Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-04-12

well. ncverr' the neighbor said
under her breath.
Don't say any thing about ii" the
widow whispered. He wants the bird 3
eye set and Jennie wanted the bureau
But he said I might have that yellow
bedstead that Abram and me used in
our room, and the pine iight-stand and
mothers old chest and q feather bed
suppose its all I need"
':And you have worked. and worked
hard too. all the neighbors will own to
that. for forty years. and for it all you
get one thousand dollarsr'
'.And the bed and stand" corrected
the widow, quietly.
"Humph! you mean the bed and
stand was all that the ungrateful
wretches didn't steal from tho things
that your mother gave you.''
II would like my bureau" sighed
the weary woman; Il priced it SO, and
thought should always have it for my
own"
Il suppose there amt no help for it.
but it don't seem just right Where
will you 60 to live after the estate is
settled?''
Mrs Daley locked her thin hands to-
gether. and pressed them down on her
knees. The neighbor noticed how
swollen were the finger-joints and how
work-hardened the hands
II don't quite know" she answered.
'.Mary said might go there. She's
got good many cows, and the baby is
small I told her I was afraid
couldn't work butter. for I have got
the rheumatism into my finger-joints
80 bad, a-washing so much butter. She
said she'd get me worker. for I could
save her the cost of a girl"
"Aint ye most too old to 60 into
heavy work again ?" queried Mrs
Pryy.
''Oh. no; I'm only sixty. and I
heard Jennie's husband tell Mary that
there was ten good years of work in
me yet"
''Sho! That's the way my William
speaks about horse! L"
But the widow held up her hand as
though she could bear no more.
II allow that l can earn my board
for some time, and there'll be money
enough left to bury ME, l suppose.
though I would like to get Abram a
stone"
Il reckon Abram'll rest peaceful
enough without stone." snapped Mrs.
Pryy. "But the bare idcc of woman
workin' for forty year. hard. too. and
gettin' only twenty-five dollars year
above her board and clothes. Less
than fifty cents week her hull life
through. It's shame?'
"Well, Betsy said the widow,
meekly, 'what provision have you
made? Has William got will?"
Mrs. Pryy started to her feet. con-
sternation depicted on her thin face.
mo. he haint! I'll so this very mint.
and have one made. 1t never shall be
said of me that there's ten years Of
good work in her yet When woman
has raised her family. done her share
of hard work. and life begins to break
up all about her. nobody haint got any
business to callate on what they can
get out ON her. l tell ye what It's,
when women make laws we won't have
no one-sided ones of this sort. When
a woman dies. man has what he has
helped earn. keeps his home together.
and the children can't farm him out
for what he is worth; but when a
woman's left she's all shattered to
pieces. no money. an no home. an
nothin' to do in her old age but jog
about, and mebby be abused. ! say
faint justice. and I'll have William
make a will"
Eyes. / would if l was you. Betsy"
the widow said. as she wiped away a
stray tear on the corner of her bingham
apron.-Maude Meredit1, in Woman
Journal.
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