Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-02-07
you. Miss Perkins, have abused dear

you. Miss Perkins, have abused dear
Cousin Parker more than any one"
II hdoe spoken unwisely about Cousin
Parker, I admit. said Miss Perkins,
"but l meant it for his good, and if he
has made money as he says, am as glad
as any one. 1 want to shake him by the
hand, and tell him how glad am he has
done something for himself, even if the
smart partner got almost all of the
money"
Mrs. New York Tasller was ahead of
all the Taskers in taking Cousin Parker
by the hand, and in asking him about
his good fortune. All they could get
| out of him, however, was that it was
new process of purifying kerosene,
which had proved very valuable. Cousin
Parkers luck had turned: and that very
day, before he had left Abram Taskers
| Vermont farm at East Village. he had re-
turned all the money he had had from
his relatives, with interest at six per
| cent
Several years later, when the Ohio.
Bungtown and Chesapike Railway Com
pany defaulted in the payment of in
terest on its stock and bonds, Miss Per-
klns, whose small income was entirely
dependent upon the dividends of that
| important trunk line, was reduced to
the necessity of applying, through the
kind-hearted Abram, for some assist
| ance at the annual family gathering.
She did not attend in person at EastVil-
lage, but she wrote a pathetic letter of
appeal. Cousin Parker was present
(whose opinion in business matters was
now much valued by the Hon. Enos X.
Tasker. of BOSTON,. He said nothing,
and although now worth considerable
money" appeared unwilling to subscribe.
A week later, however, he turned up in
Newburyport. He went to see Miss
Perkins at her little boarding house. it
was up back street, and in dingy
neighborhood, for Miss Perkins owing
to the manipulations of very powerful
railway magnate, was now exceedingly
poor in this worlds goods. There was
still enough left to support her and her
cat and a canary in a little room back
in the clearinghouse. When Cousin
Parker called, he look ed vacantly about
the close little parlor into which he was
ushered.
"She's used to better'n this" he whis-
pered to himself. Poor Miss Perkins,"
Then he blushed very red, for, 10 and
behold! she had entered noiselessly,
II am poor, Cousin Parker, it is true,
and I want to say it right here--it's
taught me a lesson. guess l can pity
those in misfortune a little now-I guess
l can feel how hard it is not to have
money and not be able to earn it.
Cousin Parker moved uneasily in his
seat. He felt embarrassed. IL want
you to come home with me-" he said,
10
Mis- Parker wants you to come. The
They feel grateful"
The tears came into Miss Perkins
eyes, but she hurriedly brushed them
away.
They know how you did when I was
in hard luck. You stepped forward an
loaned, Miss Perkins! Oh guess we
Taskers can stand by one another in
hard luck! Now come, Miss Perkins,
get ready"
Miss Perkins was quite overcome. She
fairly sobbed. An hour before, she felt
so friendless, so forlorn, so hopeless!
She wished she was dead!
They are expecting you, Miss Per-
kins; an 1 know you won't hate my
three boys. No." added Cousin Parker,
proudly. "Fine, rosy-cheeked boys,
Miss Perkins. AS for my girls-there
are only four now, Miss Perkins, for
two died-but they arc a-lookin' forward
to givin you rousin' welcome up there
in N Hampshire, an they don't mean to
ever let you go away again-no! Come,
get ready, Miss Perkins-we Taskers
don't fergit kind deeds.'
Cousin Parker said the prim maid
en- lady, standing up, II believe you
have the heart of an angel
But he only looked down, coughed,
and fumbled with his hat.-Seymom
Wood, in Harper's Weekly.