Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1889-01-18

WASH Z mucu 10 i've on DuB she did IT
Easily too, as her appetite began to fail
her, and soon she began to lay BY out of
that little sum something more for hey
burying. She couldn't eat the coarse food
she bought. and day after day a little
bread and butter and cup of tea was all
she took. But worst Of all was the lone
illness. She missed her sol Again and
again she would start up In the night
thinking she heard her call and then
would lay herself back on her dreary
pillow, not 10 cry, for she was over seventy,
and the old shed few tears, but to remem-
Der
She took to going about a little now,
stopping at the houses of bygOne friends
and she would be often asked to stay to
dinner or tea with them. How good the
food tasted! 1t would be easier to wait for
death she fancied if she could always have
food like that But one day she overheard
the good man of the house remark, "Prissy
always happens around about meal-tIme;
don't she, wite?" And she hurried home
IN an agony of shame. She never went
again.
That same day one of the sslectmen, a
kindly natured man, though with rough
exterior, overlook her as she walked, and
1nyoluntarilY she SPOKE to him about that
which was always In her thoughts. How
does Mis- Bruno make out with the towR
poor, Squirrel"
There's complaints, Mis- Youngs,
there's complaints. But paupers amt
easy to satisfy no way you can fix it, I
wish we hadn't had to give them to Mis-
Bruno"
Does she give any outside help, squire?"
No, Nils HOungs, she don't, and it's
come mighty hard on some of en-.
The last faint hope was gone. She had
thought that, perhaps, she might humble
herself to ask for a little town help to
keep her OF the town, as our New En-
CHAMBERS put 1t. But now it was useless.
There was nothing left. She must die.
The days wore on. 1t was the third dav
after that the old stOrekeeper said to the
Squlre's daughter as he handed her her
mail: Miss Mary, do you know how old
Mis-, 4Oungs IS getting alOng?"
w by, nicely, L guess. 1 never heard of
her wanting anything.
We ell, she was up here this morning for
a pound of crackers, and she looked so
white and faint tried to make her sit
down. You know my wife always sends
me down a hot lunch and it came Just
then. I happened to look up, and I saw
her eye 1t so Wistful-lilze when my little
Mary spread it out that I sent Mary off
quick, and then L said, Come, Mis- YOungs,
sit down here and take lunch with me. I've
got enough here for a dozen, and it's
lonely eating by ones self. Besides,
want to talk over old times with YOU Just
a minute 1 thought she was going to do It
when there came steps on the bridge and
she Strengthened herself up stiff as q poker,
and said, .Thank you, Mr.. Curtis, I must
/ be going, and she was of. L looked out,
and there was Mis- Bruno coming with old
j ack behind her. Miss Mary, I'm afraid
that woman is suffering and afraid of the
pOOr-hOuse-"
90, Mr.. Curtisl" Miss Mary did not wait
for anything more. She few home. Old
Prissy Houngs suffering, starving it might
be, and she, absorbed in her OEsn selfish
happiness, had never dreamed of it. in
asmuch as We did it not"-how could she
not have known? How long the way was I
Yet truly she had never so flown over 1t
even to meet her lover.
At the house she filed a little basket
with dainty things, fresh laid eggs and
new butte4, wine and jelly and a little
chicken broth and delicate bread, and then
she started.
Pins had gone home with her crackers
and sat down in the little room. There
was little fire in the old stove, and she
went to the cupboard to make herself some
tea. But there was so little tea left in the
caddy she looked at it and then she put it
| back. AThey mustn't find it empty, she
said, and she sat down in the old arm
chair.
There's wood in the box, she said
gently to herself, and crackers and tea in
the pantry, and nobody need ever know but
what had enough always, an there's ten
cents in my purse. too. D." She laughed a
feeble laugh Of gladness.
Then she went to the old hair trunk in
ne corner and took out her sayings-bank
/ book. Ten dollars there still She
! scrawled feebly on an old piece of paper,
/ For my burying," and laid it with the
/ book On the table; then she sat down in
the old chair and fell asleep.
Miss Prissyl Miss Prissy! o, Miss
/ Prissy, wake up! I've got something for
you! Won't you speak to me? It's Mary,
/ Mary. Don't you know me? Mary you
/ used to give the ginger-cakes to. Miss
/ Prissy! Dear Miss Prissyl"
/ It is useless, Miss Mary; she viii never
wake again. But what is it that is saying,
/ "Inasmuch as ye did 1t not?"
ave therefore commit her body to the
! grave, in the hope of a glorious resurrec-
/ tiOn;" but all through the burial service
rang those words, "Inasmuch as ye did it
not was a-hungered and ye gave me no
meat And the answer of the town,
! Sealed proposals for the keeping Of the
! town poor, the contract to be awarded to
| the lowest bidder.