A Peculiar Woman

'Keten hold, Tom. There, I deelare, if you ain't spilled about a quartl I knowed you'd get it too full.' 'I didn't spill more than ten drops, Cousin Silence. How you worry over bbe loss of a little grease.' 'It is one of my principies to save, an' you might a' learned long ago.' 'I believe in prudence; but what's a few drops of lard more or less with this farm, and nobody knows how much in bank? Youscrimpand screw as i f you think there were danger of your getting on the town.' Well, you are the frankest young man I ever saw,' and Silence TVithers put her arms akimbo and gazed at her young cousin, Tom Lowey, as if he was a curiosity escaped f rom some museum. 'Yes, I was always noted for my frankness,' said Tom, coolly, 'andl never hesitate to speak my mind when duty urges. However, I den't want to hurt your feelings, Cousin Silence.' 'No danger,' said Miss Silence, with a laugh oí derision. Tm no spring chicken, and my feelings have grown tough. But the idea of your duty urgin' you to speak your mind to me. Perhaps you don't recollect the whippiu's I used to give you ?' I haveu'fe forgotten,' laughed Tom. 'You used to make me do my duty in those days. But I wish I could convince you that it would only beaChristian act for you to send a little help to Mrs. Baldwin. You wouldn't feel the spending of $50 out of your $50.000.' 'Massa sakesi It seems as if other persons know more about my business than I do myself. Fifty thousand! Law ! Who said I was worth that 'i' 'Oh, it's common talk,' replied Tom. 'Well, it won't do you any good to talk. You'll never see the color of my money after l'm dead and gone. I've made my will, and since plain speaking pleases you, l'll make free to say you ain't mentioned in it. So there." 'I calcúlate to take care of myself,' said Tom, tilting bis chair against the wall. Leave your money wherever you choose, I don't want it.' 'The day may come when you will want it, Tom Lowey, and you'll be sorry for saying them words. l'll remember 'em; so will you when your pride has its fall. There's plenty of things I can leave my money to; it won't go beggin.' 'I guess not.' You'd mi re'n gaess if you'd live here a spell and see tha stream of visitors I have. There ain't a day but I get nagged about my money by body. Deacon Bonney tlunks ït s his bounden duty to advise me to leave it to found an orphan's home. Old Craig ■wauts it lef t to Wolf boro' Academy; 'Squire Darby has his mind oh it for a public library, and the minister tliinks I ought to remember what a debt's on the church. ïo hear him talk, you'd think I had one f oot in the gra re. I don't give any of tlusm anyatisfaction, and then they say l'm peculiar. Well, perhaps I am, but I don't see any prospect of any change in my natura-' Tom laughed. He was spending a couple of hours at the farm, which had been his only lióme until he began to 'scratch for himself,' to use his gaiint cousin's expression. ÏTow he never let more than a day or two pass without lpoking in on the lonely spinster to see i f he could give her any help, and to-day he was making himself useful in lifting jars and boilers of hot grease on and off the stove, for Miss Silence was frying out lard. Tom's law practice, as yet, was not very exacting, much to his regret; and he had more time on his hands than pleased him. 'But now do promisQ you'll send Mrs. Baldwin sömething for Christmas, Cousin Silence,' said Toni, returning to the attack. 'I never promise what 1 don't mean to perform,' was the characteristic answer to his pleading. 'Martha Baldwin and me ain't been on speakin' terms these nve years, and I'd be makin' myself pretty small to send her Christmas presenta. I'd soon be on the town, if I began to help all the poor folks you know. It 'pears to me you take a mighty deep interest in them Baldwins, Tom. Melissa Bonney let out a hint that you was sparkin' that Prissy Carroll.' 'I wish that Melissa Bonney would mind her own business.' 'Don't get riled. I dare say it's true. 'Twould be like you to court a girl without a penny, becanse you've not a penny yourself. Prissy Carroll's been raised out of charity by her aunt.' 'That don't make her less lovable, Cousin Silence.' 'Now, Tom Lowey,' said Miss Silence, brandishing the big iron spoon with which she stirred the lard, 'don't make a fooi of yourself over a pretty face. Butter your bread before you eat it. There's Melissa Bonney, whose father's worth - ' 'That's enough,' interrupted Tom; and before Miss Silence could stop him, he was out of the kitchen door and walkiag briskly down the path to the gate. ■Law sakes! wlmt peculiar creatures men ure. Talk of me bein' peculiar; why I ain't a circumstance to that ïom Lowey. He'll marry that l'rissy Oarroll now, if it's only to show me he don't ciire for my money;' and with a sigh. Miss Silence went back to lier lard. 'Christrnas gift, indeed!' sheexclaimed after standing soiae time in deep thought; 'I think I'd see myself eating lmmble pie to Marthjt Ualdwin.' But somehow or other her conscience did not feel so easy as it liad feit bef ore Tom's cali. An hour later, Toni was sitting in the widow Baldwin's small parlor, with his arm around a very trim waist, and a very lovable golden head resting on his shoulder. It was very evident that the closest economy wasnecessary with the Baldwins, for the carpet was patched and worn, the muslincurtains washed threadbare, and the furnituie in sad need of varnish and new hair cloth. 'I wish I saw my way clear to take you out of this, Prissy,' said ïom with a sigh; 'but clients are scarce enough in Wolf boro.' 'Now, Tom, where's the use to worry '( I couldn't leave Aunt Martha, anyway. We are both young enough to wait.' 'You'ie too good f ar this world, Prissy,' said Tom, with a kis on the dimpled white chin. 'There's some one knocking, let me go,' cried Prissy, springing upand running to the door. It was no visitors, but the hired man from Miss Silence's farm, with the spring wagon, which he had brought to convey ïom to his cousin's home, for Miss Silence had, not ten minutes af ter his departure, an liour previous, overturned a kettle of lard, by accident, and been terribly scalded. 'Where's my hat?' cried Tom, in great excitement, while the man was telling how he had wasted time by going to the office first, and not finding him there, had lmnted him up. 'Let me go with you Tom; I know I can help,' cried Prissy, as her lover was springing into the light wagon. 'Oh, Prissy, if you only would.' 'AVait till I get my bounet and shawl, and teil Aunt Martha, I won't be gone a minute,' and Prissy rushed into the kitchen, where her aunt was ironing. 'Go, by all means," said Mrs. Baldwin, whea she grasped the meaning of the girl's incoherent explanation. 'Stay as long as you are needed, and don't wony a'jout me.' Miss Silence made no remark when Prissy entered her room with Tom. She was in great pain, and was thankf ui to see even a member of the hated Baldwin family. For three weeks, Prissy was chief director at the farm, and managed things so cleverly that Miss Silence had no chance to find fault. But the grim spinster had no words of commendation for the young girl's untiring industry. 'I calkerlate to pay you for what you've done,' slie said one day, as she watched Prissy making bread. 'You needn't think you're working for nothing.' 'I don't want any pay, Miss Silence,' said Prissy, with trembling lips. 'l'm only too glad to do what I can because - ' she hesitated and turned scarlet. 'Because you're in love with Tom,' flnished Miss Silence. 'Oh, you needn't blush; I know all about it, and if he chooses to break his head against a stone wall I am not giing to stop him.' At the end of three weeks Miss Silence was again able to be about, and Prissy went home, declining the $20 bill offered her lor her services. But she had not been gone three hours when the hired man came froni the farm with two large baskets, which he set down on Mrs. Baldwin.'s kitchen door. 'Compliments of Miss Silence, and she sent these in place of the money,' and was driving off in the spring wagon before Prissy could recover sutliciently from her astonishment to ask him any questions. The baskets were full of good things of every sort, and there was a royal Christmas dinner for the Baldwins the next day, much to the joy of the children, who contemplated ruefully dining on mush and potatoes. Prissy sent a note oí tliauks to Miss Silence by Torn, but she never received an answer. Time went on, and ïom's law business improved so much that he persuaded Prissy, against her better judgment, to marry lüm. Miss Silence did not grace the important occasion with her presence. 'l've not time to be galavanting off to weddings,' was her excuse when Torn eproached her for this slight. 'She is such a peculiar ivoman that we must not expect her to act like other people; but she has a good heart in spite of her queer ways,' said Prissy, when Tona tried to inake excuses for his cousin's reniissness. 'But her greatest peculiarity lies in her not liking you, rrissy," said Tom, kissing his bride's soft cheek; 'and I can't quite forgive her tank of taste.' All went well for the young couple for more than a year. Tliey began housekeeping in a modest cottage Torn was paying for by instalments, and were so prudent that tliey jnanaged to gather about them man y little comforts that made their home picasant. Uut fortune seldoin smiles long at a time, as we all knovv, and reverses wOl come, to every ome. One bitter night in December Tom's house caught flre and was burned to the ground, notliing oeing left except a few clothes belonging to Prissy and the baby. Of course Mrs. Baldwin opened her house to them at once, though it necessitated much crowding. Prissy suggested an appeal to Miss Silence, but Torn emphatically declined to make it He was far too proud to ask for the help which he thought should have been so earnestly oiïered. Ilis law books and papers had all been degtroyed in the lire, for he had üsed a room in the cottage for an ollice, and getting a living was rather uphill work. Christmas was dreary enough that year, and even I'rissv's courage sank as she thought of the future. 'TomLowey rill have a chance to show what kind of stuff he is made of," said Miss Silence. 'Ile burdened himself with a wife and baby, and he'll nave to look out for them. I told him l'd never give him a dollar of my money, and I will keep my word, no matter what may happen." Miss Silence had thought herself proof against the weakness of falling ill, bul in Mareta she caught a severe cold, and pneumonía ensued. She feit she never would get well again, and the doctor did not deceive her with false hopes, bat told her frankly that in all probability she would live hut a few days. 'I want to seo a lawyer at once if that is the case,' she said. 'I must make a new will.' Mr. Siminons, who had managed her business for years, caine is soon as he received her message, and the will was made. He had hardly lef the house bfore Tom called. 'I'm worse,' said Miss Silence, feebly, 'but I'm not af raid to go. l'erhaps 1 am peculiar in that as in other things. Beaeon Bonney, and the minister, Mr. Craig, and Mr. Darby have all been liere ursring their several claims. I told each of them I'd consider the matter." 'Will they be disappointed, Cousin Silence?" askcd ïom. Foor f ello w! he was in such a sore strait that he could not help a desire to have a small help lïom his cousin's hoard. He had hardly dared to hope that she had leffc him a cent, andyethe was her only relativo. 'That remains to be seen,' was the unsatisfactory reply to his question. 'But don't cherishno hopes, for I hain't left you a cent.' A bitter smile curled Torn s lips, but he made no reply. 'I suppose you think me peculiar in not leaving you my money, seeing you're the only kin I've got,' went on Miss Silence, 'but you've taken such precious care to convince me that you don't want it, that I've believed you, and acted accordingly.' Torn went home, and repeated the conversation to Prissy, who shed a few tears, but tiied to cheer up her husband's drooping spirits with hopes of more law business in tBe spring. That night Miss Silence died, and the whole town turned out to her funeral a few days later. 'I expect Wolfboro' Academy will fmd itself able to erect a new building when Miss Silence's will is read,' said oíd Mr. Craig. 'She told me she'd consider the matter, and I know she was impressed with my arguments.' 'I rather think you are mistaken,' said Squire Darby, 'for I feel morally certain she has left her money to found a library. ïhe minister who stood near, smiled to himself. lie had not the slightest doubt that the debt which hung over his cliurch like a pall would now be lifted througu-Miss Silence's will. Tom did not want to go to the reading of the will, but Prissy insisted, so they went together, neither of them looking very cheerf ul. Mr. Simons made no objections to the presence of 'Squire Darby. Mr. Craig chuekled as Deacon" Bonney entered, with a pleasant smile lor Torn, who well knew what sarcastic triumph laybeneath it. The will was dated thiee days previous, and every penny in the bank, and the large farm, were left unconditionally to Pnssy Lowey. Her husband's name was not mentioned. Tom's face was a study, while Prissy nearly fainted at this suelden relief to all her troubles. The faces of the other men present were studies, too. The Deacon left the house without a word, and the 'Squire looked grimly at Mr. Craig. 'She was a very peculiar woman, said the minister, wiping his brow, on which the drops of perspiration stood thiekly. Ilis anxiety about his church had been very great, you see. But Tom and Prissy could afford to forget their dead cousin's peculiarities, tiince she had kept her vow never to leave Toni a cent, andyet hadmanaged to make him comfortable for life. There was an immediate flitting to the comfortable farm-house; and Tom furnished a nice office in town, and drove in every morning in the spring wagon. Past troucles and cares were forgotten, and theBaldwins were made mprecorsfortable; and considering att things, Miss Silence did more good with her meney than ifshe had left it to found a library or lirt a church debt.