Drusilla with a Million

studied Drusilla as gown after gown was fitted to her slim, yet still erect old figure. But finally they were all finished and great boxes came to the house. They were opened by Jeann

ame another being, as, clothed in soft-toned grays, her hair dressed by the hand of expert Jeanne, she gradually lost her feeling of l

deferred to, her wishes carried out immediately, and it seemed to her that all the world was trying to give her happiness. It took her many days to feel that she might ask for servic

seen Mrs. Perrine and told her that she doesn't need to come to you in the morning, as she understands what is to be done. If there is anything special, you will tell her, but you are not to be bothered with the details of the house now. After a

guage quite unknown to Drusilla-and although she could not read the names of the marvelous creations of the cook, the food delighted her and the quiet, skilful service was always

greet her. She gave him her hand and asked him to be seated. He sat down, and then question after question was asked Drusilla. What relation she was to Elias Doane? Had she ever known him? How she had passed her life; the details of the life in the Doane home; how many years she had

h between the answers that showed the loneliness of her life, her bewilderment in her new surroundings, and he congratulated himsel

asked her if she had a

laug

tur' took since I was a young

f he might take her photograph as she sat there in her high-backed chair. Drusilla was a little awed by this very confid

ked me a lot of questio

lau

As many as

you asked me s

s, a newspaper, and we want to

hould they want

d again, pleas

about our neighbors, and y

going to writ

ane, if there is anything you d

was emb

If I had known you was from a paper, I

worry, Miss Doane. There won't be anything that will hurt you. It's kind of you to see me. I have bee

butler

have made it to-day if I hadn't waited until I saw him go out. I kn

a was u

t must have been Mr. Thornton's order

ung man and looked rather

id; "I like your eyes. You won't say not

ed down into the kindly, wrinkled face. When he spoke

thing to make you unhappy for the world; and if you ever want anything of the pape

Drusilla's fi

" It told of her early struggles, her years of work, and her later life in the charity home. Evidently the young man had visited the village where she had lived and talked with all who knew her; and Mrs. Smith's hand could plainly be seen in the account of the life of the inmates of the institution over which she had charge. Even poor old Barbara had been called upon to tell about Drusilla, the many little acts of kindness which she had done for the poo

institutions to thinking, and caused many a person to wonder how they could gain the affections

nge to her, pointing out their beauties and their peculiarities. He soon saw that the orchids and the rare blooms from foreign lands did not appeal to her as did the old-fashioned flowers she knew, and they made a little b

hin'. It's been years since I dug around in the ear

ng" plants as she called it. It gave her something to do, and that was the one thing she needed. She missed the active life, the "doing something." Everything was done for her-she had no duties. She, who had passed her life in service for others,

nd a tear on the bottom of her skirt. Jeanne, comin

that. Quelle horreur! I w

lla l

aid. "Jane, where are my stockin's?

ed at her r

not wear darn

d Drusilla. "Why shouldn'

be au fait for Madame t

ecame a li

my life. A few darns don't hurt one way or another. What

ed a little

ome not convenable for

me you are the judge of when they become 'convenable'-whatever that means. B

d hands for a few moments; then she looke

a work-basket by my side whenever I set down, and now you just

ring why she had come. The lady sat down and talked to Drusilla about the weather, asked how she liked Brookvale, spoke of the opera season and of a new singer, asked her if she cared for symphonies, which Drusilla thought at first was something to eat, mentioned a ball that was

aphne saw

, and Mrs. Cairns, and Mrs. Freeman. I

y come for? I been wondering

e your n

Set down and talk about nothing for ten minutes and

to get ac

eighbor come to see you, they brought their sewin' and spent the afternoon. You can't git acquainted settin' opposite each othe

e lau

o and retur

-set ten minutes and ask them about the weather and the opera

out the opera, but you m

shook h

won't

ut you

" said Drusilla obstinately.

ith you, M

, I'll go once and see what it's like. I'll do a

cards-I had them made for you; and I'll bring my new cardcase. No, I'll get you the dearest bag I

a mirror in my h

ane. You're not up to date. You must have a vanity

lla l

eeked in all the mirrors at the hotel. But now I can pas

nd the hat with the mauve. Oh, I wish it were cold, so you could wear your new furs. Bu

to fix up

em to see how

blushed l

know I'm past seventy years old

that she couldn't keep her eyes off of you, as you sat with the light on your hair, and your pretty dress that was

clothes,

able middle-aged woman out of you. She spoke of your hands too, said they looked so-so-sort of feminine as they lay on the arms of th

to have the women stare at me, and sometimes when there is such a long time between talks, I hold on to the arm tight so's I won't show I'm nervous and wonderin' wha

Miss Doane. I can't ever beli

' with my hands with little sticks and knives, until sometimes I'd like to box her ears. How any one can spend so much time just settin' still and lettin' some one fuss with their hands, I don't

Jeanne f

t help seein' things, even if they do thin

k to Fathe

ng girl like her just to wait on an old woman like me; and William seems a nice

turned

een impertin

shook h

ook grand. He don't approve of me, Miss Thornton-even his back when he leaves the dinin

I will speak to Father and

looks; but perhaps he'll git over it, or I'll git used to it, or maybe when I git more used to things I'll talk to him and ask him if he can't be a

e lau

, you know, and English servants

nin'. What time do we go callin'

r ready. Good-by. I'm going to a great big tea where I am to pour.

hen Daphne came, Drusilla was a very richly, exquisitely dressed old lady waiting for her car. The bag delighted Drusilla and she examined

t like us all. We can't pas

t funny what clothes can do for you. Now with my velvet dress I ain't a bit afraid to go in that big house, in the front door and set do

At some of the places, being told that

hne, "will I have to come ag

your cards and know you have cal

the disagreeable duty was so quickly done. "If I'd a knowed that, I

able half hour sitting on the edge of a hard chair, wishing Daphne would rise as a signal to leave. Tea was served by a mai

e outside. "I was in mortal fear that I'd spill the tea

ned forward and said to the chauffeur: "Joseph, go straight ahead." Then, turning to Daphne, Drusi

w along the beautiful drive overlooking the Hudson. Drusilla did not s

at does sub

owned for

nstance, the ships that carry the mails for some governments are subsidized; or if the government wants to aid some project, to enable it to st

what it is,"

nt to know?" q

, who had a great message to give the world, but who had to work so hard making a livin' that they didn't git no chance to give the message. I'm afraid I got kind of mixed up-I could

all the im

rich men subsidized a poor inventor or a poor scientist so's they could have time to make their inventions and not have to worry over their daily bread; so why shouldn't it be do

ever think of do

lot about that young man,-I am sure he was young or he wouldn't have had

said Daphne scornfu

d make the world better, and he tries, then he's got to go to an office or somewhere and perhaps count rolls of cloth, or he may be a

ilent for

band lived he didn't do no more work than he had to and she had to git along as best she could, and then when he died she lived with her son, who was so mean and stingy that he made her go to bed at dark so's she wouldn't burn kerosene. She was so poor that she never had c

ut that they kin give something. Now Mis' Sweet and nothin' pretty in her house, and never saw much that was

hat she could git hold of, and she cut the papers into flowers, the white ones into daisies and the little pieces of silk was colored with dyes that the neighbors give her that they had left over, and she made roses and apple blossoms and begonias and geraniums, and all the flowers that she knowed. If some were peculiar and didn't look like much o' anything she called them jest wild flowers. She made them all into bouquets. And there wasn't a new baby born in the village but that the mother found by her bedside a bouque

or a few moments

to give something to the world, if he really lov

urning home a

ls that we should," Daphne sa

ook her hea

t make no m

, you must. You must

tely. "I most froze at some of them places, and I won't risk it again. I

to see you if you don

home then-it ain't muc

at will

on't go into them rooms and drink tea out of my lap and eat with my gloves on, and talk about thin

m when they ask why you d

m anything you wa

are a very old lady, and feeble, and ca

aight and a slight flush

ay the truth, that I don't see no sense in it. Ol

her face against

ne. I love to see you get ang

t of doin' somethin' I don't want to do. But I'm growin' younger each mi

d it was opened by James-

here's James. Now I know I'm dead