"The old doctor knew a thing or two, even if he _did_ live back here on
the lonesomest hill in the State," said Aunt Jane. "No! I won't stay,
children. You've treated me fust-rate; but give me the town. I want life.
I don't see how Mrs. Castle can stand it. I'd vegetate here in a week and
take sech deep root that you couldn't pull me out with a stump-puller.
"Besides, I'm going to have money enough now to live jest like I want to
in town. And I'm going to have one of these automobile cars--yes, sir!
I'll begin to really and truly _live_, I will. You jest watch me."
But in her joy of suddenly acquired wealth she did not forget her
nieces--the girls who had really made her good fortune possible. Both
Lyddy and 'Phemie owned stock in the mineral water company; and then
Aunt Jane assured them that when she died they should own the farm
jointly. She had only sold the spring rights to the company.
The rest of the corporation consisted of Harris Colesworth and his
father, Rufus Castle, his mother, Grandma Castle, Lucas Pritchett
and--last but not least--Mother Harrison. The widow had asked the
privilege of investing in the stock of the company the fifty dollars
that Professor Spink had paid her for her husband's old desk.
And as that stock is becoming more and more valuable as time goes on, it
was not an unwise investment on the widow's part. As for Lucas, it was
by 'Phemie's advice that the young farmer put _his_ money into the stock
of the mineral water concern, instead of into a red-wheeled buggy.
"Wait a while, Lucas," said 'Phemie, "and you'll make money enough to own
a motor car instead of a buggy."
"And you'll take the first ride in it with me?" demanded Lucas, shrewdly.
"Yes! I'll verily risk my life in your buzz-wagon," laughed the girl. "But
now! that's a long way ahead yet, Lucas."
The summer had passed ere all these things were done and said. Nor
had the Bray girls lost a single opportunity of making their original
venture--that of keeping boarders at Hillcrest--a success.
Lyddy had bought her cooking stove, her chickens had turned out a nice
little flock for the next year, the garden had done splendidly, and when
the corn was harvested the girls banked a hundred dollars over and above
the cost of raising the crop.
Best of all, their father's state of health had so much improved, during
these last few weeks, that the girls could look forward with confidence
to his complete restoration, in time, to a really robust condition.
Hillcrest had been his salvation. The sun and air of the mountainside home
had finally brought him well on the road to recovery; and the joy his two
daughters felt because of this fact can scarcely be expressed in words.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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