The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1884-06-06

for some time, and she had no prospect
Of immediate assistance from that quar-
ter, though il would probably have been
given readily had her niece known Of
her troubles, for on the death Of her
parents had been q mother to her.
II guess il Annie Carpenter Mather
was here" Aunt Rhoda used to say when
her sore perplexities began, II shouldn't
be so bothered in my old age"
But Annie Carpenter Mather didn't
come. She probably had not received
Aunt Rhoda's letter informing her Of
her uncle's death, and the poor old wom-
an was at her Wits end.
OF course she could have sold the
farm, but she could not bear the thought
Of living elsewhere. Finally she hit up
on the plan of giving up the entire prop
erty to some man, on the condition that
he would support her for the remainder
Of her life in return. This might have
answered very we'll, if it had only been
given up to the right sort Of q
person, but Aunt Rhoda was foolish
enough to make itover TO an entire
stranger. who won her heart with plea
SAINT words. His wife was young and
pretty, but she was . vixen, and he
was ct once shiftless and crafty. The
farm ran down steadily through the
two years he managed it, and at last he
mortgaged it heavily and decamped.
Aunt Rhoda had alwaysbeen avery con-
scientious person, and when she was left
alone in her old house, she considered
that it belonged to her no longer. It
made no difference to her that the man
had violated his part of the agreement.
Not one Of her chairs and tables, or the
cooking utensils the had used so many
times would she claim as her own.
NO." she would say, II don't care
what Mr.. Foster has done. I know he
hasn't done as he said he would,
but I am going to do as I said
I would. These things and this home
amt mine now, an I'm goin' to leave
them. It's pretty hard for I've lived
here all my life, an I think most as
much of my things as I would Of
my folks. For me to set here an
look at that clock in the corner that
father bought me when I was married,
an my cooking stove, an my chairs. an
table, an, my dishes there in the cup
board, an think they amt mine!-I
only wish Annie Carpenter Mather was
here. But she amt, an Tn goin'."
But where will You go, Aunt Rhods ?"
said one women. There was quite a
knot of them there in Aurs Rhoda's kitch-
on the day after the Forsters left.
my plans air all laid," replied Aunt
Rhods sturdily.
you'll have to go to the almshouse, /"
remarked one, bluntly.
mo; I amt q goin' 70 the almshouse,
AMI amt agoin' to stay here in home
that amt mine more'n one night longer;
I've gotproperty elsewhere"
"Doyon suppose she has ?" whispered
one woman to another, and they all
stared at each other incredulously.
But where, Aunt Rhods?" yentured
sne
mo matter where. I've got it, an
that's enough: my plans air all laid"
That was all the information they
could obtain, and they had to leave with
their curiosity unsatisAed. That was
Saturday, and the next day the mystery
was solved.
The church in Camden was quite new,
and remarkably fine for such a small
country town. Indeed it was rather
too nice for the purses of the commune
ty, for the parish was largely in debt.
Those beautiful, easy-backed, black wal
nut pews, with their plump, crimson
cushions, were pretty expensive affairs
for the small farmers thereabouts, but
they had come forward manfully with
their coin money and their word money,
and bought the privilege for themselves
and their families Of q more luxurious
seat in the Lords house than they had
ever had in their own. And il was lit
orally money given to the Lord, too,
for the parish was 30 small, and, the
debt SO heavy, that there would in all
probability be no chance Of disposine Of
apew in time of need, or even ofrentinR
it. Nearly every hOuseholtler aat N
his own pew, and his two or three hmm.
dred hard-earned dollars, except for
solemn state in his i,ast cIothe. aud lie; =.
tenine to the Word. vss snnEan from
his SIGHT forever. -''
Aunt Rhoda,s husband had honoht .
pew with the rest. and Maid 1a00 ~ y
the year before his desth ~
It was to this nav that Amt Rhode
severely walked mn the chnrch a;si L.. ~
next morning. II xas rather la &C. and ..S
the CONGREGATION we're nearly ali sssa AM.
bled. "
Thew all stared wondar;no,v a. bo-
not that thew were unnsai To All. har
walk mn the aisle: abe va. 90 rasn ns.
about that as the minister lint ~ ea .'
ried to-day a large carnet. hsa ' and and th.t
was certainiv nnnsnal ~" '1"'
People nndoed each otbar and -h;.
pered and Uttered: n,,;te e l;ttis a h ~
Of excitement snread over tha ohrroi. '
and heads twisted backwards lar and side.