Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1881-12-13
MIS- scEILAH E 0 US.
THE PIFTY-DOLLAR BILL.

l.
SASRS. DEAN sat alone iu her little kitch>
SSsse en-. She never used her parlor. There
was the extravaganza of nu extra fire to be
coDsideTed-the fact that the best rag Garnet
woven By her own skillful hands, must not
be worn out to" reOkiessly, tho dread possi-
bilty of sunshine fading out those chair
eovors Mrs Dean was an economist. She
believed in making everything last as long as
| it possibly could. So she made the kitchen
! her headquarters. and sat there knitting.
with her feet comfortably balanced on the
stone hearth. the saucepan of apples bub.
bling softly away at the back, aud the sound
OF her husbands ax ringing from tho back
shed as he cut and split tho kindline wood.
piled up there in wel-sessoned logs.
| She was a little, wrinkle. faced woman of
fifty, with stiff ribbon hows to her cap. hair
that seemed dried up instead of silvered and
keen blue eyes that twink led as if thev had
discovered the secret of perpetual motion To
save money was her chief end and attn in
life. The very mittens she was knitting
were to he sold at tho village store in ex.
change for tea, sugar, spices and all such
necessary groceries, "a penny saved is as
good as penny earned" was the golden rule
by which she shaped her life.
''I'm glad took tho money ont of the
savings bank yesterday" snid Mrs Dean to
herself as the bright needles clicked mcrri,
| ly away. People say it isn't quito safe, and
ono can't be. too careful. But then, again.
there's the danger of burglars-though, to be
sure, DO burglar" she added with compla-
cent inward chucklo. '"wouiG sysr :hink of
looking IN the folds of the old Clinkerville
newspaper in the wall pocket on the wall.
It's the buresu drawers and the looked up
chests that thoy aim for. A fEty>doIlor bill
clean, crisp, new fGty-dollar hill ! and all
savings out of the house money"
lust thcn there sounded a knock at the
door, and in Game old De- Bridgman. rubi-
cund with tho touch OF the March wind and
mufiod up iu the furs of tho wild animals
which from time to time he himself had
shot.
Good day, Mrs. Dean, good day ~ said he.
"Have a chair. Doctor, and stay awhile,
can't YOU said Mrs. Dean.
mo, thank you emit sit down. I am
really too busy for that But I heard that
| you took fifty dollars out of the savings
bank"
eyes" said Mrs Dean. her face inyoIun>
tarily hardening, II did"
well. vo are taking up n subscription to
| get little lame Dick Bodloy a cart and DON
key, so that he can go sround peddling tin
ware, said the Doctor. ''It's pretty hard
for any one afflicted as he is to get along, and
| if you can help IA little"
"But 1 can't" interposed Mrs. Dcau,
breathlessly. "The money was an invest
ment: ] don't propose to cut it up into lit
tic hits"
''It's deed of charity, Mrs Dean !" said
the good man. "to help lame Dick Bodlcy."
81 dare saw" said Mrs. Dean. very irrita-
bly,. ''But never pretended to be a chari>
BILE chsrscter"
The old doctor went away, aud the next
visitor was HOen Hurst. rosy girl of
eighteen.
| Excuse me for interruptiug you, Mrs
! Dean, said she. ''but Larry johnson was at
the bank yesterday, aud he tells me that you
drew out your money"
"Was all creation therc!" thought Mrs
! Dean
But she said nothing, only knit away uu>
til her needles seemed TO glance and glitter
ike so many points of FIRE.
81 trying TO get boarding place at
| Mrs. Swipcs'." added He'su, coIoriny, $50
! as to be near tho district school, where am
to teach this spring. But Mrs Swipcs re-
quires payment in advance by the month.
and unfortunately VIC have used I'D all our
slender meaus in providing my outfit. A
| teacher, you know. must be dressed 1ecently
to command tine respect of her pupils Bot
if you would kindly lend ,ne ten dollars"
81 never lend, said Mrs Dean. curtly.
81 will be sure to pay it back when | re,
ceiVe my first quarters ralary," pleaded
Helen. "Aud don't know Of any one else
to go to-"
Its altogether against my principles. -
said Mrs. Dean. with her face as hard as if il
had been carved ont of hickory
Helen Hurst crept out, feeling bumiliateG
and disappointed beyond expression.
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 leather covered memo
randum> book and pencil.
81 am looking for charitable people, Mrs
Dean. said the 'Squire's wife. with laugh
'Theu you've come to the wrong place,
said Mrs Dean. frigidIy.
Poor Patrick O. Hara was killed yester
day, in the machinery of the rolling mill.
said Mrs. Graham, ignoring her neighbor'
response. "He has left wife and eigh
children, totally destitute"
F'And whose fault is that ?" said Mrs
Dean.
Twill you 20. contribute something tOwar'
relieving their destitute condition 2" urge