Year: 1875




crowded car, and she didn't want to


make scene. was glad of it, too,


mean, sneaking, cowardly devil that


l was! But the strain was too great


on her and she tainted dead away in


nv arms -. gadin BIZ t!tt-


""When we got home I took hack


and told the driver to drive to the


house on the hill, but Maria cried so


hard and begged SO piteously to be


taken to her mothers that I had to
give in. . We had to drive right where


we,could- see our own house, and it


was all lit up. - i was surprised to see


it, aud told the DRYER we would go


there ana see what was up. We drove
up to the front steps, and Mrs. Cool
idge came ont to meet us, and Maria
threw herself into her arms, crying as
if her Heart would break. OF course
| was very angry at such ar exhibition


hut I held my temper, aad consoled
myself, man-like, by thinking that she


would get ever it when she had cried
it out.


Mother Coolidge had supper all
ready, and in short time we were
all at table; bat none of us enjoyed


the good cheer very heartily, 1 was


SO mad 1 could scarcely swallow, for


1 thought it was a contrived plan on


the lady's part to get foothold in


my house, and l was swearing in


wardly that her little plan should
fail. Maria laughed Historically all
through the meal, and gulped down
her food and tears together. Mother
Coolidge figeted as if she sat on net
ties, and 1 guess we were all glad


when we could leave the table.


s. Invent right out to the barn TO see
how everything was there, and, while
l was out suppose Maria made her
mother understand how it was, for
when l came in again she had on her
bonnet to 60 home. l said, "Hadnt
you better stay all night?" "Oh, no."
she replied, 81 must 60 home. 1 did
not calculate to stay over night, 1 must
be home in the morning to see to
thingsw 1 offered to go home with
her, but she refused and went away
alone to her lonesome old house, from
which I had taken all the, sunlight
and Joy.
'''''I felt pretty mean, 1 tell you, but
not half as mean as I did few years
when had to go to her
for shelter for rs all. I'll tell you
how it was. Things went on swim
mingly with me for about two years
and half, then everything took turn
and all went wrong. took 3 job OF
building grist mill for John Terry.
He wasreported to be worth million
or SO; and took the job and found
everything. To do it had to call in
all my outstanding debts, and get
credit besides. Just before the mill
was done old Terry failed and could
not take it; SO undertook to run it
myself, but ran behind every day
till the mill burned upset on fire by
a miller had discharged for taking
double toll. .....,.


Well, there l was-heels over head
in debt; and Iimortgaged my house
and lot to Squire Hogarth to pay my
workmen. Next, 1 fell off barn and
spliptered my leg into forty pieces.
The doctor wantedsto take it off, OF
course, but mother Coolidge declared
she had seen worse fracture heal and
make a great deal better leg than none
and that she believed this one would
hes too; and it should not be ampu-
lated. She was right too. God bless
her III can never pay her for what
she did for me- She stayed right by
me day and night, and when the old
money-lender foreclosed the mortgage
She. took US all homs-Maria and l,
md the TIVE children, laid on my
back for more than year, and she
went out to work by the day to sup
port my family, She went up to the
American House and did the cooking,
and with what she earned and what
they gave her, che managed to feed
aud clothe US all.
But it was q mighty tight squeak,
tell you; and if the railroad hadn't
come just then, l don't know but we
would have all gone to the poorhouse.
But it did come just in the nick of
time, and the company bought four
.een acres of mothers land to put ma
chine shops on, and they paid her
three thousand dollars for it, and she
gave Maria half Of it, and Maria gave
It to meas all wives most foolishly
DO, give every dollar they have to
their husbands /; and got we'll mighty
quick, when l saw q chance for myself.
and went to work, and things have
zone all straight since.


sWhen we came from mothers TO
his house, we trird our level best to
have her come with us, but she said.
sNo, I'm too old and cranky, and
ike my own way toe well to live any
where but in nay own house, and be-
sides, Pm going to send for my sister
Hannah and her crippled girl to come
and keep me company. s'Aother,
;sme! do GOMEZ i begged "yeu
make ,me, :esl meanerl than / ever
thought 1 should feel, by refusing
'.No, no, Johnl shall stay here, just
to make you all aiplace to come to on
Uhristmas aud Thanksgiving, aud to
gives the children the pleasure of
coming to grandma's every day. But
she added, there's one thing you can
10 for me, seeing you feel so badly
you may repair this old house for me,
and build on an addition for Aunt
Hannah and Sophie" "Agreed," said
= "a