The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1895-08-03

Creaoiui Iooilsn streak IN little girl
to plan SO fur ahead. But for all
Philury's soft look she was set as the
hills. She cried and took on SO that
mother gave in, and Philury set to
earning of that black silk. She'd talk
and talk about it. Silk is Sc soft and
pretty. Miss Virgins says it's spun by
little worms outer their own bodies. l
should huff to see 'em spinning of the
silk, shouldn't you, 'Lizy?' she'd
break out some night when rs most
asleep, and I'd tell her, cross as could
be, to shet up.
wall, if you b'lieve it, when she
was sixteen she had money enough to
buy black silk, an she'd earnt every
dollar of the whole fifteen. picking
plums and selling of 'em and knitting
sole feelings; and once she kept house
for old Mis- Blossom when she went
visiting down below where she come
FROM She stayed week, rec'lec';
and she paid Philury dollar.
wall, why it should "a happened
jest as it did I'm sure is more'n 1 can
tell; why 'twa'n't next week or even
the next day, but no, the very day, /
might say the very hour, Philury got
her money together who should drive
up but Samanthy Ann Holmes and
Lanson Holmes with their boy that
was a cripple. They was in peck of
trouble. 1t seemed they'd heard of
doctor in Boston that cured jest sech
cases, and they was all up in arms
about it'll didn't wonder. seeing he
was all they had and great sufferer
If they could git him cured. But
twas lack of money that troubled 'em.
Lanson said he'd scraped and saved
and couldn't git the money to save
him, and it did seem as If he couldn't
stand it, now he'd hope hid out to
him, not to take hold of it. And
Samanthy she cried and hid her little
boy up clost and tender, and mother
cried and did little, though want
never any hand to, no more'n be now.
How much be you short? says mother.
Fifteen dollars says Lanson.
Somehow mother and / looked at
Philury. Twas the sum that made us;
'twa'n't nothing else; but Philury sat
there calm and still, 'ccpt for kinder
scat look. can't describe it no better
than by saying it was scat look. But
in few minutes she got up and went
out, and followed 'er. / found 'er
looking alter money and kinder sob
bin like. What is it?'. ST. What be
you go'n'ter do with thatT Give it to
Lanson. I've got to; but oh! Lily, it
seems jest as if 'twould break my heart
to give up my black silk I wouldn't.
then ST. 'Ohr says she, but think of
his poor, crooked little back and alwuz
having to go so, COS / wouldn't give up
my black silk. I've got to give it up;
but mebbe,' says she, 4 can earn it
again. 1t wouldn't take SO long next
time, now I'm bigger Pom that she
seemed to kinder straighten up and
make up her mind not to feel bad any
more. She went to the sink and
washed the red off her eyes, and then
back to the long kitchen where the
rest was. They was beat, 1 tell you,
when she handed out the money and
told 'em 1t was for Charley,s back.
They said they'd pay it back if they
ever could; but they never did, for
Lanson lost his health and died next
year, and Charley, though his back
seemed to be better, didn't have no
health, and died when he was twelve.
never forgot it; but that was
all she could do. poor cretur, and Phil
ary never begretched the money nor
spoke of it--only to feel bad for little |
Charley and the rest.
wall, that was fall er the year an,
4 you blievc it, fore the next fall |
Philury had earnt her money again. |
How she done it, the Lord knows, l |!
lon't; but she saved here and pinched |
here. s'pose. Anyway she had it all |
n three crisp five dollar bills, when |
who should come to our house but |
Janet Woburn that had been to work |
n the fact'ry, and she told Philury |
she must have some nice black lace to |
rim it with, jest little round the !
basque waist an the neck an sleeves.
Janet was dreadfully ragged out her.
elf with ruffles all over her, Almost
twas when they wore sech sight of
and Philury see that Janet
vas right-shed either haf to have I
he lace or thelse git more silk an cut
{ up into ruffies. an that seemed clear
waste. So she decided on the lace and
'ut away the bills till she could earn
hat
ut was jest on the aidge Of them
lard times, and father was beginning
o look anxious bout a note that old
squire Hopkins HID ag'inst him. You
Inow. Sileny, something about Hop
rins.-
Il guess do" murmured Mrs DOL
ard. 'We got into his clutches once,
md twas years aforc we got clear"
wall, this want no great mount
hat note he held ag'inst father; but it
eemed jest as If twas witchwork, for
When he'd got enough, all but fifteen
dollars, he sorter stuck right there and
ouldn't git no furdcr. We all KEEP it
rom Philury, for we knowed what she
vas; but one night she come home UNI
e< x.vh, L. A.