The Opelousas courier., 1895-08-31

But Silvie had no such flights of
fancy. And who will take are of the
house and Julietta?" she asked.
1--WE can sell Julietta."
But Silvie knew better. Julietta's
butter made an important addition to
the family revenues.
81 couldn't go. Cousin Katherine"
she said. ''I'm needed here. Besides"
she added bravely, you don't seem to
understand it; cousin, but l really like
1t here; and enjoy singing in the church
choir, too"
But Aunt Lois had gone yer to the
enemy. Silvie knew it as soon as the
visitor had taken her departure. Hith-
erto Aunt Lois had taken great inter-
est in Si]vie's small triumphs and hon
ors in the choir. Now she poured such
scorn upon them that Silvie stood in
surprise, and even stayed at home that
evening from rehearsal by way of
making peace.
But who would pay my bills?" said
practical Silvie, after a remark from
Aunt Lois that night. Siivie had a
little money that her parents had left
her, but she was not to have 1t to use
until she was t~wenty-one. There's
tuition and board and clothes and lots
of things to pay" she said.
That settled TIE matter for a time.
But the next day Aunt Lois asked for
the tin box or the secretary, and took
therefrom a bank book; and after a
oAitical examination of it she re-
marked, casually, to Silvie: 'I've got a
little money in the bank you can have,
| Silvie, whenever you want to CO."
"Now. Aunt LOIS" Silvie protested,
II don't want to go! You know I
don't. And that money, why Aunt
Lols!" And she stopped in shocked
silence.
Both knew what that money was
saved fer. Most New England women
have a little fund. put away some
| where, with which to insure decent
burial. Aunt Lois had been through
hard stress of need, but she had never
touched that little fund. Silvie knew
how much it meant to offer it now.
But l don't want to CO." whimpered
Silvie.
well, you needn't co." retorted her
aunt. "You can stay right here, and
sing in the choir forever"
But Silvie knew that when once Aunt
Lois adopted q plan for other people.
all the kings horses and al the kings
men could not dislodge it. All through
the fall, at intervals of several weeks,
some little remark would be dropped,
the import Of which there was no mis-
taking.
Matters went on very smoothly in
the little cottage till one day at
the table Aunt Lois unexpectedly
advocated the purchase of a bit Of
fnery.for Silvia which taxed rather Sc
verely the family purse.
"It'd be handy to have in case you
went to the city next spring." she re-
marked.
but I'm not going to the city," pro-
tested Silvie.
WHO said You were?" demanded her
aunt, vigorously.
Silvia looked at her uncle. He saw
that something was expected of him.
''She didn't say you really was going,
Silvie," he made haste to assure her,
anxiously. ''She only said If you was
going. There's q difference, Silvie.
Don't you see?"
But when Uncle Cyrus went out to
feed Julietta, Silvie turned squarely to
her aunt.
"Annt Lois" she said, bravely. for it
was not often that anyone in the lit
tie family said anything to remind the
helpless one of her misfortune, "if I
should go away, how could you ever
get along here in the house with the
work."
i've thought 1t all out, long ago."
replied the aunt, promptly. Cyrus.
he can get the meals, and all that, and
Abbic ~Spencer'd be glad to come over
once = week and cook up things and do
what he can't"
Silyie was speechless. The Spencers
were q shiftless family toward whom
Aunt Lois had flung many q contempt
uous remark. Silvie went out to her
uncle and Julietta-
Now, Uncle Cyrus" she began,
t.you 90 in there and reason with
Aunt Lois. See If you can't get her to
give this idea up"
"Bimeby."
"Go now, Uncle Cyrus"
Uncle Cyrus went rather slowly, and
Silvie sat down IN the back piazza and
looked out on the pines, erect and un-
yielding, and At the hills, immovable,
and At the river, forever holding its
course to the sea. When Uncle Cyrus
came back he sat down near her and
reluctantly:
s.she seems to b cot"
So It came about that, although
when the hills were bright with autumn
tints Si1vie had been sure she should
not SO to the =ity, yet when they stood
snow-clad through the long winter
montbe she began to think It might be
possible after all When the snow
melted and the grass began to take ON
. tender green all along the line OF
~~~~A--A---~-- $50 W L. L