The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-11-16
Select Story.
A NEWSPAPER FILE.

|
funeral and Sue and | were sitting together
by the kitchen fire, with that husl over our
spirits still which follows death and a bur-
| ial. All the afternoon we had been busy in
getting the house to rghts,not meddling yet
with the things which had been hers, and
were now our, but by dint of open windows,
sunshine, and furniture busted and rear.
ranged, trying to restore to the rooms that
familiar look which they had lost during
these weeks OF anxiety and trouble. a few
days more, and we must face future which
was lull of terrors. Meanwhile custom as
well As inclination accorded a briet respite
in which to think of her who was gone, and
o each other with the clingiug fondness Of
those whose lives, never before parted, were
about to separ te.
Sue sat on low stool. her head against
the chimney jamb. 1t was the chimney OF
Aunt Prisclla's youth she never would
alter it one of the wide old-fashioned kind
with pot hooks aud blazing logs, and bake.
oven at one side The soot-backened bricks
and faint red glow made a background for
my sisters head, with its great twist of fair
hair, and lily -lke-slender throat, Sue is
very prett prettier than any body | ever
saw. | recolecta picture as | looked at her
"a picture Of Cinderella sitting in just such
an attitude by the chimney-side. She was
equally picturesque at that moment so tar
as looks go, equally worthy of a prince but
alas no fairy gOdmother was likely to en-
erge from the apple-room for her benefit.
Aunt Prs, who ir a small way had enacted
that part toward us, was gone, and her big
rocking. chair, which we had no heart to sit
in, swung empty in its accustomed place,
type of a like emptiness which we were
conscious of in other things, and would feel
for long time to come.
Neither of us spoke for while. We
were tired and spiritless, and John Slade
, was coming presently to talk over things, so
we saved our words.
DR.. Sade -JOhn-was Sues lover. Their
poor little engagement had been formed two
years ago How II any years it was likely
to last, nobody could guess ; but they held
on to it bravely, and were content to wait.
Pretty soon, as we sat waiting, his step
sounded without on the gra vel, and with a
little tap-courteous but unnecessary, for
the door was never locked he entered gave
Sue gentle kiss, me another, and sat down
between us in Aunty's rocking chair. 1t
was a comfort to have him do that. The
I house seemed less forlorn at once.
! "Well, children, how has the day gone p
he asked
C Pretty WELL" replied Sue. "We have
c been busy, and are tired to night | think
c I'm glad you are come, John dear We ar
G getting lonely and dismal, Cree and l."
g Lucr eta is my name but Sue and Aunt
e Priscilla always called me Gree"
c John adjusted stick on the embers, and
C with one daring poke sent tongue of bright
&c flame upward before he took Sues hand in
!, his broad palm, and patting it gently, said
&c "Now let's talk over matters. We ought tc
s decide what we are to do, we three"
&c That "three" was very comforting to me
&C but John always is a comfort. He was made
so," Aunt Prs said. And ne certainly car
Ne ries out the purpose ofhis creation.
,c "Did your aunt leave any will ?" he wen
nc on.
nc "Only this - and brought from betweer
'' the leaves of the big Bible, where we ha'
u found it, half sheet of note paper, on whicH
dear aurty had stated, in her own simpl
form, that she left all she had to be equall
divided between her nieces, Susan ant
Lucreta Pendexter Squire Packard's nam
and Sarah Bracket sour old washer-woman
were written below as witnesses
Every we'll" said John. That's good il
law, l fancy ; or if not you are the neares
relations, and it's yours anyway. Wha
property did your aunt own besides thi
house ?"
"She had an annuity of two hundred an
fifty year, and fifty dollars more from som
turnpike stock. That's all, except the hous
and furniture, and there is mortgage
three hundred dollars on that. Squire Pacl
ard holds it, The annuity stops now, doesn
it?"
John looked as though he wanted to viii
tie, but refrained.
"YOur aunt was a clever manager" /
said-"a capital manager. She made vel
little 60 great way, didn't she? | don
~ know any one else who could live on thr'
hundred year, with mortgage interest taI
en- out. You have always seemed coy al
comfortable"
ave always have been. But we had Il
garden, you know, and the COW that ga
us two-thirds of our living. Aunty was
wonderful housekeeptr, though. Isn't it
great deal cheaper to feed women than me
She always said so. "
81 suppose it is. Men are carniverou
A diet of tea and vegetables don't suit the
very WE'LL thev are apt to grumble for som
thing more solid. Well, my dear girls, OF
summing up isn't very satisfactory. Eve
without the mortgage, you couldn't live
fifty dollars year"
"No. And I've been thinking what Y
could do. So has Cree, though we haver
spoken to each other about it | mig
teach a district school, perhaps. Al
Cree"
81 could take place as plain cook The
isn't any thing else can do's0 well. Pla
cooking, with dripping and soap fat by W.
, of perquisites and | gave a laugh whiC
was meant to be merry.
1t is hard, said John, with moody loo
on his face which was foreign to its usu
frank brightness "How much little mo
ey would sometimes do for people who cal
get it, and how little it is worth to 9th
people, who fling it away without thoug
of its value A thousand dollars, nov
Any rich man would consider it a me
for bagatelle in his expenses but if | cou
command the sum, it would make us thr
| com fort able for life -