Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1896-03-12
THE LESSON HE LEARNED.

of thing :" said Mr.. McElroy "If l
don't, I shall certainly come to the
poorhouse. haven't saved money all
these years to rain it down on peoples $
heads as if it was hailstones. No, De-
linda, | haven't got five dollars to
spare. Your bonnet is quite good
enough to wear for a month longer.
Everybody else has got theirs? Well
if everybody else is fools, that amt no
reason that you should be. Six dollars
for a subscription to help buy the new
minister's furniture? Not if | know
it, James. Wien came to BloodvllIe
I bought my own furniture, and there S
no reason that new minister shouldn t
do the same thing. The grocer book?
I never saw anything like the way our
housekeeping bills runs up! 1t nd
be a deal cheaper, so far as | can see,
to 90 to New York and board at the
Windsor Hotel than to live here, un-
less you and Sarah can manage a little
more economically, Matthew. And
as for those singing lessons that Lucy
wants to take, you may tell her no ~
Lucy thought" meellly began
Matthew Startling.
But his uncle interrupted him curt
ly;
"You may tell her no And that
ends the question ~
John McElroy was a man who had
in the local dialect, Saved a lot Of
money" Being a great deal too eco
nomical to marry, he had invited a
lame nephew, Matthew Startling, to
come with his family and keep house
in the old red homestead, and there
after took credit to himself for sup
porting all the StarIings, although
Matthew toiled diligently at his trade
OF shoemaking, and James, the eldest
son, managed the farm with skill and
success, while Mrs. Startling and her
two daughters, Lucy and belinda,
were the model dairy-women and best
managers of the vicinity,
In an evil hour Matthew Startling
| had borrowed thousand dollars from
Uncle John, to pay off an old debt.
He had kept up the interest pretty
regularly, but it would have been
about as easy for him to pay off the
national debt as to discharge an obli-
CATION of thousand dollars and in
this way Uncle McElroy contriyed tc
keep him ground down into the very
dust.
Had it not been for this thousand
dollar debt, the Starring family would
have crept out from under the harrow
of Uncle Johns tongue and temper
long ago.
1T don't seem as if we could stanC
it, said Mrs. Startling, plaintiyely.
q don't care how much he scold'
me, said belinda, "but he has nc
business to tyrannize 50 dreadfully
over poor mother. -
If I could only raise money enougl
to take quarters singing lessons,
could earn hundred dollars yea.
in the church choir, said Lucy.
"Ifl" said James, laughing That
a big word, Loo, for such little one
Il Uncle John would only let me plan
a crop of tobacco upin the south feld
| am sure | could raise twice as mucI
money as the turnips will bring US
But Uncle John sticks to old tradl
tions, and that little if stands in tn
way. only wish that the farm wa
mine -
The housekeeping book was partic
ularly aggravating that morning, anc
Mrs. Startling had shed few Quie
tears before the interview was over.
Il hate whining women" said Nh
McElroy. land I hate extrava8an
ones?"
Il try to do the best I can, SAT-
poor Mrs. Startling.
And when the book was flung wrath
fully on the table, and when Mr.. Nc
Elroy had dismissed his nephew 5 wife
he sat thinking.
I'll do 1T" he said, aloud. Nv
had it in my mind for some time. II
send these Starlings about their bus.
ness. I'll put an end to these ever
lasting impositions of theirs. The
only care for me just the length of IN
purse. They hate me, every one {
'em. can see through EN-, dull a
they think me !"
As he sat there, lad came to th
door, with yellow envelope in h
hand.
ga telegram for you" said h