Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1913-12-20
SALAR|ED GRANNY

"But, aunt p young Haygood's
tone was mildly expostulating. at
seems to me rather imprudent to
begin to use your principal. BY
using just the interest You can live
IN comfort here. I should think
you'd want to continue living quietly
and happily here, as you always have
done"
Mrs. Drake smiled indulgently,
but there were no signs Of yielding
in her manner. "a great deal you
know about whether I've been happy
OF not. I've been repressed, that's
what I've been. ought not to say
anything in criticism Of my poor
husband, who is dead, and gone, but
he did not understand me. He treat
ed me like child. He meant well,
poor man, but he did not know. But
now / am going to enjoy my money,
I'm going to do some of the things
I've always wanted to do"
"But when it is gone," suggested
the nephew, "what then?'
81 shall be gone, too" she smiled
at him brightly. ooh, Pm not so
foolish. and improvident as you may
think. I've figured it all out and !
know exactly how much / can spend
each year so. as to have it last just
as long as / do. You see, my father
and mother died at seventy years,
and a number of my aunts and
uncles died at the same age. To be
sure, my grandfather on my fathers
side lived to be ninety-fve, but his
wife died when she was only forty
five, SO that evened things up. After
all my figuring and calculating
have set the time Of my departure
from this life at exactly seventy
years and six months. To be sure,
shall not leave any money behind
me, but that will save the bother Of
making a will. I'm going to begir
to enjoy myself right away and the
first thing will be to start for south
ern California for the winter, anc
/ leave in just one week. You see,
am sixty now, and I've got ten year
left, SO l don't want to lose an,
time. 1t is too precious and will
slip away all too quickly"
Haygood arose to go. $50 yol
have made up your mind, aunt" h
said. swell, / hope you will hav
a delightful time every minute tn
next ten years. And if you SHOULD
need any assistance let me know
won't your"
Mrs. Drake smiled. "I'll let vol
know" she said, ''but l shall not liv
to be any older. l have made m,
calculations very carefully. I'm no
so strong as l seem, and if / hav
made any mistake it is on the sid
of coming short of seventy"
Haygood chuckled as he wen
down the stone steps to the side
walk. "I'll bet on her being goo'
for a hundred" he said. 81 Sc
where I'll have to support her in he
old age. She's dear old lady, ant
] guess I'm good for it." and h
squared his broad shoulders as h
walked briskly along the sidewalk.
y
It-was Mrs. brakes birthday, ant
she was seventy years old. She wa
observing the day quietly at her oil
home. Her money was all gone.
As she looked back upon the pas
ten years her strongest feelings wer
regret and dissatisfaction. Some o
her money she had spent for others
but that which she had used for her
self had brought far less happines
than she had expected. At the frs
she had been as pleased and inter
ested as a child, but soon she hat
become bored and over-critical, ant
the last few years had dragged fear
lily.
As she sat thinking of thes
things she was not happy The i'll
use to which she had put her none
and the nearness Of her exit from
life's stage were enough in them
selves to cause distress of mind; bu
these things we're of secondary i'm