Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1873-07-10
with your children, two of them boys,


take his leave.
Thus they had lived for six years un-
til death had claimed Uncle Jeffries.
Then they thought of his will, and
hoped he had remembered them, as
their yearly annuity ceased at his death.
But the property reverted to Aunt JEFF
fries, and she never limited word to
the young widow concerning its being
renewed. She treated Marian like an
utter stranger when they met "out of
society,"" and Marian would have begged
from door to door before she would ask
her aunt for a dollar. So she gave up
the pretty cottage and went to live in a
tenement, where, with the help of Ollie,
her eldest child, she managed to sup
port her family by sewing.
One day, about a year. after Uncle
Jeffries' death, Ollie found that she
could not live any longer without new
hat, as her old one had been trimmed and
retrimmed until she could not possibly
wear it any longer. So, having little
spare money, she went to Miss Jeffries'
shop, as it was nearer than any other,
and ordered a hat A few days after,
she called for it, but the shop and house
adjoining were in great confusion, in
consequence of the fact that the mis-
tress was that day removing to her
brothers house. She was finishing up
her last days work in her shop, or,
rather, she was seeing that her super
intendent, Mrs. Whittle, did. And be-
tween Miss Jeffries orders and the con-
fusion which reigned, she was almost
crazy.
Miss Moore has called for her hat, :"
said Miss Tabitha's shrin voice" is it
ready"
Yes, only know it is too large for
the lady," said Miss Whittle, hesitat-
ingly;
around the crown," said Miss Tabitha,
paper which came blowing past her into
the room.
At that moment q caller was an
nounced, and, to Mrs. Whittle's great
Joy, Tabitha hurried away, leaving her
in peace.
"I guess this will do" she muttered,
selecting an old yellow piece of parch-
ment, and dexterously fitting it into the
crown. cit must" she added de-
cisively.
So Ollie got her hat, and was well sat
isfied with It.
Affairs in Mrs. Moore's family grew
worse every day. The widow fell i'll,
which had much to do in emptying their
slender purse. And hard as she. Ollie
and Jessie, her second girl, worked, they
found it impossible to pay their rent.
So they went one step lower, and lived
in one room in tenement. The "world "
knew little of them, and they knew little
of it.
"Mamma," said pretty, brown-eyed
Ollie one day, to her poor, pale mother,
who was reclining on the bed, "I've
finished the last shirt; I'm going to take
it home when Jessie returns and while
I'm waiting I'll Just fix my hat the lin
ing needs renewing"
Her mother sighed; she knew that her
noble little daughter did much to Tighten
her heavy load If Uncle Hiram's will
had only been found, perhaps they might
have been better off now.
Thrifty, energetic Ollie sat down, with
scissors and needle, to try and improve
Aunt Jefries' shop one year before.
81 wonder what this is, thought she,
as her deft fingers ripped out the old
piece of paper which distracted Mrs.
Whittle had improvised as lining. SCI
wonder what it is she said under her
breath, as she unfolded it, and ran her
eyes over the writing with which it was
covered. &c It's it it's it o ma, it's
it l'' she cried, losing all control of her.
self as she understood the contents of
the papec.
Mrs. Moore, reg arding her daughter In
astonishment.
go mamma It's it It's Uncle JEFF
fries will p cried Ollie, in wild delight.
Mrs. Moore sat straight up in bed,
and looked at Ollie as if she thought her
going crazy. She had given up, long
ago, all thought of finding the will.
{" Mamma, read it. It is the will p
cried Ollie, laying the document in her
mothers trembling hand.
It was indeed Uncle Jeffries' Will.
Lawyer Sharp recognized it at once as
the one he had penned for the old gentle
man years before. In company with
Ollie, he visited Miss Jeffries in her
house, and confronted her with the dec
laration that she had stolen her brothers
lost will. At first she Indignantly refused
to believe that the will was not forgery.
But when Lawyer Sharp said, sternly,
g." I give you, Miss Jefries, five days to
leave this house, and renounce all claim
to Mr.. Jeffries' property, or the whole
town shall ring with your villainy," she
started, and her face turned to sickly
yellow hue.
"You need not start nor look sur
prised," +" he continued "The will was
found in your possession least, Miss
Moore found it inside the lining of a hat
that she received from your shop one
year ago."
The expression of Tabitha Jeffries'
face changed from fear to rage anger.
SCI know who put it there" she cried,
losing all self-control as she remembered
that she herself had been instrumental
in the Wills being found. "That old
Whittle did; she never had half sense"
she added, spitefully. ''Take this old
house if you want it have a BETTER"
she continued, with q scornful glance at
Ollie. "I'H have my revenge on Whit
tie, who is dependent on me for her iv-
ing"
81 advise you to remove to your own
home at once, said the lawyer, coldly.
As for Mrs. Whittle, Miss Moore will
attend to her; she will be perfectly able
to do so now," said the lawyer, looking
at Ollie with a provoking smile.
So Miss Tabitha Jeffries-whom every
one hated-removed from the great old
house, giving as her reason that the will
had been found, and Marian Moore,
looking happier than she had for many
year, took up her residence in it. Mrs.
Whittle was handsomely provided for
by her.