Silas, con-
temptuously, winking and blinking
as though the feeble light hurt his
eyes. "Ef it warn't that Aunt Bet
sey made them dips I would advise
you to melt 'em up an use EN- ter
greese your boots with"
"You air extravigant, Mr.. Brown,
wasteful an extravigant,' said
Amasa, "you won't never be rich"
II don't want to be- replied Silas,
"but let's get to business. What DO
YOU want to do about the sugar
bush?"
Its mighty fine bush, all on
the south side an easy to gather.
includin' the sugar house," said
! Amasa.
Il know it," replied Silas, 1T is a
good bush, but what do you want
for it?'
"All can git" said Amasa, "an' it
is worth more, it is dirt cheap at
more''
"Come, come" said Silas. IL know
you want all you can git, an more
twice over, but let's stop this con-
sarned dickerinS, an git ter bust
ness; what will you take?'
"Wall," said Amasa, brought to the
point by the others imperative man
ner, ct is worth more, but eff you
will give me three-fifths NV the sugar
you can hev the bush for this sea-
SON"
Il won't do it," said Silas, prompt
". 81 won't gin in. 1t amt worth
it, but I will take it an gin half the
sugar-half an half, that's fair, an
that is the last grain Nv sugar I will
give
Amasa argued, and expostulated,
dwelling upon the merits of his bush,
and the high price that sugar was
sure to bring this season, but on
that point the deacon was set.
II amt like you, Amasa," he said,
after the other had exhausted every
argument, and his opponent still
stood firm. 81 make my price an
then stick to it, that's me-"
"You want ter rob me- whined
Amasa, "you want ter git it for
nuthin."
mo, I don't. I want jest what is
fair and square, an no more. That's
the way LHdL nave NohS, eSA
I allus expect to- said Silas.
"Iyan, it's too much, it is too
much," replied Amasa. II can't eff
ford ter let it 60 fer that"
"Take it or leave it, them" replied
the deacon, taking up his lantern;
''it is a fair offer fairly made, an
will be stood to, but eff you don't
want ter accept it, all right"
The deacon stood with one hand
on the latch, and waited for the
miser. Amasa wavered.
cts too much,' he said, at last,
"but I'll tell you what I'll do, I'll
divide this way eff you want to take
the place.
"You give me three-fifths of the
sugar, an you take two-ffths, an
then 1 will gin you half Nv one of my
ffths. That's what I call fair an
square deal, an right ter both NV us,
but fer me ter gin you half is too
much, too pesky much, an sugar
goin' ter be so high"
"All right" said the deacon, after