The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1870-09-29
Written for the Home Journal
Uncle Joseph's WILL
BY SILENA l.. MOORE.

81 won't marry Clinton Ashton, and
| never want to hear his name men
toned again! SO there" And Nan
ME Lees blue eyes filled with tears, and
her pretty, pouting lips quiyered with
emotion.
Mamie Lee had been an orphan al
most from her infancy. At the death
of her mother, Mrs. Lee, her grand
mother had taken her. Her father
died soon afterward, leaving her no
inheritance but her intellect and q
proud, wilful spirit; and Mrs. Lee, who
was widow, and very rich, had ever
filled the place of both father and
mother to her. Mamie was beautiful
child, and had ripened into a lovely
woman. Being of sweet and anna
bic disposition, Mrs. Lee had always
permitted her to act just as she pleased
in almost every instance. She had al
ways kept her at the best schools.
And now, in her eighteenth year, Nm
mic had returned to R, her ma
tive place, we'll prepared by her per-
sonal beauty and accomplishments, as
we'll as by her birth, to enter the first
society.
Her fathers only brother, Joseph
Lee, was an eccentric old bachelor,
and possessed immense wealth. HAY
inc resided in India for many years, he
had never seen Mamie until a year be-
fore, while on visit to his mother, and
had seen her during vacation. He
took u great fancy to her, and immc-
diatcly made a will leaving all his pos
sessions to her and Clinton Ashton,
the son of an old and valued friend,
provided they should marry. And il
one should refuse to comply with the
behest, the whole of his property
should then descend 10 the other. He
died soon after making this will.
Now Mamie had never seen Clinton
Ashton, and did not know anything at
all about him. But she had always
abhorred marriages brought about in
this manner. This morning, Mrs. Lee
had led her in great state to her luxu
RANT drawing room, and, for the first
time, told her of her uncle's will, and
her wish that she would do as her uncle
had desired. But she was much
mistaken if she supposed Mamie would
submit to being disposed of in this
manner.
Mrs Lee had always been kind tc
Mamie in the extreme. Rich and fash
ionable. all the luxuries heart could
wish or fancy suggest were hers. Eve
nv within was gratided. Thus, being o
a pleasant disposition, Mrs. Lee was
not prepared to see her display viii
full spirit, even in this instance, ant
imagined she might easily bend her tt
her wishes. But not so. She at frs
treated the subject with lcvity, laugh
Ing at Uncle Joseph for making sucl
an odd will, and imagining for mo
mcnt that she would comply. Blu
when she found Mrs. Lee was deter
|, mined in this instance to have he
comply, her powerful will for the frs
time in life asserted itself in opposl
, ton to her grand,nother's. She wa
astouished. But when Mamie repeat
ed the positive assertion mentione
above, her anger knew no bounds
She called her an ungrateful girl, afte
all she had done for her thus to set Q
naught all her wishes. Said she nee
J not count on her money, for il she r.
fosed Clinton Ashton, not another Ger
!, should she ever receive.
"And now, Miss" concluded sh'
"he is coming tomorrow. Conslde
. we'll before you refuse him, and bewar
of the consequences" So saying, sh
!; swept from the room with an ang'
n toss of her naughty head.
Nannie's head sunk down on the Sc