Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-12-22
DONE BY A WOMAN,
ax N. QUAD.
1909, by Associated Literary.

copyrighted. 1909, by Associated Literary
Press
1t had often been remarked In the
village OF Highlands that Mrs, Carson,
wife Of the carpenter was a smart
woman. 1t was not SO much that she
had the Monday washing out an hour
ahead Of any other woman In the VII
lage or that her hens were laying eggs
right along when other hens were rest
ing. but that she was always putting
smart ideas into her husbands head
and he was always telling Of them.
The only reason none Of these ideas
were carried out was from lack Of
capital. A village carpenter working
for - 4 day never has bank account
to back him up In specnlations calling
for thousands Of dollars. That was
the trouble with his wife's ideas-it
wanted Z lot Of money to carry them
out. Besides. Mr.. Carson was not .
born Spectator. He was simply
good natured, easy going carpenter.
The day finally came when the car
penter sickened and died. He left =
home clear OF debt and Z life Insurance
Of 5000. Come Of the neighbors said
that was more money than his wife
could make In 6fty years, notwith-
standing her smartness. and others
predicted that she would take the cash
capital and open the eyes Of the town.
Within month after the funeral It
was known that she was making a
move Of some sort. The fact that she
had sold her property could not be con-
cealed from the public, but as to what
she was going to do with the cash In
hand she was reticent. The minister
Of her church called and offered his
financial advice. but 1t did not seem to
be greatly appreciated. Squire Hen
derson, who was supposed to be one
Of the cutest capitalists and specula-
tors In that part of the state, called
and tried for an hour to convince her
that pork was sure to go up and that
she could double her money by invest
ing in hogs. but she would not promise
to follow his advice. Advice came in
from all sides and was received and
laid on the shelf.
A mile west of Highlands and on
the same line of railroad was farm
OF 200 acres. 1t was one Of the Oldest
and poorest on Long Island. 1t began
at the railroad and ran back to the
shores of the sound--not exactly to
the shore. but to marsh and a
bayou and three or four tidal channels,
the breeding ground of malaria and
mosquitoes for ten miles around. The
farm had been for sale since the Oldest
inhabitant could remember. 1t had
passed from father to sou two or three
times. 1t had steadily gone to decay
with all changes. aud the day the
Widow Carson made her call and an
nounced she might buy it IL the price
were right she was regarded as an
angel straight from heaven. The price
was made right. and promise was
extorted that the name Of the buyer
should be kept secret for certain
length Of time. Even before the deed
was signed men were at work cutting
down the dead and scraggy fruit and
other trees, burning up rotten fences
and clearing OF the site everything
but the house. That was left for the
real estate office Of the Highland
Biuffs Improvement company. No one
had ever seen any bluffs there, and
no one could discover any bluffs there.
But what Of It?
On the same day that arrangements
were made with the railroad company
to build a suburban station at the
hl,vfPu = arrvovnr vaa IN tho field Law.
ing the old farm out into parks. ave
nues and streets. A few days later
the maps were out Then followed
the advertisements Of the new town.
The Widow Carson cane to the front
now. She was handling the good
thing all by herself that.is, she paid
cash to her assistants, and that ended
their interest in the matter.
The widow Carson went on the prin-