Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1903-05-15
A CLOSED ACCOUNT.

gray house less than an hour before,
and since then the sentence of death
had been pronounced upon her. Not
an imminent death, but certain one,
and she sat there trying to adjust her
mind to this new point of view.
She had expected to live to old age,
like her long-lived ancestOrs-her
father and grandfather and mother
were well in the eighties when they let
go of life, and she was only tifty-five.
She had always been a well, strong
woman. but in the past year there had
been queer fiutterings and pains in
her left side which had sent her at
last to the doctor. After close listen
ings and many questions. he sat back
in his chair and looked at her gravely.
"Well?' she said quietly.
Miss Lavnia," he answered, in his
slow, kind way, Il should answer some
women differently. but know you are
brave woman. Shall be plain with
you?"
Her hands frightened on the arms of
her chair. but she said instantly, u
want the truth
You shall have it. There is a seri-
Gus trouble with your heart. which
means-the end. II may come at any
time but it will probably be delayed
somewhat"
How long?"
Possibly several years. / should
Judge not more than two or three
Miss Lavinia was silent for a mo-
ment. then she said. ferventlv. Thank
the Lord! That bridge is crossed"
But | hope you will not cross the
bridge for a long time | may be mis-
taken
"That wasn't what ! had in mind
she said briefly. but made no further
explanation. only stepping back to say,
Il wish You wouldn't tell anybody;
don't want TO be watched and pitied."
Now. in her quiet home, she thought
over her visit and reioiced in spirit,
for it meant to her great deliverance.
She looked around upon her old-fash-
toned belongings. You are old all of
YOU" she said to them. but there amt
going to be any old age for me. thank
the Lord"
She thought of her fathers and
mothers lives; hard and mercilessly
bare, stripped of all pleasant things. to
make provision. poor at best. for the
ever-threatening "old age They
had succeeded. to the extent Of dying
quietly in their own home in the know
ledge that they could be buried by
their own money. and that their
daughter would inherit the little gray
house. unincumbered, and six hundred
dollars in the savings bank. And this
was the reward for over fifty years of
unremtting toll. Since their death
Miss Lavinia had faithfully served in
t-e old bondage.
There are various kinds of economy
/ but no one knows what the word really
means until he knows the self-respect
| ing, soul-racking economy of our small
| er New England towns. where the peo
| pie are too near together for the utter
| going without possible to scattered
| farms. and not near enough together
| to be Indifferent to each other.
Miss Lavinia was the past master OF
| this sad science. She knew the very
fewest pieces of kindling wood that
would start her fire. and how to nurse
/ its small life to the greatest length
She made her own lamplighters. anC
in winter the match which lighted hei
morning fire was the only one useC
through the day. She carefully
and saved every end of thread WheI
she had butter on her bread, which
was seldom. ii was spread out to ;
mere film. and her tea leaves were
stepped again and again. Her ward
robe was the hardest to manage. bu
she dyed and turned and cobbled an,
darned, and managed to look respect
able. and only those who practised tn,
] rfta 81 n
distress.
BY dint of this sort of thing and tn
doing of whatever her hands found L
do. helped out by the income from he
six hundred dollars, she had manage
to live-rather to keep alive-withou
encroaching upon her principal. Blu
she had an innate sense of breadt
and beauty. and her life had been
daily crucifiXion. whirh was now enc
ed.
She went into her tiny bedroom an
took her bank book from its hidin
place. What a story it told. with il
pitiful entries of two and three dollars
But when she looked at the total sh
was almost awed. How could sh
ever spend it all?
The old clock slowly told off fly
strokes, reminding her of supper tim
As she passed it she laid her hand o
it and looked up to its familiar fac
She felt a new affection for this oil
friend.
From lifelong habit she took III
smallest stick in the box TO replenis
her fire, but after a moment she FOLLOW
ed it with the largest. Then sh
= emptied the teapot, though the leave
] had been stepped only twice. an
brewed herself a fresh cup 1t ha
been her custom to sit without a ligl
, until her early bedtime; but as dus
/ came On she lighted her lamp, turne
the wick up to a generous flame, bui
up her fire and sat down before
4 with comfortable sense of plenty.
The next morning she woke as to
new life. The old grinding poverr
was like a bad dream now past. 81
who had lived on a hundred dollars
year now had six hundred to spend
j. two or three years. Yes, and NOR
for she could raise four or five hundrt
5 on the little gray house. A thousar
dollars, What wealth!
She entered into the enjoyment
: her prosperity at once by hailing II
, passing butcher cart and buying he
self a bit of meat. Later she too
the little money she had left, went
the grocery and bought coffee and bl
ter and fruit. things she had oft,
longed for. She stopped on the WI