The Greenville morning herald. [volume] (Greenville, Tex.) 1890-1956, 1910-08-23
THE DEACON'S
SHEEPSKIN
BY NJ. QUAD
Copyright. 1910 by Associated Lit
erary Press.

farm life you know that now and thcr
farmer gets laundering for mutton
and Kills sheep. In removing the
pelt he is very careful. a cut in II
deprecintes Its value. Pelts are gen
orally purchased by tin pcdders. aud
they are generally looked over very
carefully beforehand II there are two
or three cuts In the pelt II Is only half
price. Deacon Strong lived on farm
in the outskirts of the village of Raw.
sonville. Thu peddlers had found him
truthful man. When the deacon
warranted sheepskin free from cuts
1t was no use spending time to looL
at 1t. On this particular mornlng when
peddler called the deacon had pelt
all rolled up to trade for tin pans
While he didn't exactly warrant IL, he
didn't acknowledge to any damage.
and 1t wns three days later that the
peddler found he had been done for.
The peddler could have gone back
and talked about graft and all THAI
and raised row, but he didn't. He
returned to the neighborhood after scv
eral weeks. but he didn't call on the
deacon. Neither did he make any in
qulres about him. He Just sawed
wood and listened to what people were
talking about, and what they were
talking about Just then was the fact
that the deacon had decided to send
his old mother to the poorhouse
Deacon Strong realized that he
w ri ingg 4,
about telling what a beautiful poor
house It was
The tin peddler got on to the tall
and the facts, aud he was doing som,
thinking as he drove from the neigh
borhood. He had brother IN n tow
twenty miles away, and the brothe
was lawyer.
The day had been set for grandm
to 90 to the poorhouse when one oi
the neighbors brought in ncwspnps
to show the deacon an advertisement
1t called for information concerutu;
one Anna Strong, widow. and strongl
limited that 1t would be TO her grea
advantage 10 step out into the lime
light The poorhouse trip was can
celed aud Journey made TO see Il
lawyer. Anna Strong, widow. wa,
Deacon StronS's mother. He coulG
prove 1t by fifty people. The lawyer
replied that 1t was all right so far. bul
did she have a cousin named Charles
Bixby, q rich man living IN Boston.
cousin who would be apt to remember
her In his will to the extent of S25,O00f
The deacon's hair climbed up. He
said that he hadn't the least doubt OF
the cousinship and would take the
cash home to the old lady. He went
too fast. The Widow Strong must np
pear and make an affidavit. What her
son knew or guessed wouldn't cover
the case. The deacon didn't say she
had lost her voice. He started for
home to see If he couldn't hud II for
her. Her fingers were so cramped
that she hadn't written line for
years, and all depended on the recov-
cry Of the voice. The old woman had
been tucked away In the poorest room
Of the house. She was Mt once trans.
ferred to the best The scraps from
the table We're thought good enough
for her. She was now fed on the best.
Instead OF three regular meals per day
she was coaxed to eat much oftcner.
The son had hardly spoken to her for
weeks, but now he sat with her and
even told hcr-jokes and hoped she
would live for twenty years yet. He
ilso went among the neighbors and
said that he had heard the cellar of
the poorhouse was damp after every
shower, and he couldn't think of taxi
ing his dear mother there.
Mrs. Strong widow, could hear very
well. She heard her son ask the name
of all her male cousins, including
Charles Blxby of Boston, aud she heard
herself addressed as dear mother"
out she could make no Ineligible re-
plies. Not when the daughter-in.law
,ombed her hair for her and washed
her face and said she was saint II
here ever was one could she talk
When she was lifted in and out of the
buggy for ride she couldn't express
ler gratitude IN words. Once or twice
she happened to overhear her dutlful
son say TO his wife that he'd like to
build n fire under the old woman to
make her talk, but she didn't lay 1t up
against him. She went right on hav.
ng the best In the house and wonder
ms why other old women didn't lose
heir voices.
Once n month for two long years
Deacon Strong called upon or wrote to
he lawyer. He offered all sorts Of
erms and compromises but II was no
Use. He wrote to Boston, but his let.
er was unanswered lie consulted
'ther lawyers, but they said that moth.
ng could be done until that voice came
mex. Raw eggs and wine. pies, cake
md puddings fattened the old woman.
nut the voice remained obdurate. She
ylnked aud she smiled aud she nodded.
'ut that wasn't enough to bring home
he BiXby legacy. Then ut last she
lied She went to sleep in her chair
me day ana passed away without
truggle She was buried In very de.
ent manner. and next day the deacon
walked into the lawyers office as next
4 kin and heir to the Blxby legacy.
And you mother didn't regain her
oice?" asked the lawyer.
"Neyer spoke word"
"shc had the best of carer"
"The very best"
~ am glad to hear It. | have JGst as.
crtaIned there was some mistake about
/. She may have been cousin OF
'harIes Blxby's, but he left bis money
o an old mans home"