Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-09-07
The Fifty-DOllar Bill.

The Fifty-DOllar Bill.
Mrs. Dean sat alone in her little kitchen.
She never used her parlor. There was the
extravaganza of au extra fire TO be consid-
ered-the fact that the best rag-carpet,
woven by her own skillful hands, must not
be worn out too recklessly, the dread posi-
bility of sunshine fading out these chair
covers. Mrs. Dean was an economist. She
believed 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 saucepan of apples
bubbling softly away at the back, and the
sound of her husbands axe ringing from
the back shed as he cut and split the kind
ling wood, piled up there in wel-sea-
soned logs.
She was little wrinkled-faced woman 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 discovered the secret of perpetual mo-
ton. To save money was her chief end and
aim in life. The very mittens she was
knitting were to be sold at the village store
in exchange for tea, sugar, spices, and all
such necessary groceries. "a penny saved
is as good as a penny earned" was the gol-
den rule by which she shaped her life.
"Im glad | took that money out of the
savings bank yesterday" said Mrs. Dean to
herself, as the bright needles clicked merrily
away. "People say it isn't quite safe. And
one can't be too careful. But then, again,
the danger of urglars-though to be sure,
no burglar" she added, with complacent,
inward chuckle, "would ever think of look
ing in the folds of the old 'Clinkerville
in ha al Of
the wall. It's the bureau drawers, and the
trunks, and the locked-up chests that they
aim for. A fifty-dollar bill clean, crisp,
new fifty-dollar bill And all savings, too,
out of the house money"
Just then there sounded a knock at the
door, and in came old DIR. Bridgman, rubi-
cund with the touch of the March wind, and
muffled up in the furs of the wild animals
which from time to time, he himself had
shot.
GOOD day, Miss Dean, good day p said
he. "No, thank you; | can't sit down.
| am deal too busy for that. But heard
yesterday that you took fifty dollars out Of
the savings bank ?"
"Yes," said Mrs. Dean, her face involun-
tarily hardening, Z" did"
"We are taking up a subscription to get
little lame Dick Bodley cart and donkey,
so that he can go around peddling tinware,"
said the doctor. "Its pretty hard for any
one afflicted as he is to get along, and if
you can help us a little"
"But can't" interposed Mrs. Dean,
breathlessly. "The money was an invest
ment. | don't propose to cut it up into lit
tie bits"
Its deed of charity, Mrs. Dean,' said
the good old man, to help lame Dick
Bodley."
al dare say" said Mrs. Dean, little ir-
ritably. "But ! never pretended to be a
charitable character"
The old doctor went away, and the next
visitor was Helen Hurst, rosy girl of
eighteen.
"Excuse me for interrupting you, Mrs.
Dean," said she, "but Larry johnson was
at the bank yesterday, and he tells me that
you drew out your money /"
"Was all creation there 2" thought Mrs.
Dean.
But she said nothing, only knit away
until her needles seemed to glance and gilt
ter like points of fire.
" 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 requires
payment in advance by the month, and I'M
means in providing my outfit. A teacher,
you know, must be dressed decently, to COM
mand the respect of her pupils. But if you
will kindly lend me ten dollars"
/" never lend" said Mrs. Dean CURLY.
al will be sure TO pay it up when receive
my first quarters salary" pleaded Helen.
Sand ! don't know of any one else to go to-
ats altogether against my principles"
said Mrs. Dean, with her face as hard as if
it had been carved out of hickory.
Helen Hurst crept out, feeling Inundated
and disappointed beyond all description.
Mrs. Dean chuckled at her own shrewd-
ness but she hardly had time to stir up the
apples in the saucepan before Mrs. Graham
entered, with little leathercovered memo
randum-book and pencil
L am looking for charitable people, Mrs.
Dean said Mrs. Graham, with laugh.
"Then you've come to the wrong place."
said Mrs. Dean, frigidly.
"Poor Patrick O'Hara was killed, yester.
day, in the machinery of the rolling-mill,"
said Mrs. Graham, ignoring her neighbours
response. He has left wife and eight
children, totally destitute"
"And whose fault is that ?" said Mrs.
Dean.
"Will you not contribute something to-
ward relieving their destitute condition p
urged Mrs. Graham, opening the book and
holding the pencil ready for use.
Certainly not" said Mrs. Dean. ave
no money TO spare"
"But | was told"
"Oh, yes-about the money that was
drawn out of the savings-bank /" said Mrs
Dean. "But ! intend to keep that money
for myself, Mrs. Graham"
He that giveth TO the poor lendeth 10
the Lord" softly spoke Mrs Graham.
eyes, yes-I know" said Mrs. Dean
But nobody interprets the Bible literally
nowadays"
Mrs. Graham took her departure, acknowl
edging within herself that her errand was
failure and Mrs Dean, left to herself al
last, INDUCED in nap, with the knitting
work in her lap-anap wherein she dreamed
that the ffty-dollar bill had taken to itsel
legs and was running away from crowd o.
pursuers, herself among the number.
When she walked up, reused by the nois,
OF coal being poured upon the stove, a candl,
was burning, and Mr.. Dean was laughing a
her.
"Why, Betsey," said he, al thought yo,
never were going to wake again Here yo,
sat, with the fire dead out, aud I've had t,
kindle it up again"
"Bless mel" said Mrs. Dean, al mus
have been asleep quite a while. But "a
she started up she saw that the old wall
pocket opposite was empty" where is tina
old number of the Clinkervile Clarion 2"
ut was last weeks paper" said Mr.. Dean
calmly. We had both of us read it, so
just took it to kndle the fire."
"You burned it up2"
Yes" said Mr.. Dean 81 burned it w
Why shouldn't 7"
For half an hour, Mrs. Dean sat silent an
never spoke word. And her first utteranc
was:
ats the Lords judgment upon mel"
Mrs Dean was resolute woman, full {
character. She went to her table-drawe
took out a sheet of paper, and wrote |