The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1883-05-15
Selert Stu1y.
THE BURNED WILL.

lAG DVRNGO w ILL.,
81 believe they're poor as poison"
said Mrs. Stare glancing across to where
her opposite neighbor, Miss Fame, stood
tending her plants; "it's PITY that old
harridan wouldn't'give NJ the ghost and
leave 'em something handsome. But
you see she cut 'em off so to speak,
when Mrs Fame married. She was Mrs.
Fane's half aunt and had brought her
up, though I've heard say she had to
earn everything she had, and more too,
waiting upon the whims Of her aunt,
Miss ParIott; bnt when it-came to mar
riage she'took her owB advice and gave
up Squire Snow and his fortune and
took up poor little Fame, the artist, who
was always just going to surprise
the world with some maaierpiece, bu'
who didn't earn his salt-which surpris.
ed nobody. Blu, the whirligig of time
brings in his revenges,' I've heard; and
after Miss Parrott had given Fame up to
poverty and hardship, and pampered her
other nieces and given them her eye
teeth, what do they up and o.when they
end she's in for the smallpox caught on
journey, but just leave her and the
house to go to destruction together2 y
course Ms. Fame steps in and takes care
of her and carries the disease home to
Miss Carrie. who loses her good looks
by that means I say it's an unfortunate
family. Miss Parrott never got fairly
over 1t, they tell me; you see. it left ber
sort of broken, and she finally took to
her bed for good. and Mrs. Fame had to
bring her home, for she was neglected
and snuhbed nv her own servants in her
own house And how they lived heaven
knows. The old lady's got monev
enough to spare hut precious little does
Mrs Fame see of it. Miss Parrott pays
eight dollars week for board and at
tendance and what not pays it grndg-
iugly, and tells 'em they make money at
that, and they'll have to answer for taxi
ing advantage Of a poor Old woman's
necessities. But rm'hoping she'll leave
'em something handsome yet, unless
she's got heart of stone"
"She is very feeble." said DR.. Ers,is
Gilber, with his eyes on their neighbor's e
window, land very irritable. Miss Car.
rie is a martyr to the cause
Yes, and how pale and hslf-starved
she Iooks!" returned his lsndlady. III
don't believe they have enough to eat ;
how can they Il stands to reason. I've
seen MISS Carrie buying half a pound OF
steak at the butchers time and again ;
how far would that go, prav2 You nav
RELY upon it, it was for the old lady's
dinner; my cook tells me the rest of 'em
lives on mush and milk Pretty stuff for
Miss Carrie to teach on all day and watch
on sll night! And just look at her own,
Or. Gilbert, il ever you notice such
thirgs; some menfolks don't; and all the
pleasure she has she gets from the hand
ful of houseplants there. Does anybody
ever see her at concert or matinee, I'd
like to know2 I've noticed that the very
clothes on the line were patched and I'm
not one who looks after my neighboIs'
affsirs very sharply neither"
Lost all her good looks, aaa she ?"
thought Dr.. Gilbert. his eyes still wan
dering toward his young nelghbor. ash"
certainly is thin as shadow and pale a.
a spirit" be confessed aloud.
IF Miss Carrie had somebody to CO.'S
set and care. for. her, and lived at her
ease, with no harrassments and nagging
che Wouldn't be 50 ALFRED plain TO nv
or blue and pinched looking"
continued Mrs. S'are. 81 sometimes
long to ask her in for good square
meal; but Lor'! they're proud rs Lucifer
-poor folks mostly are, You see-snd
1t would break their hearts 10 know any
body suspected they were needy. ] did
send in some pie plant once, just after
moved into the neighborhood III was the
first of the season, grown in my own
garden. They we're much obliged you
know and all that. in proper way, but
] saw old Beckett, who takes the swill in
this street, csrry i, off in bis pail week
later, and reckonei they couldn't afford
the sweetening for it." ~
From whom was Miss Parrotts
money inherited? ?'' asked DR. Gilbert,
idly She didn't make it, suspect"
"Bless you! from her own father, to
be sure; and there's the sin of it. Wasn't
he Mrs. Fsne's mothers father, too, I'd
like to ask ? and why doesn't she have
her sbare7 I've nc patience with folks
who keep means that doesn't belong TO
'em, even If it is left 'em in somebody's
will made out of spite. You see, old
lady Parro,t and Mrs. Fane's mother
were half.sis,ers; she had other sisters
on her mothers side, Miss Parrott had,
end the nleces who left her to the mercy
of the smallpox are their daughters and
ten to one tbev'll have the property in
stead OF the Fares, though il all came
by wav of Mrs. Fane's own grandfather,
Grandfather Parrott. They say he was
crusty old fellow, and took offense
with his daughters husband, Mrs. Fane's
father, and never got over it, bot dis
owned the whole kit of 'em, and left all
the money to his eldest daughter, that
old virago over yonder. But when her
sister died q poor widow Miss Parrott
took her only child, that is Mrs. Fame,
and brought her up, as I told you
Wasn't it cruel p
"Cruel enough said Dr. Gilbert; shut
Of course she will make it all right in her
will 3"
"Perhaps so. if her old heart isn't
hardened like Paaraoh's. II we're in
your place, Dr.. Gilbert, I'd give her a
hint."
ut doesn't seem TO be my business to
"I,'s everybody's business to help the
widow and fatherless. Speaking Of an
gels, there she is now-Miss Csrrie, !
mean. They wan you I guess; the old
lsdy's got an III turn; she's always
breathing her last and frightening them
half to death. just you notice her poor
little hands; they are all chapped, and
You can almost see through 'em."
DR. Gilbert did more than notice them
when be met her in the ball he held one
of them in bis own broad palm where j
trembled moment. It seemed to him
inst then that he would like to keep il
longer, but she drew it away gently and
he followed her to the bedside Of Mis-;
Parrott and prescribed a COMPOSING