Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-03-06
THE NIsER's INHERITANCE.

called him by any other name, and un-
I'll his will was read, the fact that he
had been christened Octayius Cicero
Sammis was actually unknown TO many.
However, he had actually not lived
rs many years as some who had not
been thought of yet as more than mid
dle-aged.
II was his manner, his long nose. and
sharp chin, the wrinkles in his fore
head. and the sparse greyish hair that
gave him the reputation of age, and his
vices had not been those Of young men,
even at five-and-twenty.
A prudent. saving boy, he had gone
ON to be a stingy young fellow and a
miserly elderly man.
His long. straight brown coat, his
shabby stove-pipe hat, his wrinkled
boots, and the trowserS, 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
for five years, having lost its mate three
years after its purchase.
When his poor wife was i'll the doc
tor had ordered wine and beef-tea, but
be had demonstrated:
''Beef-tea uses up so much meat, and
wine is very dear--and bad habit al
so, my love. Don't you think you could
take nice little piece of fried pork and
some old cider instead?"
The poor woman had answered that
she would "try.n But after she had
d 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's then and cried over what the
neighbors told her, but did not say to
: her father what she intended to say;
for in going down stairs to hide, in the
cellar, the bottle of wine his wife had
left as full as when II came into the
house, Old Sammis trippcd and fell.
the bottle broke and cut his arm, and
erysipelas 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 million.
. She was small, thin girl; she stoop-
ed good deal, and her nose and chin
nearly met; but she was neat and prim,
and as soon AS the power was hers she
furnished the old house decently and
hired servant
She might have cut dash and be-
come fashionable woman, but the
thought did not occur to her.
She felt happy when she thought of
the money that belonged to her, and
she could not bear to part with much
OF It. She was not even able 20 bring
herself to the point of buying black
silk dress for her aunt, who needed ono
sadly.
Two or three hundred dollars would
have filled trunk over which those
poor little shabby cousins would have
danced with joy; but she could not
do 1t.
She could not have denied anyone
food and medicine, or fire, or light, or
anything needful under her own roof,
as her father had denied her mother,
tor she was only twenty-one and wo-
man; but she had the old mans blood
in her veins, and the miser's craving
lurked 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 q miser,
and when certain things in the way of
table-linen were wanted, she went down
to the city to buy them, and to make u
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 twenty-dollar gold piecep'
Now Miss Sammis knew well enough
that she had no gold whatever with her
but she hesitated before saying no.
I'm not sure. l must look" she
said, feeling for her portemonnaie.
Z II think / seen it drop outin your
pocket when You took out your hand
said the man.
Satin got the better of Miss Sammis.
'"Then ] must have lost it, she said.
eyes, lady; and it's honest of me to
pick it up for you, ain it, when I might
"a kept itP' said the young man, hold
ing out the money. "And you hadn't
0nghter begrudge me dollar to get a
meals victuals with, had you, jtjt as a
for honesty and to encourage
meP" whined the young man.
"Well, no, think l ought to give
you something" said the miser's daugh-
for. 81 was thinking OF quarter,
lMt-'--she looked into her purse, and
slowly took out a dollar bill ..but
herer' she added with o thrill of gem
erosity. ''Therer'
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
Drize in the lottery, hurried to the shop
ghere she intended to purchase her
able linen, made her selections, and
,ffered the twcnty-dollar gold piece.
Cash carried it away in q basket, and
a five minutes more II request that she
vould ''stcp into the Office" was made
y suavc tloor-walker, and she found
ierself under arrest on a charge of hav-
ng tried to pass counterfeit coin.
''But I'm Miss Sammis, of Honey
Own,' explained the poor girl, amidst
ter sobs. I'm rich. 1t is impossible |!
b suspect me-.
'If you could remember where you
~ the money!" said the policeman, as
lp put her into cab, lit would be bet
p for you. We are looking out for
bese very gold pieces, and women are |
Biting rid of them, and that makes it
I'D, you see"
And SO they drove away from the lit
y crowd that had gathered about the
arriage. and Miss Sammis soon found |
|erself in the presence of o justice Of
hp peace.
The shopkeeper made his charge,