Imperial Valley press., 1912-02-09
ANOLDM MAIDS
$4,000
By NJ. QUAD
Copyright, 1911, by Associated Lit
erary Press
By NJ. QUAD

the village could remember Some fig
ured her age at forty-dve and some
went five years better Sarah had al
ways lived alone and OIL what she
could earn ut sewing. She did 90 to
| church, and there WAS Il lp-and that
once upon time she attended sun
Cay school picnic. but she WAS by no
means high flier
Sarah had never complained because
/ the chance to marry had nor come to
her. She had never complained Of her
poor earnings and poor living If any
one condoled with her she sighed Il
didn't even hope for change for the
better as far as any one knew.
Then. after years and years. Sarah's
| day davned. y relative died and left
her a cold $4,000 in cash 1t made
her the richest person in the village.
1t brought her hundreds of congratula-
tons and good wishes. but to all in
Iuries as to what she was going to
do with her money she said she must
have time to think it over. When she
had been given fortnight she was
ready she announced that she was
going to have a good time on her
money, and she started right in.
Sarah had always wanted bottle of
ketchup. Now she bought one. She
had longed for a rocking chair for
twenty years. Now she paid So for
one and sat up long after her usual
bedtime to rock back and forth. Then
came pair of tan shoes, then a new
looking glass. then brown stockings
where she had always worn black. She
stopped there to count her money. and.
finding that she had about $99SO left.
she was encouraged into other extrav-
agances. Then she suddenly developed
what the villagers called a "streak"
Her minister. who had heard Of her
reckless expenditures, called to sound
note Of warning, but bumped up
against bit of obstinacy totally un-
looked for. He had once invested half
years salary in Wall street on a sure
thing. and. though he had lost it. he
Slalliutu " DC DtiSlllCSS Hull. LIZ
was going on to tell Sarah that she
must do so and so when she interrupt
ed to say that she felt herself entirely
competent to handle her money.
Then second streak was developed.
The old maid announced that she was
going to have good time with her
cash. In spite of warnings and argu-
mentS and protestations she set off fer
Boston and took the best rooms at the
best hotel She ate of fried oysters,
Holsters and crabs. She drank wine
and tipped walters. She rode in taXis
and attended theaterS.
She next went to New York city and
repeated her performance in Boston.
only more so. She became acquainted
with Il so called count. and he swim
died her out of 81 900 The fact got
Into the papers. and when she got
home she found that special prayer
meeting had been held on her account
Il am sorry you went to the trouble,
she said to her minister
But you needed it, Sister Johnson"
"WeIl. l cont know. always want
ed to know counts and lords and dukes
and I've got off for $1,000 where more
than POO American women have paid
several millions each. 1t is plain to be
seen. parson, that you are no business
man"
Sarah took flier in corn. She diu
it without advice and lost it, though
she might have lost it just the same
had every resident Of the village nd
vised The news stirred up the viii
lage again. but Sarah was complacent,
even smiling 1t all belonged to a
good time, she said TO all. Then she
announced that she was going to Eu-
rope. She was Il member of church.
and now some of the other members
raised the question of "churchinS
her. The majority weren't quite clear
on the matter. however. and nothing
was done. Sarah took in Europe for
six months. She ate of everything
there was to eat. and she saw all there
was to see. She had Il maid and she
bought her clothes in Paris. She knew
that her money was being rapidly ex-
lduSteU, DuJ size Uiu luL l)IItil oil that
account 1t thus came about that
when she once more landed in her
native village the sum of $3.50 repre-
sented her original $4,000.
Did Sarah Johnson collapse ut the
depot? Did tears blind her rs she en-
tered her little weather beaten cot
tage: Did she sit down on the floor
and hpwuil and wish she hadn't done
it? Oh. no. Sarah wasn't that kind
OF an cid maid She sat down in her
rocking chair and thought Of the good
times she had had and smiled and
smacked her lips. Her minister was
the first to call. It may be that he
had the heathen in mind. If he didn't
the woman did The last Of her for
tune was in silver. She selected "A
fifty cent piece ana extended it with
the observation:
For the heather, parson."
"But--but"-
at is all can give. and 1 give it
with cheerful heart"
"Sister Johnson. do you mean to tell
me you have squandered your $10,-
OO0?"
81 have about So left"
81 can't conceive of it! l can't
can't