Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1875-08-04
bills began to accumulate and the rent

gravely. we must do without meat.
That is nothing, said |, laughing,
although | felt little enough inclined
to be mirthtul but we cannot very
well do without roof over our
heads
Don't fret, Joe, said my little
heart-some wife. We shall not
want. Something will be sure to hap
pen.
But what can happen, Lizzie : The
days of miracles ale o'or. There
are no Eljahs ana ravens in these
times
Yes, there are, Joe, said Lizzie
cheerfully, although We don't always
know it at the time. There is an or
der for You to tune piano up in South
street isn't Mat raven p
And she held the little strip Of pa
per triumphantIy up before me.
When | came back from South
street Lizzie met me at the door with
humid eyes and , troubled face.
what is the matter?' l cried out
anxonsly. Lizzie not the baby :?
Nothing has happened to him ?
No. Lizzie answered 'he is quite
well, and fast asleep, like a little white
lamb. But-Aunt George is dead.
Aunt George ! | repeated vacant
ly.
Yes she died this morning, and [
could not be sent for in time to receive
her last breath. Oh, Joe, she was
very. ocry kind to me-
Are we men naturally so selfish, or
was hunted and driven by want, an
exception to the ordinary rule? For l
confess that as Lizzie stood there look
ing tcarfulIy up into my face the first
thought that followed the entrance OF
this unexpected news into my brain
was Would Aunt George leave us
anything? | supposed Lizzie was her
sole living relation, and surely, in all
these years, though her income was
small, she must have saved something.
But am thankful to remember that |
never told Lizzie what was in my
mind.
'She was very old, dear, | sad,
striving to comfort my gri4ved wife
over lhree-score aud ten. 1t is the
allotted age Of humanity, and You
know she had grown to be very fee
BILE
And l know she is better off, said
Lizzie 'but Joe, she is all the mother
| ever had.
We went to Aunt Georges funeral,
and her will was read "A very brief
document-in which she bequeathed
her simple household furniture and
belongings to nephew in Wisconsin,,
and to "Elizabeth, wife Of Joseph Al
len, as a token of the atfectionate
remembrance of the deceased her pia-
no.
A tuneless, jangling instrument,
half 4 century old, with carved spin
die legs, ornaments of inlaid brass and
keys as yellow as Aunt Georges own
complexion. laughed contempt
uously when I heard the words. But
Lizzie laid her hand gently on my
arm.
1T was Aunt Georges DEAR she
said softly, and We must cherish it
for her sake. Besides in a whis-
per, think how it will amuse the ba-
by
And that was the end of all my ex-
ppctations Of an inheritance from Liz
zie Aunt George.
The old piano was duly cartcd home
the next day. II it had been a fash
ionable instrument, OF modern make,
they could never have gotten it up the
narrow staircase but it looked quite
friendly and home like opposite the
fireplace, its LINK proportions covered
by faded green cloth.
shrank oack with a little grimace,
as Lizzie touched the keys to make the
baby laugh.
or course it is out of tune, Joe,
she said merrily 'but you'll soon set
that right. And | shall rub up my
practice again in no time
1t happened t. be very dull time
just then SO had nothing else to do
bat 10 take Lizzie's advice; and in
Just half an hour | had the old instru-
ment nearly dissected, much to Mr..
l}ahy's editioation, as he sat gravely
on the floor in the midst Of the inte-
rlor developments of tine ancient pia.
no.
A1d now comes the most marvellous
part of my story
All piano-,uners know that when
you take away the froEt piece above
the keyboard there is a hollow place
Of considerable extent, in any instru-
ment of ordinary slza. And as | stop
ped to blow the dust away from this
place | saw a bundle or roll of bank
notes fastened round with a yellowed
slip of paper, on which was written,
"For my niece Lizzie"
Lizzie !! l cried breath'essly Liz
zie ! and she was at my side in an III.
stant.
And, You will believe me, there
were $1,000, the accumulated savings
Of Aunt Georges frugal life and this
was what she had meant by giving
her piano to us.
That $4,000 was the starting point
of the snug little fortune we have since
scraped together and if Aunt George
could lnow how much her bequest has