Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-07-08
A PECULIAR WOMAN.

| 49, yOo "ooiu SSt " w
FULL
q didn't spill more than ten drops
Cousin Silence. dow you worr,
over the loss of little grease
IT'S one OF my principles to save
as you might "a learned long ago.
i believe in prudence but what
a few drops of lard more or less
with this farm, and nobody know
how much in bank You skimp ant
screw as il you think there were dan
ger of your getting on the town
well, you are the frsnksst young
man | ever saw : and Silence With
ers put her arms akimbo and gaze(
at her young cousin, Tom Lowey, al
if he were a curiosity escaped from
some museum.
Yes; was always noted for m,
frankness,' said Tom, coolly. 'and
never hesitate to speak my mint
when duty urges. However, I dom
want to hurt your feelings, Cousin
Silence
No danger, said Miss Silence
with q laugh of derision. I'm nc
spring chicken, and my feelin's hav,
grown tough. But the idea OF you
duty urgin' you to speak your minG
to me. Perhaps you don't recollec
the whiPpin's l used to give YOU
| q haven't forgotten laughed Tom
You used to make me do my duty il
those days. But | wish could con
vice you that it would be only lit
tie Christian act tor you to send Mrs
Baldwin little help. You wouldn't
feel the spending OF fifty dollars ou
of your fifty thousand
'Massy sakes 1t seems as i
other folks know more about my bus
mess than / do myself Fifty thous
and Law ! Who said I was worth
that much? p
'Oh, it's common talk replied
Tom.
'Well, it won't do you any good tc
talk. You'll never see the color oil
my money alter I'm dead and gone
I've made my will, and since plain
speakin' pleases you, I'll make free
to say you amt mentioned in it. Sc
there !"
Il calculate to take care of myself,
said Tom. fitting his chair against
the wall. Leave your money whore
you choose l don't want it.
THE day may come when you will
want it, Tom Lowsy, and then you'll
be sorry for say n them words. I'll
remember EN-, and so will you when
your pride has its fall. There's plen.
ty o things can leave my money to,
it won't 60 begging
Il guess not
You'd more'n guess if you was to
live here a spell, and see the stream
of visitors ! have. There amt day
but | get nagged about my money
by somebody. Deacon Bonney thinks
it's his bounden duty to advise me to
leave it to an orphans home. Old
Mr.. Craig wants it left to Wolfboro
academy; Squire Darby has his mind
on it for a public library; and the
minister thinks / ought to remember
what debts on the church. To
hear 'em talk, you'd think l had one
foot in the grave l don't give none
o EN- any satisfaction, and then they
say, I'm peculiar. Well, perhaps !
am, but l don't see no prospect OF
any change in my natur'.'
Tom laughed. He was spending
a couple of hours at the farm, which
had been his only home until he be.
gan to scratch for HIMSELF to use
his gsunt cousins expression. Now
he never let more than day or two
pass without looking in on the lonely
spiuster to see if he could give her
any help, and to-day he was making
himself useful in lifting jars and bot
lers of hot grease on and off tbs
stove, for Miss Silence was trying
out lard.
Toms law practice, az yet, was
not very exacting, much to mis- re.
greet; and he had more time on hi.
hand than pleased him.
But now do promise you'll send
Mrs Baldwin something for Christ.
mas, Cousin Silence said Tom, re-
turning to the attack.
Il never promise what dent near
to PERFORM was the characteristic
answer he received to his pleading
'Marths Baldwin snd I amt been or
spsskln' terms for these FIVE years
and I'd be maxim myself pretty small
to send her Christmas presents. I'd
soon be on the town if l began tt
help all the poor folks l know. i
pears to me you take mighty deer
interest in them Baldwins, Tom. Ne
LISA Bonney let out 8 hint that yor
was sparkin' that Prissy Carroll
Il wish Melissa Bonnsy wouli
mind her own business
Don't get riled. l dare say i'll
true. 'Twould be like yen to court
girl without . penny, because YOU
We not a penny yourself. Prisse,
CAROLS been raised out o charity
by her aunt.
That don't make her any less Low
able, Cousin Silence
| Now Tom Lowey,' said Miss 81
lence, brandishing the big iron spoor
with which she stirred the lard, don
make fool of yourself over . prett,
face. Butter your bread before yol
eat it. There's Melissa Bonney
whose fathers worth
| That's enough, interrupted Tom
and before Miss Silence could sto,
him he was out of the kitchen doc
door and walking briskly down tn,
path to the gate.
Law sakes wha: peculiar Great
ures men are. Talk to me bein' pc
culiar why, / amt Circumstance
to that Tom Lowey. He'll MARI,
that Prissy Carroll now if its only {,
show me he dent care for my mon
ey,' and with a sigh Miss Silenc
went back to her lard.
Christmas gift, indeed |! she nut
tered, after standing for some tim
in deep thought, 4 think see my
self eating humble pie to Marth
Baldwin But some how or othe
her conscience did not feel quite $,
easy IS it had felt before Toms call
An hour later, Tom was sitting il
the widow Bsldwin's small parlor
| rith his arm orourd a yarv tr;r