The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-02-18
A PECULIAR WOMAN.

"Ketch hold, Tom. There I declare
If you amt spilled about a quart 1
knew you would get it too full"
81 didn't spill more than ten drops,
Cousin Silence. How you worry over
the loss OF a little grease"
cts one of my principles to save, as
you might a learned long ago."
~ believe i'll prudence; but what's
few drops of lard more or less on this
farm, and nobody knows how much in
bank? You skimp and screw as If you
think there were danger OF your getting
on the town."
"Well, you are the frankest young
man L ever saw" and Silence Withers
put her arms akimbo and gazed at her
young cousin, Tom Lowey, as if he
was curiosity escaped from some mu-
scum.
"Yes; I was always noted for my
sfrankness, said Tom, coolly, "and 1
never hesitate to speak my mind when
duty urges. However, l don't want to
hurt your feelings, Cousin Silence"
"No danger" said Miss Silence, with
a laugh of derision. 81 am no spring
chicken, an my feelin's have grown
tough. But the idea of your duty urgin'
you to speak your mind to me! Perhaps
you don't recollect the whippin's used
to give you"
81 haven't forgotten" laughed Tom.
"You used to make me do my duty in
those days. But l wish could convince
you that it would be only Christian act
for you to send little help to Mrs Bald
win. You wouldn't feel the spending of
$50 out of your $50, 600"
"Massy sakes 1t seems rs if other
folks know more about my business than
1 do myself. Fifty thousand Law!
Who SAID I was worth that much ?"
"Oh, it's common talk, replied Tom.
"Well, it won't do you any good to
talk. You'll never see the color of my
money after I'm dead and gone. I've
made my will and. since plain speak
in pleases you, I'll make free to
say you amt mentioned in it. So,
there 70
81 calculate to take care of myself"
said Tom. fitting the chair against the
wall. "Leave your money wherever
YOU choose don't want it.
"The day may come when you will
sorry for sayin' them words. I'll ne
member 'em; so will You when your
pride has its fall. There's plenty of
things l can leave my money to; it won't
go begging"
4" guess not.
YOU'D more'n guess if you were to
live here spell and see the stream of
visitors have. There amt day but 1
get nagged about my money by some
body. Deacon Bonney thinks it's his
bounden duty to advise me to leave it to
found an orphans home. Old Mr..
Craig wants it left to Wolfboro Acad-
envy; Squire Darby has his mind on it
for public library, and the minister
thinks l ought to remember what
debts on the church. To hear 'em talk
you'd think / had one foot In the grave.
don't give none o 'em any satisfaction,
and then they say I'm peculiar. Well,
perhaps / am but don't see no posi-
bility of any change in my natur'."
Tom laughed. He was spending
couple of hours at the farm, which had
been his only home until he began to
" scratch for himself" to use his gaunt
cousins expression. Now he never left
more than day or two pass without
looking in ON the lone spinster to see if
he could give her any help, and to-day
he was making himself useful in lifting
jars and boilers of hot grease on and off
the stove, for Miss Silence was trying
out lard.
- 1 never promise what 1 don't mean
to perform, was the characteristic an
swer he received to his pleading. "Mar-
tina Baldwin and me amt been on speak
in terms for these five years, and I'd be
maxim myself pretty small to send her
Christmas presents. I'd soon be on the
town if | began to help all the poor folk
you know. 1t pears to me you take a
mighty deep interest in them Baldwins
Tom. Melissa Bonney let out hint
that you was sparkin' that Prissy Car
roll"
81 wish Melissa Bonney would mind
her own business"
"Don't get. riled. dare say it's true.
'Twould be like You to court gal with
out penny, because you've not u pen
ny yourself Prissy G TROLLS been raised
out of charity by her aunt"
"That don't make her less lovable,
Cousin Silense."
Now, Tom Lowey," said Miss ST.
lence, brandishing the big iron spoon
with which she stirred the lard, "aon't
Iluhe ~ lOOl VI NOuTSeu OVER pretty
face. Butter your bread before you eat
it. There's Melissa Bonney, whose
fathers worth"
"That's enough" interrupted Tom,
and, before Miss Silence could stop him,
he was out of the kitchen door and
walked briskly down to the gate.
Law stkes what peculiar creatures
men are ! Talk of bein' peculiar why,
I amt circumstance to that Tom
Lowey. He'll marry that Prissy Car
roll now, If it's only to show me he
didn't care for my money" And,
with sigh, Miss Silence went back to
her lard.
"Christmas gift, indeed I" she NUT
tered, sitter standing for some time in
deep thought; CT think L see myself
eating humble pie to Martha Baldwin"
But, somehow or other, her conscience
did not feel quite so easy as it had felt
before Toms call.