The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-12-01

hill towns where many people came to
pass the summer. "At any rate" the
aunt had said kindly, when you are
fairly here, we can talk over plans and
do what seems best" She was not a
rich woman, and Nelly Ashurst was
grateful for such thoughtfulness, but
her mother, who had had many illnesses,
was only well among these high, dry
hills, and she sobbed to herself over
the old desk "This is an end of our
home, an end of our homer There
seemed to be nowhere else to look, for
the winter at least. Perhaps when
summer came they could indeed come
back, and find some people who would
come to board in the pleasant old house
But their independence and old free
ways were assailed; they must do what
they could now, and never any more
what they wished. Nelly Ashurst
She could almost feel her fathers hand
on her shoulder in kindly reproach, but
her trouble was all the more bitter
poor girl, because it seemed in some
vague way to be rebuke to him whom
she loved and made her hero. She had
never felt the weight of pain and care
as she felt it now. She thought of heI
mothers hopeless face.
" Nelly, where are you?" said her
mother, suddenly, just outside the door,
and Nelly dried her eyes in hurry,
and crossed the room to stand before
the bookcase in the shadow. Nelly
dear" said Mrs. Ashurst, coming in
Here are some letters, and the poor
old Dent sisters are coming up the
yard to see us-think of it, this cold
day! | wish we had something-I re-
ally don't know how to be poor at
Thanksgiving time" and her voice fall
tered. "They shall have pie, at any
rate, and they shall come and sit in
here in the dear study--they will like
that best"
Mother, mother, quickp' said Nelly
Don't mind them, let them wait a
minute. Oh, see herew and she held a
large letter sheet before her mothers
eyes. She had turned quite gray and
pale. II thought it was only some cir.
cular, or something like that-it
was directed to father. Somebody
who lived in Cuba-who died last
month, has left father and his heirs
she could not hold her voice steady
has left father in kind remembrance
of most helpful services in time OF
need $4,000 to be paid at once accord
ing to directions. Oh mother, motherr
Let me see it, dear" said the frai
little woman, shaking with excitement
and coming back across the room
| "Oh if your dear father were only
here! And how often l have though
| that so many people were ungrateful
and he always said that the poor ha(
the best paymaster, or that he only
| asked for happiness enough tq get hi:
work done, and was glad of the liberty
to use what skill he had-and now thi:
comes, like a gift of his provision. fol
his girls and me! Why, Nelly, dear
don't cry so!"
There are those two old Dent:
knocking and knocl1ing-could you lie
them in mother?" said Nelly, laughin!
and crying at once. "Oh, what {
| lIdHhSSlN luS we ii nave. WISH olSleI
Lizzie would come. What will she say
Fifty thousand dollars! Why, fathe
said once that he wished he had jus
that for his old age and for us, and NJ
more; it would be all"
Her mother, little dazed, had gon
to bid the poor old guests glad wei
come. Old Sarah, the dependence o
the Doctors household, who seemed
entirely one Of themselves, was ava.
that afternoon, and part of the sorrow
and uncertainty that was hardest t
J bear had been in the Thought of turn
| ing her out of her home, if they them
selves must go. Now the dear oil,
home was going on, and the little com
forts and helps for many poor persol
who was sick and old We're to go OF
too.
The mystery of the legacy was neve
made clear. Nelly vaguely remem
bered her fathers saying something
about a sick, old man, a merchant il
Cuba, to whom he lent his thick plai