The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-11-22

What their ages were was matter of
conjecture to everybody but them
selves. Indeed, they looked older than
they really were; which arose
partly from the fact that they wore
caps as was the fashion in those DAYS.
These caps, however, were always u
spotless white, and the kerchicfs
which they wore, pinned behind and
before, were immaculate purity itself.
Their dwelling was n log cabin and
though very unprepossessing without,
within it was as tidy and clearly as
any house could possibly be. If in
summer you had occupied ono Of their
ponderous feather beds, you would
have slept the sleep of peace; which
cannot truthfully be said of many far
more costly and pretcntious homes on
the Hundred-andTwo
The farm that these three old maids
owned occupied the valley from hill to
hill. Though TO be sure it was not
very wide, yet it was ample enough to
support them by it's rent, they, as is
the custom in the west, getting one
third the crop in the bushcl, delivered
in the crib and granary. Nor will we
deny but that they laid up dollar or
two now and then, for they always
kept three or four cows and 4 flock of
poultry, selling more or less butter and
eggs the year round.
They were Il kindly trio, these three
old maids; n fact that Ben Miller, a
poor, half-wittcd man who lived at the
foot of the hill Il little further down
the valley, but on their land, would
frequently aver. Many were the times
in 1viDfor xyho,, fhox, GlloJ l., l.oelxo.
with good things for his wife, who was
.consumptive, and for John, his little
boy, too small as yet to be of any scrv-
ice in making u living. Poor Ben. he
had once been as bright as the best,
till one day telling tree, Dough flew
back, striking him on the temple, and
he was never himself again afterwards.
ut was Gods mercy" the ncighbors
said, that it hadn't killed him out
right"
Throughout the months during which
Ben was bedriddcn, the old maids, one
or the other of them, visited him every
day, and they never went empty hand
cd. 'We should have gone to the poor
house had it not been for them" said
Bens wife many time after that
I'VE can't ever pay them, but God
will" she would continue; "for has He
not said: blessed is he that consider
eth the poor" And the thin, con-
,sumptive body had no doubt but that
the Father would bless the three old
maids.
Time slipped away. Summer and
autumn and winter came and went
and when May made the hillside lovely
with flowers and the corn was all
planted, and the trees were shooting
their leaves, Johns mother slept the
last peaceful sleep. The three old
maids were there and laid out the
corpse, and sent the man who rented
their farm for the coffin and when the
mother was laid in it, dressed in one of
the very best gowns in the wardrobe
OF the three old maids, she looked posi-.
lively beautiful. There was that smile
of ineffable peace upon her face which
the dead generally wear and that
seems SO full of contentment and re-
pose.
After the funeral Ben returned to his
cabin, nor would anything. induce him
either to change his abode or his way
of living. He continued TO do odd
chores for neighbors, and with his fish
ing, made out to get along. The truth
is, the old maids saw that he was pro-
vided for and suffered for nothing
Ben regarded them as his protectors
and upon John and them he lavished
all his affection.
AS we have said, Ben often went
fishing in the little stream that wan
dered in tortuous and STONY ways"
through the narrow valley. In the day
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