National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-10-03
THE SEALED WILL.

DO you suppose, mama, in case the
money goes from me that it will b(
given tO v0u p
Dear child, how can | ever guess
Your aunt, remember, is your father's
sister, not mine so it is scarcely likely
she has thought of me. / am afraid the
heir in the sealed will is John Garland.
"Mamma I"
at is only guess work, dear"
But he is so unfit to have the re-
sponsibilitv of money a man known to
be a gambler and drinking man, if not
an actual drunkard. y
VERY true Yet lie is the nearest
relative your Aunt Jessie had, except
ing only yourself. y
Il can scarcely think Aunt Jessie
would leave him fifty thousand dollars. -
MY dear, she has left it to you, her
niece and namesake."
Bat upon the condition that shall
never marry. Ii / do, the sealed will
in the hands of her lawyer is to be
opened, and the money pass from me
to the heir or heirs named therein.
You must know me well enough to be
sure that the money would never tempt
NE to break L-J engagement ; yet for
your sake | wish On, why did Aunt
Jessie leave it to me at all. "
" Do not think of me. l can live as
We have since your father died. But,
Jessie, and Mrs. Markham's face
looked grave and sad, -" there is one
view of the matter you do not take
Il dare say there are fifty. Remem-
Der We have now had only an hour or
two to think, since the letter came from
the lawyer. But what is the view you
mean p
Charlie"
Charlie ?'
Jessie large brown eyes were opened
to their widest extent MS she repeated
The name, adding: "Why, I haven't
longht of anything but Charlie p
But meau-dear me !" said the
mother, shrinking from utterirg her
own thoughts. You know, dear, you
nave always been considered your
sQnts heiress; and Charlie is young
ana I. only commencing the practice of
his ,,., profession. 1t may be that he
BE false to me for the sake of
money Interrupted Jessie, with the
to1eSt uW OF cheeks and brightest of eyes.
We Will soon test that" and she drew
Eritmg- table to her side. 81 will
'siS 'sIl him copy of the lawyers letter,
4I wv, here her voice and eyes softened
rr 'he assurance that Aunt Jessies
VI \, makes no difference to me-"
,b;r hrS' Markham made no objection to
sa H.s step; but after the letter was
rnau' Tnneu' sealed and dispatched to the
N.."gs by Polly, the only servant of
LIS. LIS Markham's household, she called
''oHe again to her side.
,i,i gVer the fair, sweet face of the young
sni su There had crept a shade of gravity
Pefplexty since the arrival of the
eyss yer letter, that clouded the brown
non,. ana gave the sensitive, mobile
na.,,ra, 1rmer pressure than was quite
Jess;a Llfe had been all sunshine for
the ~, markham, yet hers was one of
Inioyaht natures that find the silver
swaats lor every cloud, and coax some
fat5onn ti from every bitter dose. Her
busnoaaia' ai'u been dead six years, and his
Gated - affairs having been compli-
to fa,n; M some way not comprehensive
cblJ JFlillne fd9 intellect, his widow and
incomaa ao1nd .l themselves reduced to an
sarias - sllat I!i barely covered the neces-
took 81 srIlm me They left the city and
Of Nerfoa1na sanal cottage in the pretty village
procnro5h where Mrs. Markham soon
herself ia d class of music scholars, and
er braresadv gave Jessie lessons in the high
teen, her n, Ja, and music, till, at eigh-
pupils in laughter also procured a few
happy in ~ Langsages. They were very
Al 'helr mutual affection in the