The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-02-25


81 calkerlate to pay you for what you
have DONE" she said one day, as she
watched Prissy making bread. "You
needn't think you're workin' for moth
in"
81 don't want any pay, Miss Silence, T"
said Prissy, with trembling lips; 81 am
only too glad to do what I can, be-
cause" She hesitated and turned
scarlet.
Because you're in love with Tom, "
finished Miss Silence. "Oh, you needn't
blush; [ know all about it, and, if he
chooses to break his head agin stone
wall, amt a-goin' to stop him"
At the end of three weeks Miss Silence
was able to be about again, and Prissy
went home, declining the $40 bill for
her services. But she had not been
gone three hours when the hired man
came from the farm, with two large
baskets, which he sat down on Mrs
Baldwin's kitchen floor.
Compliments of Miss Silence, and
she sent these in place of the money"
and was driving off in the spring wagon
before Prissy could recover sufficiently
from her establishment to ask him any
questions.
The baskets were full of good things
of every sort, and there was q royal
Christmas dinner for the Baldwins the
next day, much to the joy of the chill
dren, who had contemplated, ruefully
dining on mush and potatoes.
Prissy sent a note of thanks to Miss
Silence by Tom, but she never received
an answer.
Time moved on, and Toms law bust
ness improved so much that he persua-
ded Prissy, against her better Judgment,
to marry him.
Miss Silence did not grace the impor-
tant occasion with her presence.
Give no time to be gallivanting off to
Weddings" was her excuse, when Tom
reproached her for this slight.
"She is such a peculiar woman, we
must not expect her to act like other
people; but she has good heart in
spite of her queer ways" said Prissy,
when Tom tried to make excuses for his
cousins remissness.
"But her greatest popularity lies in
her not liking you, Prissy," said Tom,
kissing his brides soft cheeks. "And
can't quite forgive her lack of taste"
All went well with the young couple
for more than year. They began
housekeeping in modest cottage Tom
was paying for by installments, and were
so prudent that they managed to gather
about them many little comforts that
made their home pleasant.
But fortune seldom smiles long at a
time, as we all know. and reverses will
come to every one. Une bitter night in
December Toms house caught fire and
burned to the ground, nothing being
left except few clothes belonging to
Prissy and the baby.
OF course Mrs. Baldwin opened her
house to them at once, though it neces-
STATED much crowding. Prissy 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 he thought should have been
earnestly offered. His last books and
papers had all been destroyed in the
fire for he had used room in the cot
tage for an Office, and getting a living
was rather uphill work. Christmas was
dreary enough that year, and even Pris-
sy's courage sank at the thought of the
future.
"Tom Lowey viii nave q 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 'em. I toldhim I'd never
give him dollar of my money, and I'll
keep my word, no matter what hap
pens.
Miss Silence had thought herself proof
against the weakness of falling ill 4; 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. CT must
make new will"
Mr.. Simons, who had managed her
business for years, came as soon as he
received her message, and the will was
made. He hardly left the house before
Tom called.
I'm worse" said Miss Silence, feeb-
~, but I'm not afraid to go. Per-
haps Tn peculiar in that as in other
things. Deacon Bonney and the minis
ter, Mr.. Craig and Mr.. Darby have all
been here a urgin' of their several
claims. l told each O EN- I'd consider
the matter"
"Will they be disappointed, Cousin
Silence ?" asked Tom.
Poor fellow he was in such a sore
strait that he could not help desire to
have some small help from his cousins
hoard. He hardly dare hope she had
left him cent, and yet he was her only
relative.
"That remains to be seen," was the
unsatisfactory reply he received to his
question. "But don't you cherish no
hopes, for amt left you a cent"
A bitter smile curled Toms lips, but
he made no reply.
:" suppose you think me peculiar in
not leavin' you my money, SEEM you
are the only kin I've got, went on Miss
Silence, "but you've taken such pre-
cious 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-
NS1ottIRO11 W AIcoJS WIZ 0uSCA u 1CM G6dIS,
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 a
few days later.
:" / expect Wolfboro Academy will find
itself able to erect new building when
Miss Sllence's will is read, said old Mr..
Craig. "She's told me she'd consider
the matter, and 1 know she was i'm
pressed with my arguments.
g [ rather think you are mistaken. %
said Squire Darby, "for I feel r,oraliv
certain she has left her money to found
a library"
/ The minister, who stood near, smiled
to himself He had not the slightest
doubt that the debt which hung over his
church like pail would now be lifted
through Miss Silence's will.
Tom did not want to go to threading
of the important document, but Prissy
insisted, SO they went together, though
neither of them looked very cheerful.
Mr.. Simons made no objection to the
presence of Squire Darby. Mr.. Craig
and the minister chuckled as Deacon