Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1886-09-27
In a Garret.

For if there were none, "the girls"
would have to give up their home and
s'do something for a living" The
little farm, which had yielded COM
Portable living for three persons,
when sold, and it's proceeds divided
among ten would give but pittance
to each. 1t was generally conceded
that sit would come hard on the
girls"
esquire Marcy was always good
provider," said Mrs. Denison to her
husband, who hoped to administer"
the estate if no will was found.
"Sabra nor Cynthy, have nei-
ther of 'em ever been stinted.
They'll feel it dretfully if they've
gBt to give up their comfortable
home and come down to earning
their own bread and cheese"
81 shall advise the girls to bring
in a bill," said Mr.. Denison, ga bill
for their services. The probate
court will allow it quicker'n light
ming"
1.-The girls won't bring in no BILL"
said his wife; "Sabra told me that
if her father didn't set enough by
them to provide for them, she should
not make any claim on the estate"
''That's just like woman," said
Mr.. Denison, testify.
But no will, and no evidence that
the old gentleman had ever contem-
plated one, could be found. Mr..
Denison received the coveted appoint
ment, and the settlement of the es-
tate by law went forward.
Cynthia and Sabra were the chill
dren of their fathers third wife. A
delicate creature she had been, who
accepted Squire Marcy's offer because
homeless and friendIess, the prospect
of home tempted her. But her
home was made wretched by eight
children, sons and daughters of her
predecessors, some of them nearly as
old as herself, coarsely organized,
quarrelsome, but agreeing on one
point-to make life as intolerable for
their young step-mother as possible.
She could not bear up under their
petty prosecutions. In few years
she was laid to rest with the other
wives, leaving her two little girls to
fight their way as best they could. 1t
had been hard life for the children
at first, but one by one the older ones
had drifted away, and finally the
western fever seized upon them all,
and they went, one after another, to
make homes on the broad, fertile
prairies. So for many years the sis
ters had lived happy, peaceful lives
in the old homestead of their father.
They were quiet, gentle women,
inheriting a poetic temperament from
their mother. They loved the old
house and the woods about it. They
knew where the earliest spring flow
ers grew land where to find the bright.
est autumn leaves. They would not
have dared to let their neighbors,
who disapproved openly of their
"traipsing about all over the woods,
know what treasures of pressed flow.
ers and leaves they had carefully put
away. Not for worlds would MISS
Cynthia have told of the timid at.
tempts at flower painting she some
times made, in the solitude of hel
own room. They had not felt mucl
In sympathy with their neighbori
heretofore, but now that real trouble
had come upon them, every one wa.
kind, and the sisters found they hal
many warm friends where they leas
expected to find them. They wer,
middle-aged women now, well advanc
ed in their fifth decade. Of thei
half-brothers and sisters they knew
little, but it was certain there would
be no mercy for them. They woult
grudge the sisters the ''living" the,
had had, and each one would CLAIM
every penny due, eagerly. Once Mr.
Denison ventured to suggest his ide'
of a ''bill'' but an ominous CLEAN il
Miss Sabra's eye warned him, ant
he left the sentence unfinished.
''Cynthy," said Miss Sabra, on,
bright September morning, "Mr
Denison said last night that he tho
brother James would be here prett,
soon. Don't you think we'd bette
look over the things in the garret be
fore he comes? / don't feel as if
could have any one but ourselve
touch mothers things
"Just as you think best, sister Sa
bra," answered Miss Cynthy, meek
ly. The coming change was an eve
greater grief to her than to her eide
sister. She loved her old home wit
an almost passionate tenderness, an
it seemed to her sometimes that leav
ing it would almost break her heart
The two sisters finished thei
morning tasks in silence, and the
without a word climbed the narro,
stairs that led to the old garret. Sue
treasure house of family relics as
was Not a child of the ten whose dc
velopment could not be traced in th
cast-off clothing and the old schoe
i books. There were boxes and trunk
carefully packed, standing priml
against the wall. Old garments, dat
ing back to old Squire Marcy's frs
wedding coat, hung over them. Nea