West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1888-11-29
terviewed them as to tie cAst-On silk


Lizzie, / wouldn't stand It'll" cried
Mrs. Howard, a gay young neighbor.
IAN old crone like that. TO come here
and settle right down on you, like the
Old Woman of the Seal Why, l never
heard such impudence in my lifor'
Aunt Rhoda shook her head solemnly.
Barbara Babcock used 10 visit
around in York State" said she, "when
lived there. She was dreadful trial,
aud there warn't none of her relations
but was glad TO be rid of her | wouldn't
like TO undertake the care Of herm
''But she's old, Rhoda," said Uncle
Lemuei; and she's had a stroke or two,
folks say. 4 dunno what's 10 become Of
her ef Elizabeth Ann sends her away"
81 won't send her away" said Lizzie.
''She shall have home here. Frank
doesn't OBJ ect, and we may be feeble aud
fricndlcss ourselves some day.
Frank don't know what he's under
takin', said Aunt Rhoda al hain't as
much patience with the old creetur' as l
should hev had, ef she hadn't sQuandcred
away all her money, buyin' lottery
tickets. She wouldn't hear TO no ones
advice. Barbara Babcock was as
obstinate as mule"
But Susie Starkey nodded approval to
her friend.
Il 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 Iemuel uttered a
cry OF terror.
"LoolS at Barbara Babcockn said he.
"She's got another strokep
II was true. The poor little old
woman had sunk down, all in a heap, in
her chair, with plead ng look in her
distorted face, and the words elizabeth
Ann" quivering on her lips.
And the Thanksgiving party was
broken up in dire confusion and dis
may.
"Ef she was to dio,'' mysteriously
whispered Aunt Rhoda, cit would be
the best thing that could happen to her
an all her relationsn
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 redly along
the edges OF the swamps.
All this time she was quito helpless,
and her sole pleasure was in looking at
the balls OF vivid-colored silk rags that
Lizzie ranged daily at the foot of her
bed, to amuse and quiet her.
"ltll make a dreadful pretty sort o.
| curtains" she said, in the strange
/ tongne-ted way common TO paralytcs
/ ''Ill finish 'em when I'm better. I'll
| finish 'em, and EliZaberh Ann shall have
'em for her own"
The night before she led she suddenly
] ~
Aunt Rhoda was sitting, needle work
in hand, by her side.
'Mind." said she. ''them silk balls is
/ Elizabeth AIMS. I've given 'em to her,
i signed and sealed in the paper under
my pillow. Mind you don't forget"
"Oh, III not forget" said placid
\ Aunt khoda.
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
! Iizzie, when she heard Of her quaint in
( heritance "Poor thing They were a
/ comfort 20 her, but Of what use could
they be TO mcl'
YOU'D better take 'em, j." said Uncle
/ Iemuel. 'Sell 'em TO the rag man, IL
/ you can't make no better use OF 'em."
"No" said Lizzie. "I'll have them
woven into elk curtains, as she wanted
+ them 10 be. / can hire Melinda Proal
( al;d her loom for month. And Melinda
needs the work"
But when the balls Of silk were un.
wound--there were a hupdred Of them,
more or less--each ball was found to be
/ wound on a ten. dollar bill, rolled into
/ cylindrical shape and doubled over.
And every ten. dollar bill was Lizzie Els.
/ tons now.
"she didn't spend it al, for lottery
/ tickets, it seems" observed Uncle
/ Lemuel.
"Little girl. what are you ponderl
about" said 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 10 Rhode Island
4 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 bad no friend but me"
The captain patted Lizzie's bright
head.
/ $50 you're kceF.zE your Thanksgiv-
/ ing Day yet" said he tenderly.
eyes, Lizzie answered, '1'm keeping
my Thanksgiving Day yetw