The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-12-01
THE MISER'S INHERITANCE.

Miss Sammls was Inc OHIJ NuuShttl
of the person so inevitably called Old
Sammis, in his native town, that no one
called him by any other name, and UNI
ill his will was read, the fact that ne
had been chrstcned OctaviuS Cicero
Sammis was actually unknown tomany.
However, he had actually not lived
rs many years rs some who had not
been thought Of yet rs more than mid
dle-aged,
It was his manner his long nose, and
sharp chin. the wrinkles in his fore
head, and the sparse greyish hair that
rave him the reputation Of age, and ms
vices had not been those OF young men,
even ut iiye-and-twenty.
A prudent. saving boy, he had gone
Oh to be stingy young fellow and 4
misery elderly man
His long, straight brown coat, hi:
shabby ,toyc-pipc hat, his wrinkled
boots. and III, trowscr>, which, always
TOO LONG and full for him, fell over them
in many wrinkles, seemed always TO be
the same, and he had worn one glove
Tor five years having lost It's mate three
Years after its purchase.
When his poor wife was i'll the doc
tor had ordered wine aud bcei-tca, but
he had rcmouS rated;
"1cei-;ca uses up $50 murh meat ami
wine l. VERY dear and 4 bed habit al
SO, my love. Don't you think you could
take nice little piece Of fried pork and
some old cider ins'ead?'
The poor woman had answered that
she would cry But after she had
tried week even Old Sammis said
that something must be done.
He bought the wine and the beef,
but before the tea was made she was
past swallowing.
Her daughter came home from her
uncle then and cried over what the
neighbors told her, but did not say. to
her father what she intended 10 say;
for in 90 NJ down stairs t. hide, in the
cellar. the bottle Of wine his wife had
left as full as when it came into the
house, Old Sammis tl'ipped and fell,
the bottle broke and cut his arm, and
erysipclaS set in, OF which he died, and
the GIRL who had washed dishes in her
uncle's Kitchen to save her keep, found
herself worth half n million.
She was q small, thin girl; She stoop-
ed u good deal, and her nose and chin
nearly met; but she was nca. and prim,
and as soon rs the power was hers she
furnished the old house dccontly and
hired II servant.
She might have cut dash and be-
come 3 fashionable woman, but the
thought did not occur to her.
She iclJ happy when She thought of
the money that belonged to her, and
she could not bear 10 part with much
of it. She was not even able to bring
herself to the point of buying black
silk dress for her aunt, who needed one
sadly.
Two or three hundred dollars would
have filled II trunk over which those
poor little shabby cousins would have
danced with Joy; but she could not
do il.
She could not have denied anyone
food and medicine, or fire, or light, or
anything nccdful under her own roof,
as her father had denied her mother,
for she was only twenty-onc and wo-
man; but she had the old mans blood
in her veins, and the miser's craving
lurkcd in her soul.
SO the interest Of her money was
slowly added to the principal. and she
grew richer slowly but surely.
However, she was not yet Il miscr,
and when certain things in the way of
table-linen were wanted, she went down
to the city to buy them, and to make a
call or two as well, and was hurrying
up Broadway from the ferry, when Just
as she passed Trinity Church man
touched her on the arm, and said
Beg your pardon lady, but haven't
YOU lost a twcnty-dollar gold piecc?'
Now Miss Sammis knew well enough
that she had no gold whatever with her
but she heSitated before saying no.
I'm not sure. | must look she |
said, feeling for her portemonnaie.
II think seen it drop outin your
pocket when YOU took out your hand |
kerchief,' said the man.
Satin got the better of Miss Sammis. |
Then | must have lost il, she said.
Yes, lady; and it's honest of me to
pick it up for you. ain it, when might
"a kept it?' said the young man. hold |
ing out the money. "And YOU hadn't
oughter begrudge me dollar to get
meals victuals with, had you, jest as a
reward for honesty and to encourage
me?" whiaed the young man.
well, no, think | ought to give
you something, " said the miser's dauph
ter. 81 was thinking of a quarter.
but-"-she looked into her purse. and
slowly took out a dollar bill ..but
there!' she added with thrill of gen
crosby. There
The young man seized the money,
said Thanks to YOU" and vanished
around corner; and Miss Sammis,
with the Joy of one who has drawn a
prize in the lottery, hurried to the shop
where she intended to purchase her
table linen, made her selections, and
offered the twenty-dollar gold piece.