ours, and no hens or chickens wandered over the neglected farm.
The trees in the large orchard had not been pruned for a long time, and
the large vegetable garden was overrun with grass and weeds.

Back of the orchard and the vegetable garden, and to the right and left
of the homestead, were about a hundred and sixty acres of arable pasture
and wood-land, the whole forming what could be easily made the finest
farm in the town.

The farm had been neglected simply because the income from her
investments was more than sufficient for the support of the family. The
unexpended income had been added to the principal, until Mrs. Putnam's
private fortune now amounted to fully fifty thousand dollars, invested
in good securities, together with the house and farm, which were free
from mortgage.

When the first streaks of morning reached the room in which Mrs. Putnam
lay upon her bed of pain, she seized one of her crutches, and pounded
vigorously upon the floor. In a short time Samanthy Green entered the
room. She was buttoning up her dress as she came in, and her hair was in
a dishevelled condition.

"Why, what on earth's the matter? You wheeze like our old pump out in
the barn. You do look real sick, to be sure."

"Wall, if you don't like the looks of me," said Mrs. Putnam sharply,
"don't look at me."

"But didn't you pound?" asked Samanthy. "Don't you want me to go for the
doctor?"

"No," replied Mrs. Putnam, "I don't want no doctor. The fust thing that
I want you to do is to go and comb that frowzy pate of yourn, and when
you git that done I want yer to make me a mustard plaster 'bout as big
as that;" and she held up her hands about a foot apart. "Now go, and
don't stand and look at me as though I wuz a circus waggin."

Samanthy left the room quickly, but she had no sooner closed the door
when Mrs. Putnam called out her name in a loud voice, and Samanthy
opened the door and looked in.

"Did you call, marm?" she asked.

"Of course I did," said Mrs. Putnam testily. "I guess ye wouldn't have
come back if yer hadn't known I did."

Mrs. Putnam was evidently in a bad temper, and Samanthy had learned by
years of experience to keep a close mouth under such circumstances, so
she waited for Mrs. Putnam's next words without replying. Finally Mrs
Putnam spoke. "I wish you'd bring up some wood and start a fire, the
room's kinder cold."

When Samanthy reached the kitchen she found Lindy there.

"Why, Miss Lindy," said she, "w