The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-12-17
THE FIFTY DOLLAR BILL.


Mrs. Dean sat alone in her little
kitchen. She never used her parlor.
There was the extravaganza of an
extra fire-the fact that the best rag
carpet woven by her own hands
must not be worn out too recklessly,
the dread possibility of sunshine tad
ing out these chair covers. Mrs.
Dean was an economist. She believ-
ed in making everything last as long
as it possibly could. And SO she
made the kitchen her headquarters,
and sat there knitting, with her feet
comfortably balanced on the stone
hearth, the sauce pan of apples bub-
bling softly away at the back, and
the sound of her husbands ak ring
ing from the back shed as he cut ana
split the kindling wood piled un
there in well-seasoned logs.
She was little wrinkled face wo-
man of fifty, with stiff ribbon bows
to her cap, hair that seemed dried
up instead of silvered, and keen blue
eyes that twinkled as if they had dis
covered the secret of perpetual mo-
tion. To save money was her chief
end and aim in life. The very nit
tens she was knitting was to be sold
at the village store in exchange for
sugar, tea or spices and all such hec-
essary groceries. IA penny saved is
az good as penny made," was the
golden rule by which she shaped her
life.
Il am glad | took that money out
of the savings bank yesterday" said
Mrs. Dean to herself, as the bright
needles clicked merrily away. Peo-
pie say it isn't quite safe. And one
can't be two careful. But then,
again, there's the danger of burglars
though to be sure. no burglar, she
added with compIacent, inward
"would ever think of look
ing in the folds of the old Clinker-
vile Clarion newspaper in the wall
pocket on the wall. Its the bureau
drawers and the trunks and the lock
up chests that they aim for. A fifty
dollar bill IA clean, crisp, new fifty
dollar bill! And all saving. too, out
of the house money"
Just then there sounded a knock
at the door, and in came old DR..
Bridgeman. rubicund with the touch
of the March winds, and mufiled up
in the skins of wild animals which
from time to time he himself had
shot.
"Good-day. Miss Dean, good
day" said he. mo thank you /;
| can't sit down. Pm deal to busy
for that. But | heard yesterday that
you took $50 out of the savings
bank"
Yes, did ~
ave are taking up a subscription
to get little lame Dick BQdley a cart
and donkey so that he can go around
peddling tin ware" said the doctor.
Its pretty hard for one afflicted like
he is to get along, and ifyou can help
us little"
"But l can't" interposed Mrs.
Dean, the money was an investment.
l don't propose to cut it up into little
bits"
"It's a deed of charity, Mrs. Dean,
said the good old man, ''to help lame
Dick"
II dare say" said Mrs. Dean, little
irritably, "but l never pretended to
be a charitable character"
The old Doctor went away, and
the next visitor was Helen Hurst,
rosy girl of eighteen.
"Please excuse me for interrupting
you, Mrs. Dean" she SAID, but Lar
ry johnson was at the bank yester.
day, and he tells me that you drew
out your money"
Was all creation there? thought
Mrs. Dean.
But she said nothing, ouly knit
away until her needles seemed to
glance and glitter like points of fire.
Il am trying to get boarding
place at Mrs. Swipes," added
Helen. coloring. so as to be near the
district school where ! am to teach
this spring. But Mrs. Swipes re-
quires payment in advance by the
month, and unfortunately we have
used up all our slender means in
my outfit. A teacher, you
know, must be dressed decently to
command the respect of her pupils.
If you VII kindly lend me ten dol
lars"
II never lend" said old Mrs. Dean
rurtly.
u will he sure to pay it up when !
receive my fist quarters salary, :"
pleaded Helen, land / don't know
any one else to go to.
Its altogether against my princi-
ples." said Mrs. Dean, with her face
as hard as if it had been carved out
IF hioly nrxy