Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-01-10
The MiSer'S Inheritance.

Miss Sammis was the only daughter
of the person so inevitably called OlC
Sammis. in his native town, that no ont
called him by any other name. and unit
his will was read, the fact that he haC
been christened Octavius Cicero Sammi:
was actuolly unknown to many.
However, he had actually not lived
as many years as some who had not be9r
thought of yet as more than middle
aged.
II was his manner, bis long nose, and
sharp chin, the wrinkles in his fore.
head, and the sparse grayish hair that
gave him the reputation of age, and his
vices he'd not been those of yonng men
even at five-and-twenty.
A prudent. saving boy, he bad gone
on to be a!stingy young fellow and a mi
serly elderly man.
His long, straight brown coat, bis
shabby stOvepipe hat, his wrinkled
boots, and trowsers, which, always toe
| long and full for him, fell over them in
many wrinkles, seemed always to be the
! SAINT, and he had worn one glove for live
years, having lost its mate three years
after its purchase.
When his poor wife was i'll the doctor
had ordered wine aud beef tea, but be
had demonstrated:
Beef tea uses up SO much meat, and
wine is very dear-and bad habit also,
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 But after she had tried
week even old Sammis said that some
thing must be done.
He bought the wine and beef, but be-
fore 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 fEther what she intended to say for
in going down stairs to hide, in the
cellar, the bottle of wine bis wife had
left as full as when it came into the
house, Old Sammis tripped and fell, the
bottle broke and cut his arm, and eri
sipelds set in. of which he died, and the
girl who had washed the dishes In her
uncle's kitchen to save her keep found
herself worth half a million.
She was small, thin girl; she stOop-
ed good deal, and her nose and chin
nearly met; but she wins neat and prim,
and as soon as the power was hers she
furnished the house deceDtly and hired
d servant.
She might have cut dash and become
fashionable woman, but the thought
did not occur to her.
She felt happy when she thought of
the money that belonged to her, and sue
could not bear to 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 a trunk over which those
poor little shabby cousins would have
danced with joy; but she could not dc it.
She could not have denied any one
food and medicine, or fire. or light. or
anything needful under her own roof,
as her father had denied her mother,for
she was only twenty-one and a woman;
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 slow
ly added to the principal, and she grew
richer slowly but surely.
However, she was not yet miSer,and |
when certain things in the way of table
linen were wanted, she went down to |
city to buy them, and to make a call or |
two as well, and was hurrying up Broad |
way from the ferry, when just as she |
passed Trinity Church, d man touched |
her on the arm, and said:
BEG your pardon, lady, but haven't |
you lost twenty-dollar gold piece?"
Now Miss Sammis knew we'll enough |
that she had no gold whatever with her |
but she hesitated before saying no.
Il am not sure. l must look" she |
said, feeling for her portemonnaie.
81 think | seen it drop outin your |
pocket when you took out your hand
kerchiess," said the man.
Satan got the better of Miss Sammis |
"Then / must have lost it." she said. |
"Yes, ladv and it's honest of me to
pick it up for you, amt it, when might |
kcpL IL >. odlu luc yOuuB ludu, uOluluS |
out The money. And you hadn't oughter
begrudge me dollar to get a meals vic
tuals with, had you, jest reward for
honesty and to encourage me?" whiued |
the young man.
"Well, no, think | ought to give you |
said the miser's daughter.
II was thinking of a quarter, but" she
looked into her purse. and slowly took
out a dollar bill-"but therer sh9 add
ed with thrill of generosity. "Therer
The vouEg man seized the money, said |
Thanks to you." and vanished around |
a corner; and Miss Sammis, with ii 9 joy
of one who has drawn prize in the lot
terry. hurried to the shop where she in
tended to purchase her table linen, made
her selections, and offered the twenty
dollar gold piece.
Cash carried it away in basket, and |
in five minutes more request that she
would "step into the Office" was made |
by suave tloor-walker, and she found |
herself under arrest on a charge of hav-
ing tried to pass counterfeit coin.