The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-10-20
COUSIN SHADRACH'S WILL.
care you my aunt Dorcas?"

care you my aunt DorcasT
Mrs. Torrance had been entertaining
a quilting bee that afternoon, and she
had got the frame ont of the way, the
dishes washed up, and the apartments
generally "tidied," when there came a
meek tap at the door, and there in the
yellow April twilight stood IA small fig
ure in gray tray cling shawl, and hold
ing Il bag.
"Sakcs alive!" said Mrs. Torrance.
who be you?"
81 am Emily" said the girl. "P,ease c
let nc in, for am tired and cold. I've
walked all the way from the station,
and I've had nothing to eat since
noon"
"Wcll, | ncvcr!" said Mis-. Torrance
"You'rc the city schoolm a'am, amt you
as went ont TO live with cousin Shad
rach? And he is dead, and the money
has all gone TO the Baptist widow ant
by that move, did you? And you'v,
come back to us now, though we wasn'
stylish enough for you before. Well
come in, come in"
And Mrs. Torrance, who was essen
TALLY a kindhearted woman, albeit SIN
could not rcpress the sneer that rose {,
her lips, moved the low rocker TO tn
fire and flung another log on the and
irons.
Cousin Shadrack had been the famil
apple of discord ever since they coul
remember. lie was rich, he was ecccn
trio, he was Grabbed. lie had shut III
door III the faces of all his relations, III
til, toward the last, sick and feeble, h
had signiiicd bis desire that Emily A
den should come and take care of him
And Emily had gone.
There had been spice of jealousy /
The family as regarded Emii,' -
,iuc. Emlly had been looked upon a
"proud" ard "stuck up" because, il
slcad of entering factory, or learnin
the drcssmrker's trade, she had electe
to be a teacher. She had never visile
,IoA Torrancc's family until now-noy
that cousin Shadrach had willed hi
money TO the Baptist widows and OIL
| phans-her own mother was dead, an
her stcp-faiher, pompous old whole
sale grocer objected TO step-children
so that there seemed TO be no other ha
ven of refuge left to her.
U'ho could blame Mrs. Torrance 70
momentary feeling of triumph whel
Emily Alden came TINS TO her door
stone in the twilight of that April day
But she helped her of with he
things, made a cup of tea for her, an,
finally escorted her TO a little room un
der the roof.trce where the floor wa
covered with homemade rag carpet
and the bed was decorated with rain
bow "Job's troubles" quilt, and yol
could look ont of the window into
greening meadow, where a whip-poor
will planted its melancholy refrain.
81 hope you will sleep WE'LL" sait
Mrs Torrance. eve cat breakfast al
O'Clock"
And then she went away.
Early as was the breakfa hour, Emf
ly was awake at least an hour before it
As if the tumultuous glce of the robin
and blue birds in the old orchard woul
permit anyone II sleep! And as sh
lay with her check against the pillow
watching the rosy dawn-light creep u
the wall, she heard the sound of voice
in the meadow below her easement.
"What is she like, MOTHER" sal
Job, jr., who was milking.
"Oh she looks well enough" Mr.
Torrance carelessly responded. "Littl
and dark, with big shady eyes and
real Torrance mouth. Doesn't talk
great deal, and dresses shabby, as Oh
might expect"
"Poor thing" said Job, pityingly.
"Well," said Mrs. Torrance, SHARPLY
81 can't say but what think she d.
serves all she's got. Them Aldens a
ways was as proud as Luciier."
"You'll keep her, mother, of course,
al suppose So" said Mrs. Torranc
don't suppose she's got anywhere ell
TO co."
n AIs 4.