The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-06-20
! with the idea. She said 'twasa

mother gave in, and Philury set to
earning of that black silk. She'd talk
and talk about it. Silk is so 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 l can
tell; why want next week or even
the next day, but no, the very day, l
might say the very hour, Philury got
her money together who should drive
up but Samanthy Ann Holmes and
was cripple They was in peck of
trouble. It seemed they'd heard of a
doctor in Boston that cured jest sech
cases, and they was I'll in arms
aboutfit--l didn't wonder, seen
was all they had and great su
If they could git him cured.
'twasl lack of money that troubled
hanson said he'd scraped and kavec.
and couldn't git the money III 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 l want
never any hand to, no more'n l be now
How much be you short?' says mother
Fifteen dollars says Lanson.
Somehow mother and l looked at
Philury. Twas the sum that made us;
'twa'n't nothing else; but Philury sat
there calm and still, 'cept for kinder
scat look. l can't describe it no better
than by saying it was a scat look. But
in few minutes she got up and went
out, and | followed 'er. l found 'er
looking at 'er money and kinder Sob
bin like. What is it?' 81. What be
you go'n'ter do with that?' 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 L wouldn't,
then ST. OH says she, but think of
his poor, crooked little back and alwuz
having to go SO. COS l 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
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, l tell you,
when she handed out the money and
told 'em it 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.
Samanthy never forgot it; but that was
all she could do. poor cretur, and Phil
ury 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,
| if you b'lieve it, fore the next fall
Philury had earnt her money again.
| How she done it, the Lord knows, |
Il on =. h,,t h. i i
there, l s'pose. Anyway she had it all
in three crisp five dollar bills, when
who should come to our house but
! Janet Woburn that had been to work
in the fact'ry, and she told Philury
she must have some nice black lace to
trim it with, jest a little round the
basque waist an the neck an sleeves
Janet was dreadfully ragged out her
self with ruffies all over her, almost
twas when they wore sech sight of
trimmings, and Philury see that Janet
was right-she'd either haf' to have
the lace or thelse git more silk an cut
it up into ruffles. an that seemed clear
waste. So she decided on the lace and
put away the bills till she could earn
that.
1T was jest on the aidge of them
hard times, and father was beginning
to look anxious bout note that old
Squire Hopkins hid ag'inst him You
know, Sileny, something about Hop
kins."
Il guess l do murmured Mrs. Dol
lard. 1--WE got into his clutches once,
and twas years afore we got clear"
Wall, this want no great mount
that note he held ag'inst father; but it
seemed jest as if twas witchwork, for
when he'd got enough ~ but fifteen
tiGiiS5 r h.ght there ana
could = We all KEEP it
from 1or we knowed what she |
was3 ne night she come home un-
bekt INST while we three, father an
mother an I, was talking of it over
round the fireplace. can seem to see
now jest how we set; father was at
the end facing the door, mother was
opposite, an in the middle. Father
hid the hardwood poker and kept
punching of the fire; he was sorter
nervous and didn't jest sense what he
was doing, when all of a suddint the |
back log flew apart an the live Goals |
scattered fur an wide. l jumped for
ha h,.nar, 70 IL