The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-04-03
A NEWSPAPER FILE.

A NEWSPAPER FILE.
It was two days after Aunt Priscina's
funeral, and Size and | were sitting to-
gether by the kitchen fire with that hush
over our spirits still which follows a death
and a burial All the afternoon we had
been busy getting the house to rights,
not medaling yet with the things which
had been hers and were now ours, but by
dint of open windows, sunshine and furni-
ture busted and re-arrangcd. trying to re-
store to therooms that familiar look which
they had lost during these weeks OF
anxiety and trouble. \ few days more, and
we must face future which was full of
tcrrurs. Meanwhile custom as well as in
clination accorded brief respite in which
to think Of her who was gone and of each
other. with the rl.uging foudness of those
whose lives, never before parted, were
about TO separate.
She sat on low stool. her head against
the chimney 'amb. It was the chimney Of
Aunt Priscillas youth: she would never
alter it-cne of the wide old-fashioned
kind, with pot-hooks and blazing logs. and
a bake oven ut one side. The SCOT black
encd bricks and faint red glow made a
background for my sisters head. with its
great twist Of fair hair and lily
Ike slender throat She is very pretty,
prettior than anybody I ever saw ! rec0l-
lect q picture as l looked at her-a picture
OF cinderella sitting IN Just Suca Fn attI-
tudc by the chimney side She was
equally picturesque at that moment; so
lar as looks go, equally worthy of a
prince. but alas no fairy gOdmUther was
ilkeli t emerge from the apple tree for
her beI cit. Aunt Pris, wlo in n small
way had enacted that part toward MS was
gone, and her big rocking chair, which we
had 10 heart to sit in. swung empty IN its
accustomed place, type of Il like emptiness
which We We're conscious Of in other
things, and would feel ioT a long time 10
come.
Neither of us spoke for while We
were tired and spiriJ less, and John Slade
was coming presently to look over things,
so we saved our words
DR.. Slade-John-was Sues lover
Their poor little engagement had been
formed two years ago. How many years
it was likely to last nobody could guess
but they held on to II bravely. and were
content to wait Pretty soon. as we sat
waiting. his step sounded without on the
gravel and with a little tap-COUrteOuS
but unreces. airy, for the door was never
locked-he entered gave sue d gentle
kiss, me another, and sat down between
Us IN auntyS rocking chair It was a
comfort FOR him TO do that. The house
StcIl4tti i'S~ lfi TOT II III once.
"N eli, children, how has the day gone ?"
he asked
Pretty well" replied Sue. 1--WE have
been busy and are tired, tonight ! think
I'm glad you are come, John dear. We
are getting lonely and dismal, Cree
and !. ~
Lucretia is my name. but Sue and Aunt
Priscilla always called me % Cree"
John adjusted a stick on the embers and
with one daring poke sent a tongue of
bright flame upward before he answered
Then he took Sues hand in his broad
palm, and patting it gently, said Now
lets talk over matters. We ought to de
eide what we are to do, we three"
" That three was very comforting to
me, but John always is a comfort He
was made So" Aunt Pris said And he
certainly carries ont the purpose of his
creation.
Did your aunt leave any willY" he
went on.
tween the leaves of the Bible, where we
had found it, half sheet OF note paper,
on which dear aunty had stated, in her
own simple form, that she left all she had
to be equally divided between her nieces.
Susan and LUcretia PendeXtcr Squire
PaCkard's name and Sarah Brackett's, our
old wusherwOmuu, were written below as
witnesses
Very well. " said John. THAT'S GOOD
nearest relations and it's yours anyway
What property did your aunt own besides
this house %
. She lad an annuity of $3.50 a year and
$50 more from some turnpike stock
That's all except the house and furniture,
and there is a mortgage of 500 on that
Squire Packard holds that. The annuity
stops now, doesn't it ?"
John looked as though he wanted to
whist e, but refrained.
&" Your aunt was n clever manager" he
said" a capital manager. She made a
very little go a great way, didn't she
/ .t.. pfcp vbn pf1qt1
on 500 year, with mortgage interest
taken out You have always seemed coy
and comfortable"
- We always have been. But we had
the garden you R ow, and the COW; that
gave us two-Jhirds OF our living Aunty
was a wonderful housekeeper. though
Isn't it a great deal cheaper TO feed women
than men She always said SO -
suppose II is. VI EN- are carnivOrous.
A diet Of tea and vegetables don't suit
them very well they are apt to Crumble
for something more solid. Well my dear
girl. our summing up isn't very satisfac-
tory Even without the mortgage you
couldn't live on $50 a year"
No And I've been thinking what we
could do. SO has Cree, though we haven't
SD ken to each other about it. . / might
teach a district school, perhaps. And
Cree"
q could take place as plain cook
There isn't any thing else J can do 50 well.
7 ain cook ng, with dripping aud soap fat
bv way Of perquis tes !" and | gave a
LAUGH which meant To be merry "
1T is hard, said John, with a moody
look on his face which was foreign to its
usual frank brightness How much a
little money would sometimes do for peo-
pie who can't get it, and how little il is
worth 10 other people, who ding it away
without a thought of its value a thou
sand dollars, now. Any rich man would
consider it "A mere bagatelle in has ex-
penses but if | could command that sum
ii would make us three comfortable for
life"
you do with a thousand dollars if you had
It. john
.sT'll tell you Iangworthy is going to