St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1888-04-19
A

"Tve worked a long time, as you
$Ay it lacks but a month now of forty
EARS since we were married"
"And you helped each of the child
~ when they we're married 7" queried
he sympathizing neighbor.
"Yes. When John was married we
zave him the West place. Abram
Falued that at five hundred dollars.
Ehen we let Mary's husband work at
sDme here until after their second baby
as born, and he had a thousand dol
hrs to take with him when he went
way. We gave Jimmy five hundred
d cash for an education, but he used
to speculate on. Then we paid three
nhndred for James piano and over two
hIndred more for music lessons, for
he intended to teach before she mar
led"
"And how much did Abram leave 2"
lhestiOned Mrs. Pryy.
"Well, you see he was sick a good
nanny years, and had to let out the
arm, and then land has SO deprecated
b value. He thought he had about
wen thousand, but the appraisers
nade it out only three-Mary's hus-
and told them that was all it was
Orth before they began-and L got a
idOw's third" The speaker leaned
Der head YEARLY on her hand and gaz-
Bd out of the window.
1t was a pleasant place, this old
sOme of Abram Daley's, and the tears
He'd the eyes of the %sOrrOwing woman
is she remembered that this house,
which had been her home since the day
he entered it a happy bride, now al
most forty years ago, was hers no long
4br. Already the division was going
On and the Ons and sO~ns-in-law were
wrangling over it's smooth meadows
and upland pasturage, as a crowd of
hungry dogs might do owe a big bone.
"Of course the judge gave you the
furniture-yOur ~settin'-Out in particu-
ar. l remember what an Orfe nice
s%ettin'-Out you had. We girls was all
e%nviOus of you"
Mrs. Daley leaned her face a trifie
closer to the window as she slowly
shook her head. But neighbOrly eyes
bare sharp, and try as she might she
could not conceal the tears that rolled
Slowly down the faded cheeks.
"NOt your settin'-out2" cried the
neighbOr in astOnishment. "NOt your
mahogany bureau and your bird's-eye
chamber set and the cherry tables and
"a VII ahlIh tilO CflIICl . dhu bhOhi
handsome chairs ,"
A long silence ensued, broken at
last by an anxious "Hey I"
"N-O,n said the widow, sadly "The
Ethe-well, Mary's husband objected
eo. He said he would have the whole
settlement ripped up and gone over
and | supposed that would cost so that
had to give in"
M EINaII pavap 0r fha naIOhhOr caih
Snnder her breath.
"DOn't say anything about it," the
widow whispered. ale wanted the
Bureau. But he said | might have that
yellow bedstead that Abram and me
nsed in our room, and the pine light
stand, and mothers old chest and a
feather-bed. | suppose it is all | need"
"And you have worked, and worked
bard, too (all the neighbOrs will own
TO that for forty years, and for it all
you get one thousand dOllarsI"
"And the bed and stand" corrected
the widow, quietly.
al suppose there amt no help for it.,
but it don't seem just right. Where
will you go to live after the estate is
81 Settled Z"
Mrs. Daley locked her thin hands
together and pressed them down on
her knees. The neighbOr noticed how
swollen were the finger-jOints and how
work hardened the hands.
81 don't quite know" she answered.
f'Mary said | might go there. She's
got a good many cows and the baby is
small. | told her | was afraid | could
hot work butter, for | have got the
rheumatism in my finger-jOints so bad
washing so much butter. She said
she'd get me a worker, for | could save
her the cost of a girl"
"Ain't We most too old to go into
heavy work agin 7" queried Mrs. Pryy.
"Oh, no Pm only sixty, and
heard Jennie's husband tell Mary that
there was ten good years of work in
3ne yet"
"Shef That's the way my William
speaks about a hOrsei p
But the widow held up her hand as
though she could bear no more.
al allow that | can earn my bread
for some time, and there'll be money
enough left to bury me, l suppose,
though | would like to get Abram a
stone"
81 reckon Abram1l rest peaceful
Enough without a stone" snapped Mrs
Pryy, "but the bear idee of a woman
Torkin' for forty years-hard, too
And gettin' only twenty-five dollars a
year above her board and clothes
Less than fifty cents a week her hull
life through. It's a shame"
"Well, Betsey," said the widow,
meekly, "what provision have You
made Has William got a will Z"
Mrs. Pryy started to her feet, con
%sternatiOn depicted on her thin face.
"NO, he haintl I'll go home this very
mint and have one made. 1t never
shall be said of me that there's ter
years of good work in her yet When
a woman has raised her family, done
her share of hard work and life begin.
to break up all about her, nobody
haint got any business to callate oil
what they can get out of her. l tell Y,
what tbs, when women make laws W,