Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1912-03-16

written Specially for The Bulletin
About time for house cleaning, isn't
it, Miss May?" said her neighbor Mrs.
Smart, as the latter entered the most
comfortable chair, evidently intending
to make lengthy morning call. n
These bright, breezy days in March
make me feel that l must turn the
house inside out for an airing You
don't need 1t. as. 1 do, though, for you
have no children to cover a house
with finger marks and boot tracks.
You're as neat as wax anyway, and
your rooms are never out Of order"
=" We'll, l can find dust and dirt
enough was the reply, but I'm May
by nature as well as name l guess,
and prefer to walt for warmer wealth
er for my house cleaning.
And then you can afford to hire
some one to help YOU" resumed Mrs.
Smart" while / have 1t all to do my
self. Your uncle James gave you quite
a snug little fortune. / suppose and
we'll he might, for you were kinder
to him than his own daughters, &C
cording to all accounts, and he seem
ed grateful for it. He always said he
hoped to end his days here. but he
died at his daughter Cynthia's in the
city. didnt ne
Miss May" and no will was found SO
everything went to his daughters. l
never expected to be paid for what 1
did for Uncle James. He liked my
quiet home better than the city, and 1
enjoyed having him here and miss
him greatly. He was just the kind Of
man to put off making q will, so l
was not surprised that they found
none"
you don't mean he left you moth
ingi" interrupted her friend. You see
I've been away all winter and have
not been home long enough to be told
all the news. What shame! know
he meant to do we'll by you for / have
heard him say SO many time. Didn't
he give you anything? You'll never
get anything If Cynthia, can prevent
it. I never did like her, proud, stuck
up thing as she was. wouldn't won
der If she knew more about a will
than she would admit"
,''Oh, no, Mrs. Smart, you must not
say that, for I am sure Cousin Gym
thia and her sister would never in
tend to defraud me in any way. That
reminds me that I ought TO overhaul
the box of books they sent me. I'm
Gle James. When he found himself
nearing the end, asked Cynthia to send
me some of the books We had read
together when he was here. You know
he was a great reader He said I'd
like to look them over, and perhaps
I'd find something in them to remind
me Of the pleasant days he had spent
here. I have rather dreaded opening
the box, but 1 suppose ought to, He
would like me to, I am sure"
There you gol Always thinking
of what other people would like.
never saw your equal. But 1 must get
home or that hungry crowd of mine
will find dinner is not ready, and that
will never do, you know. Run over
soon, and come often now l am at
home again: am always glad to see
you," and Mrs. Smart departed for
her own home and duties.
The very next day Miss May open
ed the box of books for her curiosi-
ty was aroused by the talk of the day
before. Uncle James, so the girls
wrote, said ne considered these books
would be of more value to me than
to any Of the others. I wonder why,
unused Miss May, as she pried open
the box and began taking out its con-
tents. I am sure l shall be glad to
see them once more in the book case
1t has looked empty since Uncle James
took his books home, and l shall en-
10y reading some of them again. How
dearly he loved his Shakespeare! 1t is
shabby from use I would not have
Mrs. Smart know all Cynthia said to
me about these books. Shabby old
things she called them, and claimed
to be glad to be rid of them. How