Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1886-10-07

grudge tie sisters the "lz9ig they
had had. and each one cd claim
every penny due. eagerly )nes Mr..
DenisOn ventursd to sugselhis idea
of "bill." but ar Ominod lean in
Miss Sabra's eye warned and he
left his sentence unfinishsd
-Cynthy." said Aiss B6ra.I tons
bright September morning Nr. Dssi-
son said last night that hs thought
brother James would Be les pretty
soon. Don't you think w5d better
look over the things In tks sarrst be-
fore he comss' don's - as il I
could have any one bat ourselves
touch mothers things. -F'''a' r-F
Just as you think bed. sister
Sabra," answered Miss CyntR, meek
ly. The coming change was an even
greater grief to her than to hr elder
sister. She loved her old hone with
an almost passionate tenderness. and
it seemed to her sometimes that lesv-
ing it would almost break hg heart.
The two sisters finished thar morn
ing tasks in silence, and ther without
a word climbed the narrow stairs that
led to the old gsrret. Such streasure
house of family relics as it was Not
a child Of the ten whose development
could not be traced in the cast off
clothing and the old school books.
There were boxes and trunks care
fully packed. standing primly against
the wall. Old garments, dating back
to old Squire Marcy's first wedding
coat, hung above them. Near a win
dow was broken lookins-glass, with
a gilt and ebony frame. the upper part
filled with a gay fower-piecs. and
Miss Cynthy. in a subdued tone. asked
Miss Sabra if she didn't remember
hearing tell how sister Jemima broke
that glass just before mother died p
Timbers Of the old roof were enor-
nous, suggesting an abundance of
lumber to which we, in these modern
times are strangers. Many pegs and
nails were driven into them, from
which swung paper bags filled with
dried herbs, spearmint, hoaesst, pen
nyroyaI, au n,"."s.s plea. -. .-a.-
through the garret. which Miss Cynthy
thought more agreeable than the huge
bowls full of streaming hot herb tea
which Miss Sabrs always made her
swallow. her feet in pail Of hot water
meanwhile. whenever she took cold.
Two large wooden chests stood far
back under the caves, 90 large that
they could never have been built where
they stood. In them were piles Of old
papers. years upon years of Spring
field Republicans and Massachusetts,
PlouRhmans, Old Farmers Almanacs
for more than half a century. and
there were carefully cherished q pile
Of journal of the House" containing
the doings of the Legislature when
Squire Marcy represented the town.
Miss Cynthy gave q pitiful look into
q chest, and then sat down in basket
Of neatly-sewn carpet rags and began
to cry. "Oh. Sabra." she sobbed
I've been used to seeing these things
ali my life. Seems as lift would break
my heart to part with them. I've q
great mind to bring in q bill"
"Cynthy," said Mas Sabra, this j.
foolishness. There's no use in givin
way so. We can't help ourselves"
WELL" said Miss Cynthy, sxtricat'
ing hersslf from the carpet-rags and
wiping her eyes. what shall We de-
irst?"
An old spinning-wheel. which had
stood for yeaIs in its own nook, rest
ing after long service in spinning yarr
for blankets and stockings to keep the
Marcys warm, quivered q little. as i
with grief at the coming change and
the cradle. wherein all the little
Marcys had been rocked. rocked gent
ly once more. in q dsprecatory wsy
as the sisters turned toward the closet
where one or two trunks, more preci
Gus than the rest. were kept.
Il thought we'd better look ove'
mothers things FIRST" said Miss Sabra
opening the shutters and letting in
food Of autumn sunshine. A fain
odor of camphor and cedar and pun
gent spices filled the closet, for thi
was the storeroom for winter clothing
and wraps in summer. The sisters
cloaks and wooden dresses hung on tn
wall. Broad shelves. piled With home
made blankets and patch work quill,
and comfortables, filled one side ofth
little apartment. and in a band 90
in one corner, carefully wrapped il
linen and packed away in red pePpe
and camphor. were the sisters far
tha one snnntaneons Gift their fathe