Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1907-01-03
HER CELEBRATION.

In his parish at Bay City Rev. HI
ram Burt had had the hearty cooper
alton of most Of his flock 10 carrying
out Thanksgiving festivals, Christmas
trees and the like, for the benefit Of
the children and the poor. But he
had not been located at Wellsville
many weeks when he discovered that
there was woeful lethargy about
such matters. When he began to talk
up Thanksgiving contributions for the
poor, there was half-heartedness or to-
tai indifference, and as he thought of
a Christmas tree bearing a hundred
or more presents for the Sunday school
children in order to incite new inter.
est and ambition bis heart grew heavy.
He kept pounding away, however, and
it was not until a few DAYS before
Thanksgiving that he realized he would
have to give the idea up.
The minister was sitting in his study
one day when Aunt Mary Frazer was
announced. Aunt Mary was little
old woman go years old. She lived
in little old house and supported
herself on an income of So week sent
her by a relative. She had belonged
to the church for years. Now and
then some good soul sent her lot Of
groceries, ton of coal or new dress
but she did not consider herself an OBJ
iect of charity. On the contrary, che
felt herself almost as good as any
body" and che had come to call on
the minister as other folks had called
He had noticed her and had beer
told that she was good-hearted, but
rather eccentric.
Aunt Mary had made l0-minute
call and was on the point of departing
when Deacon Hore was announced
She thought of one more thing abe
wanted to say, and therefore slipped
into the parlor. next to the study, to
wait for the Deacon to 60. 1t was a
full hour before he went, and she left
five minutes ahead of him. There
was long and confidential conversa'
ton between the minister and the
Deacon, every word of which was over
heard by the eavesdropper. The two
men believed alike about church work
and church interest in charity and the
Deacon had been sent around to dc
some more bounding"
Aunt Mary's wrinkled old face had
a look Of receive on it as she left the
minister house, and she went straight
way home and changed her dress and
put aew edge on the butcher knife
by drawing the blade across the stove.
pipe. Once upon time she had kept
chickens. That is, flock Of half 9
dozen had foraged for themselves dur
ing the day and came home to poor
old coop at night. One by one they
had given up the ghost, until only a
poor old rooster was left to wonder
how he was to pass the winter. Aunt
Mary had had no thought of killing
him for feast. She had none when
she was sharpening the knife. de
was to be killed for another reason,
and killed he was, and the body was
hardly cold when she changed hel
dress again and took walk of half 9
mile in the gathering darkness. Hei
errand was at the house Of perhaps the
richest man in the congregation. She
had always looked upon the house as
palace and upon its owner as a
thing above this mortal clay, but she
was not afraid to ring the bell and ash
for the master. Her errand justified
display of nerve Seated in the Ii
brary she found the man she had come
to see, and as he looked at her with
wonder in his eyes she laid the dead
body of that old rooster on his desA
and said:
That is for you. I'm awful sorry
can't do more, but | am poor, yor
know. If you boil him for day Oh
two l think he will be tender enough
"W-what does this mean2" he de
handed.
ats a chicken for your thanksgiv-
sBut I don't understand. Why d.
you bring it here ?"
because l heard Deacon Hops
telling the minister that be had callet
on you to ask to contribute to buy
chickens for the poor, and you saic