The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1884-03-08
MRS. WiCKUM'S GHOST.
BY MARY KYLE DALLAS.

silk. It's the cheap st dress lady ca
have, after all. And as for helping yo'
turn that black alpaca, won't do it
That is not for best. When you've go
the silk I'll make the alpaca over care
fully for afternoons. don't see hov
you can set your face against doing |
sensible thing like that. Aud, whil'
I'm talking, you ought to have help
somebody to scrub and wash dishes
It's dreadful to think of nothing bu
saving. Don't you think pa would like
his wife to look like other folksp Oh,
map
Waste not, want not" said Mrs.
Pierce, darning at hole in dish cloth.
That's my motto. I've saved every
cent could since the day 1 was mar
ried, and your father appreciates me If
you don't. He likes to know that the
bank account grows, and that l don't
take out and take out, as some,do. He
feels thankful m not one Of those that
put everything on my back. I've done
my own chores, baked, washed and
sewed for all of you. Iva MIXED nine
COWS and made the butter with the help
you could give, and taken summer
boarders and sent quarts Of berries
away, and haven't bought new bon
net for four years, nor a gown for five,
Hester.'
"You looked it last Sunday in church,
mother" said Hester, dolefully. 'O.d
Miss Heather, who lives on what folks
give her, looked better dressed than
you dbl
EYES," said Mrs. Pierce, "she had on
sister Webster's last winters cloak.
More fool Sister Webster. Miss Heather
wanted my broche shawl. She's been
hunting for it quite spell. But 1
shall wear that the rest of my life, l
think. Oaly for the stain where 1 sat
down in one of the summer boarder's
prussian blue point when she was doing
those petunias ont in the arbor, it
wouldn't look bad; and always turn
that in"
mot always, ma" said Hester.
"You didn't at the picnic.'
'Oh, that was on purpose to save it,"
said Mrs. PIERCE. PA and have been
twenty-five years, and 1 guess
I've laid away more than he has. You
will come in for it some day, Hester"
"rd rather not have it than squicm
as I do Every Sunday when you go up
The church AISLE" said Hester pettishly.
You're too rich for it to be virtue
any. more. It's vice in well-to-do
people to skin flint as you do. There
and what's more, if you work yourself
INTO the grave, as 1 think you will,
somebody else may spend it for you. !
rhereI" ,
She bounced out of the room, and her .
mother, with ''Welll I never did," .
ook the last stitch in the dish-cloth,
brew 1t in the clothes hamper, and be-
ran to disrobe herself.
She slept alone ia little lower floor :
DOM, because there she should wake :
lobody by getting up at four. The :
ous eho'd purse was under her pillow, /;
nd the silver in a basket under her :,
cad, so that her daughter sat up in her a
ed in terror, many and many night, ;
stening to any unusual sound, and
whether someb dy had got in =,
last to rob and, perhaps, murder her 4
lother. Tonight, for the first time in
er memory, Mrs. Pierce felt a little p
ervous. She was even disposed to
,mmit the extravaganza of burning a .,
mp all night, but she laughed at her N
III and blew it out, almost dsiantly,
she tucked herself into bed. She felt =,
,gry at herself, very forlorn and I'M .,
,ppy-she who was usually so content
with herself. AID what did Hester %
can by But here nature asserted :,
'rself. After sixteen hours of hard
ork, it was impossible to keep awake -.
" longer, and she fell asleep. %
She was awakened by touch that L.
Mt cold shuodsr through her frame,
ID lifted her head from the pillow to
Q figure sitting in the rocking chair NJ
the Windows lean, long woman's -,
,ure, dressed in skimp wrapper of
Irple and black calico; its grizz,ed 90
ir was knotted up like a potato at the II,
OK CT its head and fastened there by a,
Il hornIcomb. What light she saw it
she could not tell, the room was light
though the moon were full upon it;
t that night Mcs. Pierce knew there =.
IS no moon. She lifted herself on her -
,ow, and great terror swept over ~,
r heart. IT.
who's thatw she asked in choked
ice; and the figure turned It's head to- =.
,rd her and answered.:
"Why, don't you know me, Mrs.