The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-12-05
II think you are doing right, dear

she whispered.
So they all ate their Thanksgiving
dinner, with many compliments to Liz
Zie's housewifely achievements; and just
as they were sitting around the fire,
cracking nuts and drinking home.
brewed cider, Uncle Lenuel uttered a
cry of terror.
"Look at Barbara Babcockp said he.
"Shc's got another stroke"
1t was true. The poor little old
woman had sunk down, all in heap, in
her chair, with pleading look in her
distorted face, and the words ":a.lizabeLh
Ann quivering on her lips.
And the Thanksgiving party was
broken up in dire confusion and dis,
may.
OFF she was to die,' myster;ously
whispered Aunt Khoda, sit would be
the best thing that could happen to her
an all her relations"
But Miss Barbara Babcock did not
die. She lived on, all winter, into the
| time when crocuses began to bloom and
the maple blossoms blushed rediy along
the edges of the swamps
. All this time she was quite helpless,
and her sole pleasure was N looking at
the balls of vivid-colored silk rags that
Lizzie ranged daily at the foot of heI
: bed, to amuse and quiet her.
! ''It'll make dreadful pretty sort O
curtains" she said, in the strange
tongue-tied way common to paralyt.cs
"rll finish 'em when I'm better. I'll
i finish 'em, and Elizaberh Ann shall have
'em for her own"
j The night before she died she suddenly
opened her eyes.
Aunt Rhoda was sitting, needle-work
in hand, by her side.
: "Alind," said she, "them silk balls is
Elizabeth AIMS. I've given 'em to her,
signed and sealed in the paper under
my pillow. Mind you don't forget"
/ "Oh, I'll not forget" said placid
Aunt l'hoda.
With the early dawn poor Miss Barby
went to the home where, let us hope,
she was more welcome than she would
have been in earthly habitations. .
II don't want the silk rags" said
Lizzie, when she heard of her quaint in
heritance. "Poor thing! They were a
comfort to her, but of what use could
they be to me2"
"You'd better take 'em," said Uncle
I.emuel. "Sell 'em to the rag man, il
! you can't make no better use of 'em." "
! "Nom said Lizzie. "Ill have them
woven into silk curtains, as she wanted
them TO be. I can hire Melinda Proa
and her loom for month. And Melinda
needs the work."
| But when the balls of silk were un.
wound-there were a hundred of them,
! more or less-each ball was found to be
wound on ten. dollar bill, rolled into
cylindrical shape and doubled over.
! And every ten-dollar bill was Lizzie Els
toms now.
"She didn't spend it all for lottery
tickets, it seems" observed Uncle
Lemuel.
"T.ittle girl. what are you ponderinp
about" sad the captain to Lizzie, who
stood silently looking out upon the
greening woods.
II was thinking" said Lizzie, "of last
Thanksgiving Day. How thankful am
that you wouldn't let me send poor old
Aunt Barbara back to .hode Island
Not only because of the money, but that
was able to take care of her all that
dreary winter when she was 80 helpless,
and had no friend but me-"
The captain patted Lizzie's bright
head.
$50 you're keeping your Thanksgiv
ing Day YETI" said he tenderly.
ayes" Lizzie answered, '1'm keeping
my Thanksgiving Day yeti"