The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-08-10

HoW the Plans Of the Selfish Daughters and the Mcenay SnsnLaR Wa
ThVarted by an AbleBodlc' Lad with Itddr.
IIIIII
By Helen whitney Clark.

Its fur your own good, nav"
urged Blmira, the youngest daughter,
persuasively. you know you're kind
o. deef O. late years. an livin' here
alone like you've bene a-doin' is pow
srful dangersome. Seth thinks so. too.
An he says you'll be heap better on
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 single
hair-pin made of bent knitting-nee-
die. why, you'll hev three months at
q time with each one o us, talun' 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 a moment free from household
cares and perplexities, the prospect OF
nothing to do but sit in rocking
chair from morning until night seemed
like a foretaste of Paradise.
Mrs. Coppage, however, held a diff
ferent opinion. 81 don't want to set
an do nothing all day" she objected,
bitterly. Nor | 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, lest listen at me. It's
all nons'nse to talk like that. What
kin you do in a ole ramshackle O. a
house like this? All alone, too, fur
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. 81
could git your cousin Margie, poor
mster Phoebe's darter, to come an
stay with me. She's out O. place now
anyway, an her brothers wife be-
grudges her every mouthful she eats
She could milk the COW an help with
the chores. An II you girls would on
ly let me keep the ole place while
live-it won't be many years" her
voice shook a little, II wouldn't ask
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 clover! An
besides, could knit socks, They
pay forty cents pair over to Turkey
Holler-"
Nov, that's all foolishness, NAV,
interrupted Adaline, impatiently. "Hov
do you reckon you an Margie coult
git long with only one cow to milk
An you know yourself you had to sci
the team, an every other hoof O. stocl
on the place 'ceptin' the milch COW
to pay the taxes, an back int'rest OF
the mor'gidge. An besides, the lam.
all run down SO it's too poor to rais'
black-eyed peas!"
mot to mention that the chimle!
smokes, an the clapboards is all a
blowin' off the ruff," interpolated El
mira, with plying look at hsr moth
sr's sad face.
The widow bowed her head on he
hands, and the ready tears gushet
forth. "T've lived here ever since
married your paw" she sobbed. brok
emily HE cleared the Ian hisself, an
put out the orchard. Them pippin
was jest a-comin' into bearin' that yea
he died. He'd a paid off the mor'gidg
rut an branch, afore now II he'd liv
cd, poor mani"
II was the mortgage on the oil
homestead which caused all the trou
BILE, the widow being unable TO pa,
even the interest, which had accumu
lated for several years, and her sons
in-law having declined to assist her.
mo use THROWN good money afte
bad" they declared, individually an
collectively. BEST let the ole place &c
It's most eat up with interest now, ar
your nav kin hev a home with us lon
as she lives"
And despite her objections, the wild
ow was forced to accept the proffere
terms.
Let me stay here at least till afte
the sale" she pleaded, and her reques
was granted.
But you better git Margie to sta
with you," urged Elmira. "'Tain't fl
tin fur you to stay here alone, beir
you're 80 deef; you wouldn't skeercel
hear 1t II the house should burn down.
The three sisters. who lived in a
adjoining township. having marie
well-to-do farmers in that locality
had met by appointment at the oil
homestead to lay the ultimatum whic
had been decided upon before thei
mother. Though a little selfish, the
were not really heartless, and no dout
believed the change was a necessar
measure. Their husbands could yer
we'll have afforded to keep the intere:
on the mortgage paid up during th
widows lifetime. but as they said. tn
expense would eat up the value Of th
farm and be of no especial benefit
themselves. So 1t was decided to Il
the nortgage be foreclosed.