The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1908-12-03
When Debby Paid

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Debby was serving the chocolate In
Afrs. Gsbson's dining-room.
"Yes.p that lady was saying. II was
at the parsonage the other day, and
really felt sorry for the minister's
wife 1t was the first day she had
been up since her Illness, and the chill
dren were noisy. How very small. too,
the rooms are at the parsonageI 1
declare. don't see how she manages
at ali In such little place. noticed
how pale she was and weak. still. Her
hands quite trembled. And do you
know. things down there are begin
ming to look quite shabby. Oh. by the
way. had you not heard that we were
behind again on the saiary9 I Ger
tainly would never be a minister's
wife,
Neither would T." replied Mrs Clay
ton. carelessly. as she slipped her choco-
late $50 we are really behind again,
are wei How many eggs are there in
this eake7 It's delicious"
-Four" replied Mrs Gibson, a tribe
absentiy.
~And she's subscribed four dollars
TO missions" she added, slowly.
'sWhoT demanded her friend.
The minister's wife," answered Mrs
Gibson
~Debby. pass Mrs. Browning the
sugar. You see" went on that lady, |
she pledged 1t before she had that III |
ness. I've been wondering If 1t won't
be hard for her to pay it. All our
pledges must be In by the last OF next 1
week. She really can't afford to give
TO missions, and yet how she loves
fheml She'd give to them IL she hadn't
any shoes"
Mrs Clayton laughed.
Il wouldn't" she remarked. eff
have a weakness. it's for pretty. we'll
fitting shoes"
~WeII. as soon as L can find time,
III try to run down there and see her,
but, dear me. we are all 50 busy" And
Mrs. Clayton. whose husband was on
a large salary and who kept a cook
and second girl. actually sighed
4A[A LSODby tODh tAAc cups Auu HdSu- /
ed them and put them away.
Debby was small and darik-eyed, with
thick braids Of black. hair. For the
services she rendered Mrs. Gibson, that
lady paid her three dollars a week.
Debby had always been poor. There
was a large family at home, and 1t
came her turn early in life to earn her
own living. She had never had any
pretty clothes. and she was trying hard
now to buy new dress. Upstairs in
her dresser drawer was little tin box
all the money she had In
the world-four dollars. She gave her y
mother two dollars every week, and
that left her one; but lately she had
not been able to save even that.
First Jimmy, her little brother. had
fallen down and cut his head, and the
doctor had 20 sew that up; then the
baby took the whoopIng-c cough, and her
mother lost her best place for working
put In consequence; so Debby had given
Il all to her. without word. But now, {
4 nothing more turned up, she would
soon have enough to buy the coveted
iress. {
She wanted blue one, dark blue,
With velvet on the collar and cuffs !
sbe had never had In all her life such
dress as that was going to be. But
s she went upstairs to her little room a
hat night she kept thinking of the 4
minister's wife. She had heard them q
ak. too, about the salary not being t
aid. "And she's promised four dol s
hrs to Missions thought little Debby.
On. some one ought to pay It for her v
'hen she's been SO sick They all s
ave 40 much more, but they won't
link any more about It," And then
sudden thought struck Debby: .
sWhy not pay II myseIfT n o
To be sure. she would have to wait a
nxsr Cor tbs new dress. and her old .,