Casco Bay breeze. [volume] (South Harpswell, Me.) 1901-1917, 1904-07-14


urged Elmira, the youngest daughter.
persuasively. You know you're kind
O def o late years. an Twin here
alone like you've bene a-doin' is pow
erful dangersome. Seth thinks so. too.
An he says you'll be heap better of
Twin with some o u.s.
Course you will" chimed in Becky,
the widows second daughter. She
was a sallow. jaded looking woman.
with an untidy wisp OF tow-colored
hair twisted into knot and fastened
at the nape of the neck with a single
hair-pin made of a bent knitting-nee-
die. why. you'll hev three months at
a time with each one O. US, talin' 1t
turn an turn about, an not a lick O.
work TO do. Nothing but set in the
rockin-cheer from mornin' till night
To poor, tired Becky, who seldom
had moment free from household
cares and perpleXities. the prospect Of
nothing to do but sit in a rocking
chair from morning until night seemed
like foretaste of Paradise.
Mrs. Coppage. however. held a diff
ferent opinion. Il don't want to set
VI,
bitterly. Nor I don't want to be drug
round from pillar to post an from
post to pillar! l want to stay right
here in my ole home. an milk the COW.
an churn, an make pickles an apple
sass, an tack carpet-rags, an sew
patchwork, an stech,"
!. Now, look here. nav. put in Ada
line, the eldest of the three sisters.
determinedly, Jest listen at me. It's
all nons'nse to talk like that What
kin you do in a ole ramshackle o. a
We can't airy one o us leave home
every whip-stitch to come an stay
with you. as you know very WE'LL"
Mrs. Coppage wiped the tears from
her eyes. and looked up briskly Il
could git your cousin Margie. poor
sister Phoebe's darter. to come an
stay with/1e. She's out O place now.
anywa. "a her brothers wife be-
gradgSH every mouthful she eats.
the cow an help with
the chores An IL you girls YOU'D on
ly let me keep the ole place while
hve-it won't be many years" her
fur nothing more from any O. you,
There's the garden. you know, an the
milk an butter an the eggs. Why,
we could live like COWS in cloveri An
besides. I could knit socks. They
pay forty cents pair over to Turkey
Hol,er-"
Now, that's all foolishness, maw,''
interrupted Alkaline. impatiently. How
do you reckon you an Margie could
git long with only one cow to milk ?
An you know yourself you had to sell
the team, an every other hoof o. stock
on the place 'ceptin' the mich COW.
to pay the taxes. an back int'rest on
the morgidge. An besides. the lan's
all run down so it's too poor to raise
black-eyed peas."
Not to mention that the chimley
smokes, an the clapboards Is all a.
BLOWN of the rum" interpolated FL
mira. with plying look at her moth
er's sad face.
The widow bowed her head on her
hands. and the ready tears gushed
forth. 1--WE lived here ever since /
married your paw" she sobbed, brok-
emily. He cleared the Ian hisself. an
put out the orchard. Them pippins
was jest a-comin' into bearin' that year
he died. He'd a paid off the mortgage
rut an branch, afore now IL he'd liv-
ed, poor mani"
II was the mortgage on the old
homestead which caused all the trou-
bic. the widow being unable to pay
even the interest, which had accumu.
lated for several years. and her sons
in-Iaw having declined TO assist her.
mo use THROWN good money after
bad" they declared. individually and
collectively. Best let the ole place 20
It's most eat up with interest now. an
your nav kin hey a home with us long
a. she lives"
And despite her objections. the wild
ow was forced to accept the pronerea
terms.
let me stay here at least I'LL after
the sale" she pleaded. and her reques,
was granted.
But you better git Margie 10 stay
with you, urged Elmira "'Tain't fit-
tin fur you % stay here alone. bein'
you're - oes(; you wouldn't skeercely
- g q the house should burn down"
41o tnree sisters. who lived in an
sdSofa1ng township. having married
welI-to-do farmers In that locality.
had met by appointment at (he old
Homestead to lay the ultimatum which
had been decided upon before their
mother. Though a little selfish. they
were not really heartiess. and no doubt
beloved the change was necessary
measure. Their husbands could very
well have afforded to kcup the interest
on the mortgage paid up during the
widows lifetime. Tut az they said. the
expense would eat up the value OF the
farm and be Of no especial benefit &c
themselves. SO IL was decided to lie
the mortgage be .foreclosed.