South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1890-06-27
I'M AN OLD HAT.

xAo eoSstOu W. SOio& on NJ tn0 Oio
yellow farmhouse on the bill. Bach.
elor Barker was dead and his. heir. q
yonng nephew whom he had never
seen since the boy Was four years old.
bad como down to sell things of.
Rumor said he intended to tear down
the old house afterward aud take mo.
ney from bank, and build fue resi-.
dence. with . mansard roof.
'Its shame said one or two.
Such . pity Barker did not make q
Will. He must have had some inteu.
lions about such . property. He ne.
yer could have intended oil that
wealth 10 go to y boy be did not like
enough to ask him over for the sum
mer.
The doctor felt sure he would have
founded a hospital and placed him in
1t as resident ply siclan for life, If the
villhsd been made.
The clergyman knew he meant 10
do something for The church. The
professor had heard him speak of
free library and readingsroom. Eve
~ one knew something aud all the
far.away cousins had expected lega-
cies.
Every one thought the arrange
men,s all wrong, but the heir and
auc' ioneer. who had made an iuven.
tory of the old furnitnre-the tall
clock, the andirons. the solid tabled
with leaves, the spinning wheels, big
and little the fiddle-back chairs and
all those other possessions adored by
the fashionable to-day, but utterly
despised twenty years ago as old
things not worth keeping
The young heir would, il he built
his villa, furnish it with sets of the
latest style, with brussels carpets with
white grounds and bright wreaths of
roses scattered over them.
Cant get much for the old sticks
he remarked, but I'd like to clear up
and be done with it,
Miss Camiola Brown sitting at the
font up cham Der window cutting out
calico ehort waists for Mrs. Black s
five little boys, laid down her shears
for once in her life and, with her ell /.
bows on the sill, watched the people
as they walked or drove past and en-
tered in at the gate Of the late Mr.
Bakers premises.
Poor Benjamin. she sighed. Il
wonder whether up in Heaven lie re-
members the day when he took me in
and walked me al! over the houseP'
The things are all old.fashioned
Camiola.' he said TO me; 'but they
we're mothers and before that they
we're grandmother's. / like them, but
say the word and IN new.furnish.'
NO, Ben, says I, what your ma liked
to have l don't wan. to alter. l like
il all; it's good stuff; and then be
kiseed me-
Miss Csmiola felt for her handker.
chief as she said this TO herself. And
We stood at the grand window and
looked off towards the mountains
Wore going to be happy as ever folks
WERE said he. Here the tears began
to fall. Oh, Ben.' che sobbei. to
think We quarreled after that, aud
didn't speak when we met. But you
never married. and refused two Of
fers-gocd ones. Ben, guess we'll
meet up there some time, and make
ap.'
Poor old Camiola put her head
down on her arms and cried softly
amongst the purple blossoms of the
wis.eria that yelled the window. No
one could see her from the road. But
her tears dried soon. and che came
back to the present.
They were selling the old furDi'ur
at auction. The claw footed eide.
board, the settee, the big mahogany
cradle in which four generations of
babies bad been rocked-all these
dear old things that once were TO
have been hers, az Benz amin Barker's
wife; and she was poor sesmstress,
an old maid going from house to
house for her board and fifty cents a
day; looking forward TO old age, and
with en- awful dread in her soul of be.
ing town poor at last.
IL she bad married Ben, how differ
ent it would have been.
why, Miss Csniols you've been
crying J. said Mrs. Blacks loud voice,
just then in Der ear. Camiola start
ed guilty, but she was too candid
to complain Of a cold or the sun in
her eyes.
We'll, / have cried a little, Mrs.
Black said she. You see, we used
to be friends, Mr.. Barker and / AMI
knew his ma, and | remembered all
that furniture, and it seems o sin TO
sell it and tear down the old house,
maybe root up the lilacs and straw
berry shrubs, and, perhaps, cut do
she trees. 1t was almost like home
to me IN Mrs. Barket'5 day.
We'll, IL must seem a sin 10 any
one, and more so to you, Miss CANT
OLA said Mrs. Black. But don't you
want to go over and see the place
and what is going on A? You might
as well just take day or the rest OF
II. Pm in no berry, and you look
tucsered out.
Mrs. Black vas kind in her way,
and felt a certain pity for Camiola.
Sue bad heard that Camiola was once
engaged TO Mr.. Barker, and might to.
day have been a rich aud important
widow. instead of a poor, lonely
seamstress.
Go along, Miss Csmiola. she add D..
ed, i know you want to-
a =