The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-08
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Didn't you never know Sister Sarah
Cantwell, she, that was Croker? Her
and Ebenezer Cantwell is deacon in
the church, or I suppose I should say
that he is the deacon, and she's the
upholder of the doctrines he breaches
They're pretty prosperous now. but
twan't many years ago that he was
outen a job. and wouldn't do nothin'
till the right sort of job-position, he
called it-showed up. And whites he
was a waitin' and a hangin' around
places where they was a givin' out
jobs at. the pie counter. or the pork
barrel, or whatever they call it. her
and the Children was Twin on the
charity of the neighbors.
La, not that she'd ever let on that
it was charity She's always ben kind
a naughty and high sperrited, and
sort of Holier-than-thou.
But it was whites this was goin' on
that 1 was a goin' to tell you about
They was woman who lived next
door to Sister Cantwe1 who didn't
make no pretences about bein'
Christian. or anything of that sort.
She was so busy that she didn't have
no time to bother much about wheth-
err other folks was bein' saved or not.
She had a brood of little children, and
they was always some one that needed
nursin or feedin or settin' up with,
and she was KEEP pretty busy.
Sister Sarah Cantwen had some
about the time I'm tellin' you about,
Ebenezer got a job in another town,
and sent for her and the children to
come-only he didn't send enough
money. He never did, him bein' the
trustin' sort who considered the lilies.
Mis- Cantwell. she tried to sell them
chickens to Mis- Wilkes, her as lived
next door, who'd ben feedin' the Cant
well family off and on all the time
that Ebenezer was IL eating a position.
But Mis- Wilkes knew that Mis- Can't
well probably wouldn't pay for the
chickens, and that she would have
them taken away from her by the
man she'd got 'em of, so she told Mis-
Cantwell she didn't believe she cared
for 'en, but that shed feed 'em till
the man come to get 'em.
The Cantwells was to leave there
on Sunday, her hating to travel on
Sunday, but having to, to suit Ebe-
invited the whole family to eat Sun
day dinner with her and she cooked
up lot of stuff besides for Mis- Can't
well to take along.
When they coma, Mis- Wilkes was
whipping some lace into the neck of
a dress she'd promised her little
girl she could wear that day, her
havin' been so busy on Saturday get
tim things ready for the Cantwells
that she didn't have no time to fix it,
and she didn't like to break a prom
Use even to a child The first thing
Mis- Cantwell done was to borrow
some money from Mis- Wilkes, which
she knew she wasn't never goin' to
pay back, sayin' she didn't have
enough to buy all their tickets.
The next thing she one was to tell
Mis- Wilkes how wicked she was to be
sewing on the Sabbath day. Mis-
Wilkes explained, sayin' as how she
didn't never do it if she could help
but that anyhow, if she was bein' hon
est and square and truthful, she was
keeptn' the Sabbath day holy, and that
II she was hatin' folks or lyin' or
doing anything mean, she was break
ing it, no matter if she went to church
and Sunday school all day long, and
sung hymns till she was blue in the
face; she said it wasn't what her hands
did, that counted,-that it was what
was in her heart
But Mis- Cantwell KEEP on preaching.
talkin' about how wicked it was; and
all the time she was a talkin' she had
mis- Wilkes money in her pocket and
was putin away the good food Mis-
wilkes had cooked for her
And then after she'd stuffed till she
couldn't stuff no more-her, nor any
OF the little Cantwell's-and had a
market basket of vittles to take on the
train. she said she was goin' to go
tell another neighbor goodbye. Come
to find out. she borrowed some more
money from the other neighbor. and
she explained by saying that if Mis-
wilkes had paid her for the chickena
which she'd bought often her, she
wouldn't have to be borrowing money
That was the thanks Mis- Wilkes
got by tryin' to be decent to her And
to this day, if body'lI listen, Mis-
Cantwell will tell folks that Mis-
wilkes is a pagan and is sure goin'
to the place where folks burn, and
which she dassent mention, because
she found her breakin' the Sabbath
that time. sewing lace in a child's
dress on Sunday.
l may have queer notions-some
1oIks says l have-but I leave it to
you. which of them two women was a
breakin of the Sabbath day that time
was a tellin' you about?