Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-04-03

lor me TO stay with Miss Lucinda for
another year"
"If l owned a home, and had it
furnished, you would come now," he
said, modify.
eyes, If that were the case I should
feel that I could save for you more
than my keep would cost" she replied,
practically.
LAS if a man counts the cost of his
wife's keep" he exclaimed, indig-
nantly.
Nevertheless, the cost is a sub
stantiality, counted or not" she said,
gently, land these unpleasant consid-
erations must be reckoned. I know of
what I speak. have seen and ex-
perieuced it all in my own life. I saw
my poor, over-burdened father laid in
an untimely grave because of over
work and worry in trying to supply
the necessities of a sick wife and his
little ones. Do not ask me to put an
extra burden upon you until your fu-
ture is, in measure, assured. Your
me than you can think"
Il am certain of it, darling," he said.
tenderly. Forgive me for annoying
you with my opportunities. You are
a wise little woman, ana I am most
fortunate to have your counsels. We
shall do bravely, never fear. and I
shall soon have the home and a good,
well-established practice, so that you
need not count the cost of taking your
rightful place in my home"
ooh! Ralph, Leila, come here by the
fire." called Dora. "Aunt Cindy has
at last consented to tell US why she al
ways spends the 10th of March away
from her home. I have asked her
dozens of times, but she never would
consent to tell her reason before"
Dora dropped the skein of bright
yarn, and drawing Aunt Lucinda's
easy chair into the genial fire light,
placed the little old lady within it's
embrace. They then all seated them
selves near her, and prepared to listen.
Il am actually ashamed to tell you,
children, how foolish an old woman
can be-" she said with flush on her
sweet old face. Il think that even
the storm would not keep me here for
this night if had any money about
me, or any thing very valuable to
tempt robbers"
do they modest you on the 10th of
March more than at any other time?'
asked Ralph, quizzically.
81 have never spent this night in
the. house since my fathers death,
which was on the 10th of March, with
out being robbed" confessed Aunt
Lucinda, nervously.
''Can it be that grandpa comes back
on this night?" asked Dora, with a
startled glance into the sleeping apart
ment beyond.
'He would hardly rob his own
daughter if he did, remarked Alice.
"What have you lost, Aunt?" Ralph
asked.
Zone year from the night that father
died, I lost my wedding dress. You
all know how I was to have been
married, and my future husband died
with brain fever only a week before
the 10th of March. I had other things
of more value in the house, but only
my wedding dress was taken; and that
was more than thirty years ago.
ut is very STRANGE" unused Ralph,
thoughtfully. "What could any one
have wanted with your dress?''
Il have asked myself that question
hundred times,' continued Aunt Lu-
clnda, in troubled tones. THE next
year after that your father, then a
young man, brought me some money
on that very day. think there was
only five or six hundred dollars in the
package. and he asked me to take
charge of it for him until the next day,
as he was going into the country. 1
laid it away carefully, and the next
day it was gone"
'Dear me! I 90 hope the robbers
will not come tonight" said Dora with
a shudder.
~ replaced the money from my own
bank account, and he never knew of
the loss," added Aunt Lucinda. 1.-The
next year, 1 spent the night with your
father in his new home, and there was
nothing lost; but the year following I
lost large sum of money. The town
had grown so rapidly during the last
few months. that the west end of the
farm was laid out into town lots, and
sold. There were five thousand dollars
in a secret place that only knew of,
and thought the money safer there
than in bank. I had kept it safely
for weeks, but it was stolen on the 10th
of March. After that was afraid to
spend the night at home. I would
give much to solve the mystery of my
losses, for must confess that, while 1
am not at all superstitious, I feel an
noyed and troubled by my repeated
losses on this particular night"
"And you had planned to have us all
spend week with you, and you were
to go home with us for this night"
added Dorr. Il understand your
reason now, and Why you were 40 .n,,t