The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-02-19
In AN OLD HAT;
Or, The Peculiar Way in Which the
Will Was Found.

An auction was going on at the old
yellow farmhouse on the hill. Bachelor
Barker was dead, and his heir, young
nephew whom he had never seen since
the boy was 1our years old, had come
down to sell things off. Rumor said he
intended to tear down the old house
aftcrward, and take money from the
bank and build fine new residence,
with a mansard roofs
Its a shame" said one Or two. "Such
pity Barker did not make a will.
He must have had some intentions
about such property. He never could
have intended all that wealth to go
to boy he did not like enough to
ask him over for the summer"
The doctor felt sure he would have
founded a hospital, and placed him in it
as resident physician for life, if the will
had been made.
The clergyman knew he meant to do
something for the church. The profess
sor had heard him speak of free library
and reading-room. Every one knew
something, and all the far-away cousins
had expected legacies.
Every one thought the arrangements
all wrong, but the heir and the auc-
tioneer, who had made an inventory of
the old furniture-the tall clock, the
andirons, the solid tables with leaves.
the spinning wheels, big and little; the
tiddle-back chairs, and all those other
possessions adored by the fashionable
to-day, but utterly despised twenty
years ago as ''old things not worth keep
ing"
The young heir would, if 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 said, ''but I'd like to clear I'D and be
done with it."
Miss Camiola Brown sitting at the
front up-chamber window cutting out
calico short waists for Mrs. Blacks five
little boys, laid down her shears for
once in her life, and, with her elbows
on the sill, watched the people as they
walked or drove past and entered in at
the gates of the late Mr. Bankers
premises.
poor Benjamin." she sighed. II
wonder whether up in Heaven he re-
members the day when he took me in
and walked me all over the house?
The things are old fashioned, Cam
lola he said to me; but they were
mother's--and before that they were
grandmother's. | like them, but say the
'ord, and I'll new furnish No, Ben,
says |, what your ma liked to have,
don't want to alter. l like it all; it's
good stuff and then he kissed me-
Miss Camiola felt for her handker-
chief, as she said this to herself "And
we stood at the grand window and looked
Off toward the mountains. We're going
to be happy as ever folks WERE" said
he;' here the tears began to fall. "Oh,
Ben" she sobbed, ito think we quar-
relied after that and didn't speak when
we met. But you never married, and
refused two oiFers-good ones. Ben, !
guess we'll meetup there some time, and
make up"
Poor old Camiola put her head down |
on her arms and cried softly amongst
the purple blossoms of the wisteria that !
vailed the window. No one could see |
her from the road. But her tears dried |
soon, and she came back to the present. |
They were selling the old furniture
at auction. The claw-footed side board,
the settle, the big mahogany cradle in
which four generations of babies had
been rocked-alt these dear old things
that once were to have been hers, as
benjamin Bankers wife; and she was a
poor seamstress, an old maid going
from house to house for her board and
nifty cents day; looking forward to
feeble old age, and with an awful dread
in her soul of becoming ''town poor" at
last.
If she had married Ben, how different
1t would have been.
Why, Miss Camiola! you've been a
cryin'!' said Mrs. Blacks loud voice,
Just then, in her ear. Camiola started
guilty, but she was too candid to COM
PLAIN OF cold or the sun in her eyes.
,'Nell, / have cried little, Mrs. {
Black, said she. you see, we used to ,
be friends, Mr.. Barker and ], and knew :
his ma, and | remember all that furni- ;
ture, and 1t seems q sin to sell il and ,
tear down the old house, and NAV be
root up the lilaes and strawberry shrubs. l
and, perhaps, cut down the trees. IL $
was almost like home to me in Mrs. t
Barker's day" !
well, 1t must seem sin to anv one t
and more SO to you, Miss Camiolo," said c
Mrs. Black. but don't you want to 90 |
over and see the place and what is 90 s
ing on? You might as we'll Just take a /
day or the rest of it. I'm in no hurry.
and you look tuckered out"
Mrs. Black was kind in her way, and
ielt certain pity for Camiola. She had I
heard that Camiqla was once engaged 7
to Mr. Barker, and might to-day have
oeen rich and important widow, in h
stead OF poor, lonely seamstress. c
-, 90 along, Miss Camiola," she added, t
i Know you want to- U
Did she want to-" Camiola asked h
perselSi and her heart answered.. ssyas :,