Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1895-05-29

cit amt human natur' to stand
this !" she declared. 'I'll put her in
the Jug! !"
"lhe---jug?" repeated Mary, in sur
prise.
'.It's room down cellar where we
shut up the troublesome cases." said
the matron. 81 can't stand this run
ming away business, and I won't!"
The "iug," perhaps, proved elica-
cious, for old Miss Abby Dabney did
not appear again for week.
At the expiration of that period,
however, she walked noiselessly in
just at dusk, and seated herself like
n silent shadow in the chimney cor.
ner.
''It is so good to be ut home again, "
said she, rubbing her wrinkled hands.
81 somehow seem to get lost of late.
Elnathan is gone, and Betsy is gone,
and I'm left here all alone. Yes, q
cup of tea, please-susar and no milk.
They never remember how like my
ten at Tewkstown. This Is good! And
butter on my bread, too! We don't
get butter at Tewkstown."
Mary burst into tears.
"lfother," said she, "Miss Abby
shall not 60 back to Tewkstown! She
shall stay here! Mother, how should
I feel if you were wandering, friend.
less and alone, through the world"
"But, my dear"
"She SHALL sleep in her own old
room, out of the kitchen!" persisted
Mary. "Shc'll be no more care than
o canary bird. Oh, mother, do con-
sent! She will think then that she is
still in her own home. Oh, if you
knew how dreary it is at that Tewks-
town Poorhouse, with the grass all
trampel out, and piles OF clam shells
lying around the door, and not 80
much rs O dandelion or daisy to be
seen!'
And Mrs. Miller yielded to Mary's
fearful solicitations.
'tDo as you please, my child" said
she.
The Tewkstown authorities were but
too glad to be rid of the poor old in
cubus, and Miss Abby Dsbney settled
down into her old home, as content.
edly and unquestioningly as if she had
never left it. She ate and drank but
little; she talked still less, and seemed
to regard Mrs. Miller and Mary as
guests, who had come to visit the old
farm.
"The Widow Miller and her darter
must be rich folks, to undertake to
support old Miss Abby" sneered one
neighbor.
''Shs was we'll enough provided for
at the poorhouse," said another.
~ never yet saw farm succeed
that was worked by women-folks," !"
jeered third.
"There'll be the biggest kind of o
smash up presently" observed num-
ber four. "And an auction sale OF
everything; and I'll be on hand-for l
don't deny that them little Alderney
COWS is the cunning creeturs I ever set
eyes on, and good mixers into the
bargain"
But time wore on, and there was no
autter OF any red flag over the porch.
On the contrary, matters throye, and
Mary Miller declared joyously, that
farming was o great deal more prof
liable business than working in the
factory, and she only wished that she
had found it out before.
Until one gray, autumnal evening
aIury and her mother came back from
a brisk walk to the village, and found
a stalwart, sunbrowned man sitting
opposite to Miss Abby, by the red
glow of the fire.
The old woman rose up, in on odd,
uncertain way.
"Ladies," she said, fumbling in her
old snuf.box, "this is my nephew,
Cyrus Dabney-he as ran away from
home twenty-nine year ago come
N1ichaellnas Day, and We all supposed
was dead. Cyrus, these are the ladies
who are 80 good as to visit me here. l
don't quite recollect their names, but,
then, my memory amt as good as it
used to be-and after oil it don't mat
ter much. Nothing matters much
nowadaysl"
And Miss Abby sat down and fell
into q "daze" again, rs if all necessity
for conversational effort were over.
Cyrus Dabney stood up-a bronzed,
bearded giant, with dark eyes and su-
perb stature.
"Ladies, 1 beg your pardon!" he
said. "But s'posed when came here,
I was coming home. I knew nothing
of nil these changes. I never could
have dreamed that my cousin would
let this old creature go to-the town
poorhouse. I don't know who you
are, ladies'" with husky rattle in his
throat, "but I thank you from the
very bottom of my heart for giving
her shelter in her old age. And If
money will pay you for it"
cit will not!" said Mary, sharply,
rs if the words conveyed slur.
"No, I s'posed not, said Cyrus,
with sigh. "But I've plenty OF
money now. Tho dear old aunty shall
live like o queen all the rest of her
days, for sho was good to me when
all the rest set me down for black
sheep. I've made my fortune out in
Panama, and I've come homo to re-
deem myself"
81 havo heard of Cyrus Dabney, "
said Mrs. Miller, gently.
"And I'll venture, ma'am, you
heard no good of me. said the young
giant, with short laugh. "PI, not
deny that I was wild boy en- Rlsh,
bnt there wasn't any actual evil III
me, let folks say what they would.
And now I've come back a rich man,
and there's nobody to bid me welcome
home except old Aunt Abby, out Of
the poorhouse.
He could cot long have made this
!, .4,4o,,opt borouar