The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1881-03-11


| about them many little comforts that
made their home pleasant.
But fortune seldom smiles long ut n
time, Us we all know, and reverses will
come to every one. One bitter night in
December Toms house caught fire and
| burned to the ground. nothing being
left except a few clothes belonging to
Prissy and the baby.
OF course Mrs. Baldwin opened her
house to them at once, though it neces-
| STATED much crowdlng. Prlssy sug-
gested an appeal to Miss Silence, but
Tom emphatically declined to make it.
! He was far too proud to ask for the help
which lie thought should have been
| earnestly offered. His last books and
papers had all been destroyed in the
fire for he had used a room in the cot
tage for an Office, and getting living
| was rather uphill work. Christmas was
dreary enough that year, and even Pris-
sy's courage sank at the Thought of the
future.
'tTom Lowey will have chance to
show what kind Of stuff he's made Of,
said Miss Silence. He burdened him
self with wife and baby, and he'll have
to look out for EN-. / told him I'D never
give him dollar oil my money, and I'll
keep my word, no matter what hap
pens.
Miss Silence had thought herself proof
against the weakness Of falling i'll but
in March she caught severe cold, and
pneumonia ensued. She felt she never
should get well again, and the doctor
told her frankly that in all probability
she would live but few days
/ want to see the lawyer at once, if
that is the case, She said. " | must
make new will
business for years, came as soon MS he
| received her message, and the will was
made. He hardly left the house before
| Tom called
TIN worse, said Miss Silence, feeb-
~, "but I'm not afraid to 60. Per
haps I'm peculiar in that as in other
things. Deacon Bonney and the minis
ter, Mr.. Craig and Mr.. Darby have all
been here urgin' Of their several
claims. / told each o EN- Id consider
the matter"
"Will they be disappointed Cousin
Silence?" asked Tom.
Poor fellow he was in such sore
strait that he could not help a desire TO
have some small help from his cousins
hoard. He hardly dare hope she had
left him cent, and yet he was her oniy
relative.
"That remains 10 be seen" was the
unsatisfactory reply lie received to, his
question. !" But don't You cherish no
hopes, for ] amt left you q cent.
a bitter smile curled Toms lips, but
he made no reply.
II suppose you think me peculiar in
| ~ tit,i
arc the only kin I've got, went on Miss
Silence. "bnt you've taken such pre-
clotis care to convince me that you don't
want it, that I've believed you and acted
accordin"
Tom went home and repeated the con-
versation to Prissy, who shed few tears,
but tried to cheer her husbands droop-
ing spirits with hopes Of more law bust
ness in the spring.
That night Miss Silence died, and the
whole town turned out to her funeral Q
few days later.
~ expect Woltboro Academy will find
itself able to erect new building wher
Miss Silence's will is read, said old MIR
Craig. "She's told me she'd consider
the matter, and ] know she was i'm.
pressed with my arguments"
L y
said Squire Darby, "for ] feel rorally
certain she has left her money to found
library"
The minister, who stood near, smiled
to himself. He had not the slightes
doubt that the debt which hung over h
church like pail would now be lifteC
through Miss Silences will
Tom did not want to go 10 the readlnl
Of the important document, but Priss.
insisted, SO they went together, thougl
{ neither of them looked very cheerful.
} Mr.. Sinlons made no objection to tn
> presence Of Squire Darby. Mr.. Crait
and the minister chuckled as Deacol
q Bonney entered with pleasant smll
' for Tom, who well knew what sarcasti
i triumph lay beneath it.
n The will was dated three days pre-
4 vious, and every penny in the bank, an
3 the large farm were left unconditional
to Pressy Lowey. Her husbands nam
was not mentioned.
i Toms face was study, while Priss
. almost tainted from the sudden relief
n all her trouble.
J were studies, too. The deacon lett II
J house without word, and the Spun
looked grimly at Mr.. Craig,
y siShe was very Pecullhr Wohlhni
y said the minister, wiping his brow, 2
le which the beaded drops OF perspiratlc
/ stood thickly. His anxiety about h
y church had been very great, you see.
: But Tom and Prissy could afford
e forget their dead cousins pecullarltle
- since she had kept her VOW never TO gi'
); rom cent, and yet had managed
u make him comfortable for life. The
!. q was an immediate fitting to thecomfol
y able farm house. and Tom furnished he'd
r. morning in the spring wagon. Pa
troubles and cares were forgotten, t
to Baldwins were made more comfortab
IN and. considering all things, Miss
lence did more good with her mon
we than if she had left it to found libra
er or lift church debt.
Ia Authorizations OF Food.