Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1881-01-05


ian of her only daughter, girl o
eighteen. 4 couple of housand dol
lars was all the property that the wild
ow Elridge had to give her child, fo
they had both worked hard for theil
living after the husband and father lef
them, and this money was the price o
the farm which had been sold at hi,
death. 1t was something to get So
much cash into his own hands, and the
deacon accordingly v wrote at once t.
Mabel and offered her home in hi:
house, intimating that the interest o
her money not being enough to boart
and clothe her, he would, out of family
affection, supply these necessities fol
that inadequate sum, if she was will
ing to help a little about the house
Mabel was friendless enough to GRASP
| eagerly this hope of a home, and very
soon the stage stopped at Deacon
Flint's door, and a new inmate entered
! his house.
Mabel Elridge was a capable, spirit.
ed, handsome girl, and before she had
been week in the Flint family under.
stood her position, and resolved only
to endure it till something better could
be found In ber heart she pitied Aunt
Flint, as she called her, as much as she
detested the deacon, and her fresh girl
ish heart fairly ached with compassion
and indignation over the poor woman.
But she was a great comfort and help
while she staid, and though she made
that stay as short as possible, and ut.
terly refused to give up her savings
bank book to the deacon, who was un
able legally to claim it, since her
mother left no will, having only asked
him, i'll letter written just before her
death. to act as Mabel's guardian Her
three months sojourn in the house
made her thoroughly aware of Deacon
Flint's character and his wife's suffer
i gs. She could not blame Mrs Flint
that she snapped back at the deacon's
snarls, or complained long and bitterly
of her wants and distresses.
You don't know nothing what It is.
Mabell' she said one day, sobbing bit
terly. Pm put upon so hard. | want
for clothes, aud for vittles, and for
some time to rest, so's't | don't know
but what twill clean kill me and if
;twa'n't for the children, I'd wish to
die; but | do cleave to them amaz-
ingly.'
Indignar tears filled Mabel's eyes.
i don't know how you bear it aunty,
she said, putting her arms about the
old lady's neck. Can't you get away
from him anyhow p
L could, but | suppose | hadn't
ought to. There's a house on my farm
that amt goin' to be in use come next
April Hiram Smith. him that's rent
ed 1t along back, wants some repairin'
done ont, and Mr. Flint won't hear
tot, SO Hi he s been and gone and
bought "a piece of ground acrost the
road, an put up "a buildin' FOR himself.
He's got a long lease of the land but
he don't want the house no more and
he won't pay .or't. | s'pose | might
move there for spell and have some
peace; there's enough old furnitoor
luCit UudO was ldtDCl DuI bnCu
do suppose | haven't no right to
leave my husband
Haven't you got any right to save
your life?' Indignantly asked Mabel.
1t ha'n't come to that, not quite,
said Mrs Flint, sadly.
But before April she began to think
it was a matter of life and death to
stay ny longer with the man. Mabel
had left her some months before, and
gone into the family of Sam Pratt's
mother, in Colebrook, promising her
aunt that if ever the time came when
she needed her in another home, she
would come and take care of her.
Toward the middle of February
Mrs. Flint was seized with congestion
Of the lungs, and was very i'll indeed.
A fear of public opinion made Deacon
Flint send for the doctor but nothing
could induce him to let nurse enter
the house, or even to send for Mind
well Pratt He was able to do for his
wife, he said, and nobody could inter-
fere
1t was the depth of winter, and the
communication between Basset and
Colebrook was not frequent in the best
weather, neither place being dependent
on the other for supplies and now the
roads were blocked with heavy drifts,
and the inhabitants of both places had
hibernated, as New Englande S must
in winter. 1t was matter of congrat-
ulation with Deacon Flint that he had
no outdoor work to DO just now, and
so was spared the expense of woman
to care for his wife he could do it, too,
more economically than nurse it did
not matter to him that the cruel was
lumpv, or burned, or served without
havoring; sick folks, particularly with
serious sickness, ought not to pamper
tn, fesh-their souls were the things
to be considered he did not want to
have Sarepta die, for she had an in
come that helped much, but he did not
want her to be bill of expense, as he
phrased it, so while he read the Bible
to her twice "A day and prayed to, or
rather at, her by the hoIr he fed her
on sloppy cruel and hard bread, sage
tea and cold toast without butter, anu
just kept life Pickering within her till
she could get about and help herself
unknown to him to draughts of fresh
milk, and now and then a raw egg.
But she did not get well she was
feeble and wasted a long time; the
village Doctor knowing what Deacon
Flint was, and filed with pity for his
wife, called often, carefully st, ting that
his visits were those of friend, but
urging also that Mrs Flint should
have generous diet, and glass OF
wine daily, to restore her strength.
The deacon heard him through in ST.
lence, and when he left began to grOwl
We'll, fools amt all dead yet. Wine
| guess not good drink o. thorough
| wort teas wuth all the wine in crea