News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1892-09-22

ezekiel. Hiram's youngest broth
er, stood close by, and he put in:
Why, Abigail, you can buy back
what you want nowif we give permis-
sion.' was mad, and so l just let
the auction 90 on, and when the day
came | bid pretty low on my things.
"The neighbOrs were real good, and
never tried to bid against me. When
it came to that chest of drawers [
just spoke up loud, so everybody
could hear, and said: It's q burn
ing shame for me to have to buy
what's already my own; and if men
folks have made such a law they
ought to take it back and make an
other Then | bid $25 and paid for
the chest over again, for | knew
Ezekiel would get all he could for it.
"There was just enough from my
thirds to keep the house and garden,
but Hiram's brothers had all the rest
of the land. They sold it to Mr..
Jones, our nearest neighbor, and |
shut up my house and went back to
work in the factory. Twarn't very
long before Mis- Jones died. l used
to think while the looms were goin'
about our two houses andsthe kitch-
ems. with nobody there, as it used to
be; for Mis- Jones was a real pleas
ant woman and we were always neigh
borly together.
Zone day about year afterward,
| went no. home to look over my
things. l suppose Mr.. Jones saw the
light. for he came over to make
call. was mighty glad to see an
old face, for | had been real lonesome
and | did want to hear about every
thing.
"Before he went away he asked me
to marry him. Mis- Jones had gone,
he hadn't any children, and he said
he'd Just as soon come here and live
as not. You see his house was an old
one, and he thought he could use it
for another barn; while Hiram and
/ had fixed mp this one until it was
almost as nice as new.
perhaps hadn't ought to have
done it so quick, for Hiram had only
been gone about two years; but |
was all alone, and it seemed so good
to think Of keepin' house once more,
so | said Yes,' and we were married
in three weeks from that night.
"We lived real happy together for
fifteen years, and | never thought
anything more about money mat
ters, nor how things could get mixed
up. We kept on prosperin'. Mr..
Jones had the name of Dein' a good
farmer, and | always knew how to
manage my part. We both worked
hard, but we didn't owe cent, and
kept putin money into the bank.
Zone day Mr.. Jones took an aw-
full cold, and wenG right into lung
fever. He didn't live a week, an
never knew anybody after the second
day. When the funeral was over |
began to remember and to think
what might happen again without
will; for Mr.. Jones had a nephew
Jacob, who was an awful graspin'
man.
"He came in the very next day,
and we looked over all Mr.. Jones
papers, but we couldn't find any.
Then Jacob spoke right up: Mis-
Jones you can have your thirds, but
you can't have no more, for, legally,
the rest goes to me-
"Mr Jones had been n real kind
husband, and felt awful lonesome
anyway. So just broke down and
began to cry. Jacob got up and
went out; but l knew he'd come
back, and he did the next mornin',
and brought a lawyer with him.
They said we didn't need to have an
auction, and they'd give in a good
many of my things; but the best of
'em must have a price fixed, and
then Jacob put his hand on that
chest of drawers, and said: 'This
thing is worth more than it was at
first, but I'm willing to let it go for
$25.'
"I'd got some money laid by me,
and | waited until things were set
tied. Then | brought it out, and
paid down for all | had. He and the
lawyer were standin' right there, and
| had all | could do to bear it. l
was so wrought up | s'pose l said
more'n l ought; but di0 speak my
mind to Jacob. | told him that he
needn't ever darken my doors again,
for he was no better than a thief. l
said the law ought to hel lp widows,
when husbands died so suddenly they
hadn't no time to make IL will; but
if it didn't, their relatives had no
need to take advantage Oft.
"Mr. Jones was worth considerable
property, and so my third gave me
the house and garden over again,
and money enough in the bank to
keep me besides; but | never had
anv call to invite Jacob here after
that final settlement.
"Well, It want more'n two years
again before, one cold winter night,
when | was sitting here real comfort
able by the fire, | heard a knock at
the front door. | opened it, and
there was Mr.. Smith, who lived in
another part of the town.
"He was a widower, though his
wife hadn't been dead six months. l
never thought what he'd come for.
He always seemed to be a well-mean-
in man. [ hadn't anything against
him.
"He took a seat by the fire. 1t
was pretty hot, and he kept pushin'
his chair back until he got beside
; that chest, and then he couldn't get
no further
Before long he took hold of one
of the handles and began to work it
back and forth; and then he burst
, out:
"'Mis' Jones, don't you think you
and could get along together? We
t are both pretty lonesome
q shouldn't have fiared up as
did if hadn't seen him hOldin' on to
that handle; but it all came over me
how I'd had to suffer, and | just rose
right up, and | said:
, :" Mr.. Smith, Pve bought and paid
l for that chest of drawers three times,
f and Pm going to own it as long as |
live, and no man is ever goin' to
have "a claim on it again.
r He understood, for the folks all
r over town had heard about my
things. He got right up and said
, Good night, Mis- Jones. | guess
I'll be goin'. My horse don't like to
stand long