Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 293, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 December 1912 — NINE CHEESES. [ARTICLE]

NINE CHEESES.

'-** ItMfculbua Misadventure of A Clneo. fisted Clergyman. Anecdotes In which the mean and grasping man is outwitted or held up to ridicule are popular everywhere and always. Few ancient towns are without their historic or traditional instances of stinginess punished or sharp practice defeated. In one village of New England thers is Btill current Buch a tale concern* lng an unpopular parson of mors than a century ago. Although a learned man of im? presive manners, this clergyman was noted for undue reluctance t* ekpenij and readineess to acquire, He bad a habit of pleading povertj and hinting for gifts. ~ The parish, although with soma murmuring, had respondeed with fuel for his kitchen, hay for his horse, Thanksgiving turkeys for his table, and a “subscription cloak" jf black satin for his wife when her wedding manteau became shabby. The murmurs Increased when it was found that the parson turned an honest but overshrewd penny ,by selling, instead of using, many of these donations. But they were not loud enough to disturb his state* iy calm, and he went his way without condescending to notice them. At last, however, fortune played him trick for trick. One pleasant winter day he made a round of calls, ana at each house, when about to leave, he casually asked his hosteßs if she could let him have a little piece of cheese, as his wife happened to have none in the house, and unexp ted company had arrived. In each tase, the good housewife, instead of a little piece, generously presented him with a whole cheese, which lie graciously accepted. As he tun sd from the door-stone, at the do e of the last visit, .while the mother of the family and her brood of nine diildren stood politely gathered to watch him drive away, he carelessly pulled the wrong rein—the sleigh tipped sharply on a drift, and out from under the ministerial laprobe rolled nine large cheeses, which spun frlskly away in all directions-ever the icy crust. His hostess understood the situation at a glance. "Don't disturb yourself, pray, sir,” she urged, politely, aa he made a motion to descend. “It is quite unnecessary. The children will gather them up and none be overburdened, nor will there he any quarreling for the privilege. See, it is Just a cheese to a child.” So it was; and the embarrassed parson, unable to escape, was obliged to receive back his cheeses, w ith due thanks to each giggling volunteer, as they -came up In gleeful procession, one by one. Too well he knew that by the next day J the whole parish would be laughlug at his misadventure, although he could scarcely have guessed that tffe Joke would be recalled a hundred years after.