The Parson and the Scone.
It was dinner-time. And were n't we hungry!--particularly Joe! He was
kept from school that day to fork up hay-work hard enough for a
man--too hard for some men--but in many things Joe was more than a
man's equal. Eating was one of them. We were all silent. Joe ate
ravenously. The meat and pumpkin disappeared, and the pile of hot
scones grew rapidly less. Joe regarded it with anxiety. He stole sly
glances at Dad and at Dave and made a mental calculation. Then he
fixed his eyes longingly on the one remaining scone, and ate faster and
faster....Still silence. Joe glanced again at Dad.
The dogs outside barked. Those inside, lying full-stretch beneath the
table, instantly darted up and rushed out. One of them carried off
little Bill--who was standing at the table with his legs spread out
and a pint of tea in his hand--as far as the door on its back, and
there scraped him off and spilled tea over him. Dad spoke. He said,
"Damn the dogs!" Then he rose and looked out the window. We all
rose--all except Joe. Joe reached for the last scone.
A horseman dismounted at the slip-rails.
"Some stranger," Dad muttered, turning to re-seat himself.
"Why, it's--it's the minister!" Sal cried--"the minister that married
Kate!"
Dad nearly fell over. "Good God!" was all he said, and stared
hopelessly at Mother. The minister--for sure enough it was the Rev.
Daniel Macpherson--was coming in. There was commotion. Dave finished
his tea at a gulp, put on his hat, and left by the back-door. Dad
would have followed, but hesitated, and so was lost. Mother was
restless--"on pins and needles."
"And there ain't a bite to offer him," she cried, dancing hysterically
about the table--"not a bite; nor a plate, nor a knife, nor a fork to
eat it with!" There was humour in Mother at times. It came from the
father's side. He was a dentist.
Only Joe was unconcerned. He was employed on the last scone. He
commenced it slowly. He wished it to last till night. His mouth
opened and received it fondly. He buried his teeth in it and lingered
lovingly over it. Mother's eyes happened to rest on him. Her face
brightened. She flew at Joe and cried:
"Give me that scone!--put it back on the table this minute!"
Joe became concerned. He was about to protest. Mother seized him by
the hair (which had n't been cut since Dan went shearing) and hissed:
"Put--it--back--sir!" Joe put it back.
The minister came in. Dad said he was pleased to see him--poor
Dad!--and enquired if he had had dinner. The parson had not, but said
he did n't want any, and implored Mother not to put herself about on
his account. He only required a cup of tea--nothing else whatever.
Mother was delighted, and got the tea gladly. Still she was not
satisfied. She would be hospitable. She said:
"Won't you try a scone with it, Mr. Macpherson?" And the parson said he
would--"just one."
Mother passed the rescued scone along, and awkwardly apologised for the
absence of plates. She explained that the Andersons were threshing
their wheat, and had borrowed all our crockery and
cutlery--everybody's, in fact, in the neighbourhood--for the use of the
men. Such was the custom round our way. But the minister did n't
mind. On the contrary, he commended everybody for fellowship and
good-feeling, and felt sure that the district would be rewarded.
It took the Rev. Macpherson no time to polish off the scone. When the
last of it was disappearing Mother became uneasy again. So did Dad.
He stared through the window at the parson's sleepy-looking horse,
fastened to the fence. Dad wished to heaven it would break away, or
drop dead, or do anything to provide him with an excuse to run out.
But it was a faithful steed. It stood there leaning on its forehead
against a post. There was a brief silence.
Then the minister joked about his appetite--at which only Joe could
afford to smile--and asked, "May I trouble you for just another scone?"
Mother muttered something like "Yes, of course," and went out to the
kitchen just as if there had been some there. Dad was very
uncomfortable. He patted the floor with the flat of his foot and
wondered what would happen next. Nothing happened for a good while.
The minister sipped and sipped his tea till none was left...
Dad said: "I'll see what's keeping her," and rose--glad if ever man
was glad--to get away. He found Mother seated on the ironbark table in
the kitchen. They did n't speak. They looked at each other
sympathisingly.
"Well?" Dad whispered at last; "what are you going to do?" Mother
shook her head. She did n't know.
"Tell him straight there ain't any, an' be done with it," was Dad's
cheerful advice. Mother several times approached the door, but
hesitated and returned again.
"What are you afraid of?" Dad would ask; "he won't eat y'." Finally she
went in.
Then Dad tiptoed to the door and listened. He was listening eagerly
when a lump of earth--a piece of the cultivation paddock--fell
dangerously near his feet. It broke and scattered round him, and
rattled inside against the papered wall. Dad jumped round. A row of
jackasses on a tree near by laughed merrily. Dad looked up. They
stopped. Another one laughed clearly from the edge of the tall corn.
Dad turned his head. It was Dave. Dad joined him, and they watched
the parson mount his horse and ride away.
Dad drew a deep and grateful breath. "Thank God!" he said.