Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-06-02
COUSIN SHADRACH's WILL

'' Are you my aunt Dorcas 2"
Mrs. Torrance had been entertaining a
quilting bee that afternoon, and she had
got the frame out OF the way, the dishes
washed up, and the apartments generally
'tidied, when there came meek tap at
the door, and there in the yellow April
twilight stood a small figure in gray tray
cling shawl and holding bag
Sakes alive = said Mrs. Torrance,
" Who be you ?"
Il am Emily, said the girl. "Please
let me in, for / am tired and cold. I've
walked all the way from the station, and
I've had nothing to eat since noon"
"Well, l never !" said Mrs. Torrance.
4" You're the city school ma'am, amt you,
as went out to live with cousin Shadraeh !?
And he's dead, and the money has all gone
to the Baptist widow and orphan fund?
You didn't make much by that move, did
Won ? And you've come back to us now,
though we wasn't stylish enough for you
before. Well, come In, come in.
And Mrs. florence, who was essentially
> kind. hearted woman, albeit she could not
repress the sneer that rose to her lips,
moved the low rocker to the fire and flung
another log on the andirons.
Cousin Shadrach had been the family
apple OF discord ever since they could re-
member. He was rich, he was eccentric,
he was Grabbed. He had shut the door
IN the face of all his relations, until, toward
the last, sick and feeble, he had signifsd
mis- desire that Emily Alden should come
and take care of him. And Emily had
gone.
There had been spice of jealousy in the
family as regards Emily for long time.
Emily had baen looked upon as "proud"
and "stuck mp, F" because, instead of enter.
ing factory, or learning the dressmaker's
trade, she had elected to be a teacher. She
had never visited Job Torrance's family
until now-now that cousin Shadrach had
willed his money to the Baptist widows
and orphans-her own mother was dead,
and her step-father, pompous old whole
sale grocer objected to step-children, 30
that there seemed to be no other haven of
refuge left to her.
Who could blame Mrs. Torrance for
momentary feeling of triumph when Emily
Alden came thus to her doOr-stone in the
twilight of that April day.
But she helped her off with her things,
made cup Of tea for her, and finally es-
corted her 20 little room under the roof
tree, where the floor was covered with
home made rag carpet, and the bed was
decorated with a rainbow Jobs troubles"
quilt, and you could look out Of the win
dow into a greening meadow, where a
whip-poor. planted its melancholy re-
frain.
81 hope you will sleep well, " said Mrs.
Torrance. Sc We eat breakfast at o'clock"
Aud then she went away.
Early as was the breakfast hour, Emily
was awake at least an hour before it. As
If the tumultuous glee of the robins and
blue-birds in the old orchard would per-
init any one to sleep. And as she lay with
her cheek against the pillow, watching the
rosy dawn-Gght creep up the wall, she
heard the sound of voices in the meadow
below her easement.
what is she like, mother e said Job,
Jr, who was milking.
"0h, she looks well enough, Mrs. Tor
rance carelessly responded. Little and
dark, with big shady eyes and real Tor
rance mouth. Doesn't talk great deal,
and dressed shabby, as one might expect.
Poor thing, said Job, pityingly.
"Well, F" said Mrs. Torrance, sharply, Il
can't say but what think she deserves al
she's got. Them Aldens always were as
proud as Lucifer."
You'll keep her, mother, of course?"
81 suppose so, said Mrs. Torrance. :" l
don't suppose she's got any where else to
60"
There was no more delicious doing for
Emily now. she rose hurriedly, dressed
herself aud came down stairs.
''Aunt DOrcss, F" she said, as she encount-
cred that lady frying ham and eggs over
the kitchen fire, what is there in this
neighborhood for woman to do ?"
''Eh ?" said Mrs. Torrance in surprise.
ITO earn my living / mean ?" exclaimed
Emily. sis the district school supplied
with teacher Z"
Mrs. Torrance nodded as she placed the
slice of friszling ham on blne-edged plate,
and arranged the eggs in golden spheres
above.
Is there factory hereabouts q pur-
sued Emily.
USED to be, said Mrs. Torrance. "but
they failed, and it's been shut up for ten
months.
DO you know any one who wants q
girl = pursued the city cousin.
Mrs. Torrance set the coffee pot on the
table, blew the horn for Job, and then re-
sponded to her niece's query by counter
question.
- w ny uou Z You stay mere
- Because, said Emily, with spirit, I" /
want to earn my own living.
"Weli, you can earn it here, can't you
| was calculating to hire girl this spring,
and if you'll work honestly for 1t III give
you she So month l was going to pay for
hired help.
Emily's pale face frightened.
"a should like that, she SAID. And
IL ~
flushed, his curls yet wet from the spring
into which be had dipped them, and sprig
of trailing arbutus pinned onto his coat,
and spoke frank welcome to the young
girl whom he had never seen before.
$50, cousin Shadrach Seeley is dead,
he said.
"Yes," said Emily, quietly.
ibid you ike him :"
"No. confessed the girl. "He was
cross and surly, and had no sympathy with
anybody. Bat l tried to be kind to him,
and he kissed me once before he died, and
said had been good girl.
And then went and left his money to
the refuge for Baptist widows and or
phaus y said Mrs. Torrance. That's
cousin Shadrach all over"
"He had right to do as he pleased with
his money, eAio EMMY iAAns sAon AIIs-
ing TO her cheeks.
ssWell, its aIl over and gone. There's no
use of talking about it now.
And she sighed softly to think how many
of hfe's hard angles might have been
avoided in the future, if only cousin Shad
rach had been less interested IN the baptist
widows and orphans.
At the end of month Mrs. Torrance
was forced to acknowledge that Emily had
well earned her Sc 8 month and board.
The girl had about her that wonderful
magnetic power which philosophers dub
executive ability" and New England
house.keepers call "fsculsy. She was
natural cook-she did things without seem'
ing to take any trouble st all.