Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-05-09
NO. ia.
Gales ano Skettbes.
CARRIE FAME.
Bi MARY y. PRESCOTT.

l believe they re as poor as poison,
said Mrs. Stare, glancing across to where
her opposite neighbor. Miss Fame, stood
tending her plants; Its pity that old
harridan wouldn't give up the ghost and
leave EN- something handsome. But, you
see, she cut 'em off, so to speak, VIII, n
Mrs. Fame was married. She was Mrs.
Fane's half aunt, and brought her up,
though I've heard say. she had to earn
everything she had, and more too, waitir Q
upon the whims of her aunt, Miss PARROT,
but when it came to marriage, she took
her own advice, and gave up Squire Snow
and his fortune and took up little Fame,
the artist. who was always just going to
surprise the world with some masterpiece,
but who didn't earn his salt which sur
prised nobody. Eut the 'whirligig of
Time brings in his revenges. I've heard
and after Miss Parrott had given Miss
Fame up to poverty and hardship, and
pampered her other nieces and given them
her eye-teeth, what do they up and do,
when they find She : in for the small pox,
caught on a journey. but leave her and
her house to go to destruction together
Of course Mrs. Fame steps in and takes
care of her, and carries the disease home
to Miss Carrie, who loses her good looks
by that means. say. it's an unfortunate
family. Miss Parrott never fairly got
over it. they tell me: YOU see, it left her
sort Of broken. and she finally took to her
bed for good. and Mrs. Fame had to bring
her home, for she was neglected and
snubbed by her own servants i'm her own
house. And how they live, Heaven knows
The old lady has got plenty of money and
to spare, but precious little does Mrs.
Fame see of it, Miss Parrott pays her
eight dollars a week for board and attend
ance and what not-pays it grudgingly.
and tells 'em they make money at that,
and they II have to answer for taking adj
vantage of poor old woman : necessities
But am hoping she'll leave 'em
something yet, unless she's got a heart of
stCnc.
'She's very feeble. said DIR. Eustis Gil
bert. with his eyes on their neighbor's
window. land very irritable Miss Carrie
is martyr to the cause
Yes, and how pale and half-starved
she looks returned the landlady. II
don't believe they have half enough to
eat how can they? 1t stands to reason
I've seen Miss Carrie buying half pound
Of steak at the butchers. time and again:
but how far would that 90 pravo You
may rely upon it, it was the old lady's
dinner; my cook tells me the rest of 'em
live on mush and milk Pretty stuff for
Miss Carrie to teach all day and watch all
night And just you look at her gown
Gilbert, if ever YOU notice such things
some men-tolks don't; and all the pleas
IRE she has she gets from that handful of
house-plants there. Does anybody ever
see her at concert or matinee, I'd like to
know I've noticed that the very clothes
on the line We're patched, and I'm not one
who looks after my neighbors' affairs very
sharply, neither
Lost her good locks has she ?" thought
DIR. Gilbert, his eyes still wandering
towards his young neighbor. 'She GER
tainlv is thin as a shadow, and pale as
spirit. he confessed aloud.
''If Miss Carrie had somebody to cosset
and care for her, and lived at her ease.
with no harrassments and haggling. she
wouldn't be so all-fired plain. to my think
ing," continued Mrs. Stare Il some
times long to ask her in for good square
meal but Lor! they're proud as Luciler
poor folks, mostly are, you see--and it
would break their hearts to know that any
body suspected that they are needy. did
send in some pie plant, Just after moved
into the neighborhood, it was the first of
the season, grown in my own garden.
They were much obliged. you know, and
all that in a proper way; but saw old
Buckot. who takes the swill in this street
carry it of in his pail week later, and |
reckoned they couldn't afford the sweeten-
ing for it,
"From whom was Miss PARROTS money
nherited?" asked Dr. Gilbert idly. "She
didn't make it, suspect"
BLESS YOU, from her own father. to be
sure; and there's the sin of it. Was not
he Mrs Fane's mothers father. too, I'd
like to ask -? And why doesn't she have
her share Iyeno patience with folks VINO
keep means that doesn't belong to them,
even if its left em in somebody's will
made ont of spite. You see, old lady Par
rott and Mrs. Fame mother were half sis
terS she had other sisters on her mothers
side, Miss Parrott had. and the nieces who
left her to the mercy of the small poX are
their daughters and ten to one they'll
have the property, instead of the Fanes.
though it all come by the way of Mrs.
Fane's own grandfather, Grandfather Par
rot. They say he was Il crustv old fellow,
and took offence with his daughters hus-
band. Mrs. Fane'S father. and never got
over it. but diSowned the whole Kit of EN-,
and left all his money to his eldest daugh-
ter. that old virago Wonder. But when her
sister died poor widow, Miss Parrot
took her only child-that is. Mrs. Fame
and brought her up rs told you. Wasn't
it cruel -
Cruel enough, said DR.. Gilbert, but
of course she will make it all right in her
will"
"Perhaps SO, if her old heart isn't hard
encd like Pharaoh'-. If were in Your
place. DIR. Gilbert. I'd give her hint
1T doesn't seem to be my business TO
interfere
Its everybodv's business to help the
latherless. Speaking of angels, there she
is now-Miss Carrie. mean. They want
you, guess the old lady's got an i'll turn
she's always breathing her last. and fright
ening them ha.f to death. just you ne
tice her poor little hands; they are all
chapped, and you can almost see through