The Owosso times., 1881-11-04
THE FIFTY DOLLAR BILL.

/ lhE II 1T L UOnhhO D1uns
Mrs. Dean sat alone in her little
kitchen. She never used her parlor
There was the extravaganza of an ex.
ira fire to be considered fact that
the best rag carpet, woven by her own
skillful hands must not be worn out
too recklessly, the dread possibility of
sunshine fading out these chair covers.
Mrs. Dean was an economist. She be-
lieved 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 COM
fOrtably 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 kindling
wood, piled up there in well-seasoned
logs.
She was a little, wrinkle-faced wo-
man Of fifty, with stiff ribbon bows to
her cap, hair that seemed dried up in
stead of silvered, and keen blue eyes
that twinkled as if they had discovered
the secret of perpetual motion. To
save money was her chief end and aim
in life. The very mittens she was knit
ting were to be sold at the village store
in exchange for tea, sugar, spices and
all necessary groceries. "A penny saved
is as good as a penny earned, was the
golden rule by which she shaped her
life.
Tm glad 1 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, there's the
danger of burglars-though, to be sure,
no burglar she added, with a. compla-
cent inward chuckle, would ever think
of looking in the folds of the old Clink-
erville Clarion newspaper in the wall
pocket on 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 kn3ck at
the door, and in came old DIR. Bridg-
man, rubicund 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, Mrs. Dean, good dayp
said he, No, thank you; 1 can't sit
down. I'm deal too busy for that.
But 1 heard yesterday that you took
fifty dollars ont of the savings bankp'
Yes said Mrs. Dean, her face invol-
unfairly hardening, Il didp
we are taking up a subscription to
get little lame Dick Bodley a cart and
donkey, so that he can 60 around ped
ding tinware, said the doctor. It's
pretty hard for any one afflicted as he
is to get along, and if you can help us
a little
But I can't in.erposed Mrs. Dean
breathlessly. The money wa, an in
vestment. 1 don't propose to cut it up
into little bits
rs a deed of charity, Mrs. Dean,
said the good old man, ito help lame
Dick Bodley.'
Il dare say said Mrs. Dean, little
irritably. But 1 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 therep' thought
Mrs. Dean.
But she said nothing, only 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 requires payment in ad-
vance by the month, and unfortunately
we have used up all our slender means
i'm providing my outfit. A teacher,
you know, must be dressed decently to
command the respect of her pupils.
But if you would kindly lend me ten
dollars
4 never lend, said Mrs. Dean, curtly.
4 will be sure to pay it up when /
receive my first quarters salary plead
ed Helen. And don't know Of any
one else to go to-
It's altogether against my principles,
said Mrs. Dean, with her face as hard
as il it had been carved out of hick-
ory.
Helen Hurst crept out, feeling hu-
inflated and disappointed beyond all
expression.
Mrs. Dean chuckled at her own
shrewdness; but she hardly had time
to stir up the apples in the saucepan, be-
fore Mrs, Graham entered with little