Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1901-08-31

THE DILLEY BENEFIT.

.HE Dlllcys seemed born to
misfortune. How much or
the "ill luck" that so stead

their own shiftcssncSs ana lack or
common sense Is not for me to say;
but no one could deny that the Dill
leys were indolent and imprOvident,
nor that they appeared to be chlldlslly
Ignorant of the value of money. When
they had money, which was seldom,
they spent it so fooliShly that it was
difficult for their friends to sympa-
thlzc with them when they were pen
niless and their cupboard and pantry
were bare.
Their tastes ran so largely to jewclry
that Mr.. Dilley had been known to
pay SO for a glass and brass breastpln
and "ear bobs' for Mrs. Dilley when
she sorely needed shoes, and her best
gown was n faded calico. Likewise
Mrs. Dilley had been known to pay
S. for an imitation diamond and pearl
hand when he was almost barefooted,
and on one occasion she presented
him with big gold "bosom-pin' for
his shirt front when he had hardly a
whole shirt to pin it to.
Next to this uncurbed fondness for
jewelry, the Dilley taste ran largely to
family photographs and plush albums,
with mirrors and embroidered flowers
on the lids thereof. Nothing seemed
to give them greater pleasure than to
'set for their pictures in group,
with the baby on Mrs. Dilley's ample
lap, Terminus. the next in size, be-
tween his fathers patched knees, and
Antoinctte, Claudia, Reginald and
Percival gracefully grouped around
their parents.
1t was like the Dilley luck the
neighbors said, when poor Mrs. Dill
leys garments caught fire when she
was boiling soap in her back yard,
and the result was that the six Dilley
children We're mothcrlcss within n
week.
The remembrance of this tragedy
was still heavy upon their hearts when
poor Mr.. Dillcy was brought home
dead. having been killed by n tree he
had felled in the woods near his home.
y
were orphans. and not n change of
clothes to their backs nor hardly any
food in the house. said the next neigh
Dor of the Dillcys, who told this tale
to me, "and not Il cent for the future,
and not one of them old enough to
earn any money but Claudia, the old
est girl, and she only fifteen
The question what could or should
be done with the Dilleys afforded food
for prolonged discussion. The imme-
date wants Of the children were will
ingly provided for, and they remained
In the shabby little house in which
they had lived. Claudia knew of but
one relative of her fathers to whom
she could write regarding his death
This relative was her fathers brother,
John Dillcy. who lived in the Far
West. He had i.0t been heard from
for several years. but Claudia knew
his address, and she felt that it would
be proper for her to inform her Uncle
John Of his brothers death.
Ten days after Claudia's pathetic
tllllC ltltNl Hu'l Sollt vi us way out
over the Western plains. this philoso-
phical and wcll-meant reply came to
her from her warm hearted Western
uncle, whose ignorance of grammar
AID photography were more than
atoned for by his generosity:
"My Deer Neese:-I got your letter
saying that your Father was ded.
We've all got to go some time. If he
wasn't prepared he ought to have
been. He was goOd-hcarted. l was
not surprised to hear that he didn't
leave no property. A body can't very
well leave what body never had
Your father wasn't one of the accumu-
lative kind. 1t wasn't in him to be
that way, and l guess he couldn't
help it.
Il amt been able to lay up CRATE
amount, and I've six children of my
oun to fetch up, but you are my oun
brothers children, and your Aunt
Mary and me are willing to do what
we can for you. Ike got big farm
out here, and room for all of you If
tou Stl HtIc. hul UlOutN Is scarce
and l ant got any to send you.
"If you kin sell your furniture and
things, and get money to come on with
We'll make you all welcome and give
you plenty to eat and enough to veal
and some schoolin', and do the best WI
can by you. Let me know when you
will start, and I'll drive to town t.
meet you. So no more now from
"John Dillcy."
When the contents of this letter be
came known in the little town wher,
the orphans lived. the opinion was
quickly formed that the Dilley chill
dren should by all means be sent t.
their Uncle John, and he was highly
commended for his generosity in bcins
willing to take "thc whole tribe OF
them" But how to get them to hin
was the next question. The cntir,
household possessions of the Dilleys
with the family jewelry and photo
graph albums included, would moi
have sold for 500.
1t was Thomas jefferson Briggs wh'
SoheSlN't iilt VI llc l'IlI'N
fit. Thomas possessed great fcrtilit.
of ideas. although he was but lively,
years old; and rs his grandmother
with whom he lived. said. he wa
"small for his size Some bo.iS II
Melville of ten years We're larger thar
Thomas. but none were more read,
with eXpedients. One day, when tn,
discussion about the Dillcys was n
full tide. Thomas said to Miss Jan,
Crane, who was talking about the mat
ter to his grandmother:
"S'pose we get up benefit To-
them?"
"A bcnClit?" said Miss Jane.
"Yes," replied Thomas. "iou know
they got up benefit for the bras
band last spring and made most SlOO
Maybe they could make as much 70
the Dilleys."
The very thing" exclaimed Mis-
Jane. clapping her small, thin hand
together. "IIow lovely Of you to thnl