that afternoon, and she sat up and ate her
supper with Uncle Braddock (who happened to be there); but as she was
evidently feeling the effects of her great age, an arrangement was made,
by which Aunt Judy gave up her cabin and came to live with Aunt Matilda
and take care of her.

One morning, about a week after the rainy Saturday, Mrs. Loudon came
over to see Aunt Matilda. She found the old woman lying on the bed, and
evidently worried about something.

"You see, Miss Mary," said Aunt Matilda, "Ise kind o' disturbed in me
min'. I rit a letter a long time ago, and Ole Miles ain't fetched me no
answer yit, and it sorter worries me."

"I didn't know you could write," said Mrs. Loudon, somewhat surprised.

"Neither I kin," said Aunt Matilda. "I jist got dat Greg'ry Montague to
write it fur me, and dear knows what he put in it."

"Who was your letter to, Aunt Matilda?" asked Mrs. Loudon.

"I do' know his name, but he works de telegrum at Hetertown. An' I do'
min' tellin' you 'bout it, Miss Mary, ef you do' worry dem chillen. De
letter was 'bout my money in de telegrum comp'ny. Dat was reel silber
money, an' I hain't heerd nor seed nothin' of it sence."

When Mrs. Loudon went home she told Harry and Kate of Aunt Matilda's
troubles.

Neither of them said anything at the time, but Harry put on his hat and
went up to the store, while Kate sat down to her sewing.

After a while, she said:

"I think, mother, it's pretty hard in Aunt Matilda, after all we've done
for her, to think of nothing but the ten cents she put into the stock of
the company."

"It is perfectly natural," said Mrs. Loudon. "That ten cents was her own
private property, and no matter how small a private property may be, it
is of greater interest to the owner than any other property in the
world. To be sure, the money that was paid for the telegraph line is for
Aunt Matilda's benefit, but you and Harry have the management and the
spending of it. But that ten cents was all her own, and she could spend
it just as she chose."

The next day Kate went over to Aunt Matilda with two silver ten-cent
pieces that Harry had got from Mr. Darby.

"Aunt Matilda," said she, "this is not the very same ten-cent piece you
put into the company, but it's just as good; and Harry thinks that you
have about doubled your money, and so here's another one."

The old woman, who was sitting alone by the fire wrapped up in a shawl,
took the money, and putting it in the hollo