The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-09-09
When Fortune Knocked.
How the Plans Of the Selfish Daughters and the Mceay nsnLaW Were
ThWated by an AbIeBOdied Lad with Ladder

By Helen Whitney Clark.

"It's fur your own good, NAV,
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 OH
Twin with some O. us"
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 bent knlttlng-nee-
die. "Why, you'll hev three months at
a time with each one O us, takln II
turn an turn about, an not 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 I don't want to be drug
round from pillar to post an from
post to pills>! l want to stay right
here in nay ole home, an milk the cow,
an churn, an make pickles an apple
sass, an tack carpet-rags, an sew
patchwork, an stech!"
Nov, 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
kkl you do in 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. Il
could git your cousin Margie, poor
sister Phoebes 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 If you girls would on
ly let me keep the ole place while
live-it won't be many years" her
voice shook little, Il 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, l could knit socks. They
pay forty cents pair over to Turkey
Hol,er-"
Nov, that's all foolishness, nav"
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 interest on
the NOR gidge An besides, the lan's'
all run down so it's too poor to raise
black-eyed peas!"
mot to mention that the chimley
smokes, an the clapboards is all a.
BLOWN off the ruff" 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 NOR gidge
rut an branch, afore now if he'd liv-
ed, poor mani"
1t was the mortgage on the old
homestead which caused all the trou-
BILE, the widow being unable to pay
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 after
bad" they declared, individually and
collectively. Best let the ole place go.
It's most eat UP with interest now, an
your nav kin hev home with us long
as she lives"
And despite her objections, the wild
ow was forced to accept the proffered
terms.
Let me stay here at least till after
the sale,' she pleaded, and her request
was granted.
But you better git Margie to stay
with you" urged Elmira ." 'Tain't fit
tin fur you to stay here alone, bein
you're so def; you wouldn't skeercely
hear it If the house should burn down"
The three sisters, who lived in an
adjoining township, having married
well-to-do farmers in that locality,
had met by appointment at the old
homestead to lay the ultimatum which