The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1895-01-19
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ELIzABBTH'S CHARITIES.


After Elizabeth father died. his maine
dishonored. and everything 81 his given 70
meet the defalcatiou, there was no more
thought Of pleasure. The house IN town
was surrendered. and al the menage Of
housekeeper and servants, horses and car-
riages. No more trips 70 Eurpe made a.
lightly as one zoe, shopping no mere sum
mers at the shore. with yachts and guests
aud festive days and nights. The father
was not one 10 be greatly mouuaed. and
when the 6rs, pain and shock had par
tiaIlv subsidized. Elizabeth and her mother
sister Mis- BesSy Highcastle went to
live in an old farmhouse, part Of small
entailed property. thankful they had that.
They brought down the family portraits. a
few old bits of plate and china. ~'ne prints
and books. rags aud lounges. q silver lamp
or two. and felt themselves established for
life. with an income on Miss Bessy SIDE
Just equal 10 their needs, and with future
which appeared To H. a dead level q worse
than commonplace duilness Perhaps
Elizabeth. always inipulsiye and imIetu
a,ls. had hurried through IL al with tr'ne
msre spirit than Necessary for she had ne
fused to see old friends when disgrace came,
had told M one uf her movements and
had sent brief note of farewell 70 Theo-
dare Dakin. who was off on a tTip to Mes-
ieo. who received II after she had gone
and found no address to H. Now she sat
in the window seat most Of the time hook
ius out on dreary stretches Of SHOW, hst
leSs and wretched. and letting her nerves
torture her. Miss Bessy could fll her
time with housekeeping, finding in the
sprouting Of new bud in her window
plants the pleasure Of forenoon, while
the fine darning Of a tablecloth that had
been her grandmother would iIl an after
noon with family tradition. Sometimes
they PLAYED whist with two dummies IN
the evening. or Elizabeth had a novel
where she never could find her place, and
Miss Bessyplayed endless games Of patience.
Oh. what a life il l. said Elizabeth
We are Just IN a comfortable prison :
For my Part am becoming vegetable
If we only knew any one, or there were
any one to know If there were anything
To do. or to be interested in Why. the
call Of the clergyman that day was soTt
of dissipation. Nothing to do, and al the
time in the world To do it in Pat, pat.
Dat went the cards. | really shall fy
Thought Elizabeth. IL makes me 80
nervous. They say this book i very inter
esting. Aunt BeSsy she said aloud.
4 dare say. But can read. and |
won be read to- If its waste Of time
TO do this. it's my time. There nothing
to do with time here anyway If you had
ever minded what | said. things might be
different. You be the wife Of a man who
would give YOU everything yoy We been
accustomed to. and We should be living in
town and going to the symphonies. and
having our reeeptions and dinners and all
the life worth living But here, well
we re buried alive; it 5 all the dead eau
do-play solitaire, said Miss Bessy. with
grim satisfaction: and she discussed the
possibility Of a pack Of ivory cards that
would wash. and Of a lap-board the size
she wished. and went on playing solitaire.
The circumstance Of her losing the insur-
ance on a small house because she had
been so absorbed in the game as 10 forget
the hour of the mail in which she should
have sent her check for the premium, once
gave the playing brief respite, but very
brief. There. she said, Il won t
touch those cards again for one week
| But the frequency with which she drew
near the drawer where the pack reposed,
and the eagerness with which, the week
/ being gone. she began to shuttle them,
made Elizabeth remember strange things
/ 10 which in the hard -heartedness of youth
she referred. II declare. said Mis-
Bessy. II never will despise drunkard
again. for | know exactly now he feels
But perhaps it no worse than your novel
reading. Elizabeth. dear For | only sit
down with my own thoughts-that sever
goes on that eight; | wonder where the
I queen is-and you are demoralized by the
worse than idle thoughts of others, All,
if had only had that knave before. II
give them thorough shuffling this time
/ declare | do hate to be beaten by paeL
of cards. Is that carriage going to stol
here2 Dear me-who in wonder-iust al
that ace turned up-I shall take my eard'
and run; you viii have to see-my good
ness, it 5 Mr. Dakin
And before Elizabeth could make pro
test Miss Bessy had gone and Mr.. Dakir
had come
You are not too cordial, said thC
young man, drawing off his glove anc
warming his hand before the fire. Ar
Won sorry to see me2 Shall | sit down ?
And he gazed about the room, that wa
| q N o 1,1. -. A. ..,,.,..,,ol;t,, hon. Ao,rarS