Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-04-22
NO. 50.


other generation cometh, yet what is the
world betteredP Vanity all Twasn't so
when l was boy or when those girls
mothers We're young. had to earn my
own place in the world. All! if Jane and
Mary and Sarah had lived to rear those
girls, they would have been less frivolous,
would have been trained to do something.
There's Prim, (Meaning Anna Bex, Uncle
Truman had pet names of his own for his
nleces,) she's good enough but so lazy.
There's Wild Oats, (Anna Rimmons) she'll
warm some husbands ears and not strong
minded either. Then there's sweet little
Moses Anna LYNN sensitive as a dew
hover, her mother used to fear she never
would weather the storms of the world.
but the worst feature Of this system of
tralnlngis the idea of raising girls in idle
ness just to catch husband; giving them
no motive for action. Can'tI cOntrive
some plan to rouse them to noble exer-
ton? If should roll the golden apple
into the court of Beauty making rivals Of
those hitherto so friendly, would it not in
the long run have good result?''
Thus with himself, Uncle Truman. A
few days after, when the trio were at his
house, he consummated his matured de-
termination. He gave them no lectures
on the necessity of action he delivered
them no sermons on labor; he simply
said: Girls, that one among you three,
who within two years shall manifest the
truest philosophy, shall be the one remem-
bered in my will. enjoin secresy.-Re-
port to me next May.
CHAPTER II.
So three brains of three damsels were
busy. Such wondering and cogitations
followed. 1t Uncle Truman had only been
more definite. If he had only made one
specification; if he had said the one that
gives the most money to the poor, or the
one that spends the most time in good
deeds, or the one that works the hardest
for the country-why couldn't he tell what
he did mean? Then one could go and do
it; anything but this indefinite general ex-
preston, requiring the subjunctive.
Anna Beale settled it very clearly in her
own mind that the golden goddess could
only be won by gold, and she who should
contribute the most largely of her goods
to feed the poor would win the prize.
How much could she giveP She hadn't
the remotest idea what her yearly expen-
ditures were, or if her father would allow
her any more this year, so she attacked
the paternal ancestor in this wise:
Father what do you allow for my ex-
penses by the yearp'
''Just what you want"
We'll, how much last year, say three
hundred ?"
Three hundreds" He laughed. can
tell you exactly, however, by referring to
my books. It's more than I'll ever allow
any one OF your little half-brothers. That
uncle OF yours keeps sharp eye over
this way, and won't have him howl that
his sister being dead, her daughter is neg
lected for her successors children. Iwant
to keep on the right side of him. His for
tune is immense, and he has no heirs
nearer than neices." He nodded signif-
cantly.
Anna began to muse how she would
curtail her expenses so as to save hun
dred dollars to give that year. (She was
sure neither OF her cousins would go high
er than that As to little Anna, there was
no danger, she couldn't afford it: her
father allowing her only two hundred
dollars Il year, She might next winter
wear her old hat repaired; that would
save, say twenty-five or fifty dollars, but
wear an old hat I! bah the idea was not to
be endured. She might get a new hat and
save on the cloak, but cloak one must
have. Perhaps Anna Rimmons wouldn't
give quarter of that sum, and in that
case for her to give fifty dollars would
answ er just as well. She had a good mind
to take her father into confidence but no.
our prime conditions were secrecy. Uncle
generally knew what he was about, but
what miserable Judgment he had display
ed in this matter By dint of scheming,
saving and self-sacrifice (P) in dress, she
managed during the year, to save the
hundred dollars; taking it to an Orphan
Asylum, she received the blessing of
widows and sorrowful children till her
heart was almost touched, then she tri-
umphantly bore off the receipt to be pre-
sented to her uncle on the day appointed
for reporting.
Anna the "little," pondered long and
seriously over the uncle's proposition. OF
a sensitive, sympathizing nature, there
was not wounded bird, or butterfly
with a broken wing, which, finding, she
did not tenderly care for, and many poor
little child, in the street, for some kind
act from her, was lifted into light. But
so spontaneous were these acts, such natu-
raj outspeakings of her loving heart, that
she forgot them Immediately. Thus she
mused: ''To be remembered in Uncle
Truman's will-how sweet that would be
But if | should be SO fortunate, of course
my cousins would be remembered too.
Then how much one could do with so mnch
How many there are who suffer
But then what could l do to win the prize
can't give great deal; my cousins can.
ther people are always doing generous
things; am not. can't remember do
ing single kind act in my life, only a few
times, giving things to poor people; but
l never kept any account of that. l am
sure | shall not get the prize, for the others
| know, will far outdo me. But then, one
Of my cousins will get it, and it will be
just as happy for her. But it would not be
respectful to dear Uncle Truman, it would
grieve him for me not to try, even though
know shant get it; so let me see. I'll
save all possibly can, and instead of Civ
ing to the poor whenever feel like it, as
l do now, I'll systematic little, and fit
out poor children on Scott street for school.
kr 10 -.