The Newport plain talk. (Newport, Tenn.) 1909-1939, 1914-02-05
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. / 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
or not. I've been depressed, 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 a child. He meant we'll,
poor man, but he did not know. But
now l 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 l
know exactly how much l 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 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. Pm going to begin
to enjoy myself right away and the
first thing will be to start for south
ern California for the winter, and
| leave in just one week. You see, /
am sixty row, and I've got ten years
left, so / don't want to lose any
time. 1t is too precious and will
slip away all too quickly"
Haygood arose to go. $50. you
have made up your mind, aunt" he
said. "Well, I hope you will have
delightful time every minute the
next ten years. And if you should
need any assistance let me know,
won't your"
Mrs. Drake smiled. "I'll let you
know" she said, 'but I shall not live
to be any older. l have made my
calculations very carefully. Pm not
so strong as l seem, and if l have
made any mistake it is on the side
of coming short of seventy"
Haygood chuckled as he went
down the stone steps to the side
walk. "I'll bet on her being good
for a hundred" he said. 81 see
where III have to. support her in her
old age. She's a dear old lady, and
I guess I'm good for it," and he
squared his broad shoulders as he
walked briskly along the sidewalk.
I +
1t was Mrs. brakes birthday, and
she was seventy years old. She was
observing the day quietly at her old
home. Her money was all gone.
As she looked back upon the past
ten years her strongest feelings were
regret and dissatisfaction. Some of
her money she had spent for others,
but that which she had used for her
self had brought far less happiness
than she had expected. At the first
she had been as pleased and inter
ested as child, but soon she had
become bored and over-critical, and
the last few years had dragged fear
lily.
As she sat thinking of these
things she was not happy. The i'll
use to which she had put her money
and the nearness of her exit from
life's stage were enough in them
selves to cause distress of mind but
these things were of secondary i'm.
portance, while it was the financial
situation which weighed most heav.
lily upon her.