Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-07-10

Thus they had lived for six years I'M
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 'sout of
society,"" and Marian would have begged
from door to door before she would ask
her aunt for 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 year after Uncle
Jefries' 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.
'sMiss Moore has called for her hat. 3"
said Miss Tabitha's shrill voice. sis it
ready?"
eyes, only I know it is too large for
the lady," said Miss Whittle, hesitat-
ingly.
"Here, slip this under the lining
around the CROWN" said Miss Tabitha.
lmpatiently kicking some pieces of old
paper which came blowing past her into
the room.
At that moment caller was an
nounced, and, to Mrs. Whites great
JOY, Tabitha hurried away, leaving her
In peace.
81 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-
listed 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 1t impossible to pay their rent.
50 they went one step lower, and lived
IN one room In tenement. The ssworld -
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, give
finished the last shirt; I'm going to take |
1t home when Jessie returns and while !
IN 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
nave been better off now.
Thrifty, energetic Ollie sat down. with
scissors and needle, to try and improve
he poor old hat she had purchased from
Aunt Jeffries' shop one year before.
" wonder what this is, " thought she.
is her deft fingers ripped out the old
1iece of paper which distracted Mrs.
Nhittle had improvised as lining. II
Wonder what it is, she said under her
breath, as she unfelded it, and ran her
yes over the writing with which it was
overed. L" It's it ! it's it, o ma, it's
p she cried, losing all control of her
elf as she understood the contents of
he paper.
"What are you talking about ?" asked
lrs. Moore, reg arding her daughter in
go mamma It's it It's Uncle JEFF
ries' will p cried Ollie, in wild delight.
Mrs. Moore sat straight up in bed,
nd looked at Ollie as if she thought her ]
DING crazy. She had given up, long /
go, all thought of finding the will.
" Mamma, read it. It is the will p
ried Ollie, laying the document in her
nother's trembling hand.
1t was indeed Uncle Jefries' will.
lawyer Sharp recognized it at once as
he one he had penned for the old gentle
nan years before. In company with
ollie, he visited Miss Jeffries in her |
louse, and confronted her with the dec
aratlon that she had stolen her bresher's s
ost will At first she Indignantly refused
o believe that the will was not a forgery.
5ut when Lawyer Sharp said, sternly,
L give you, Miss Jefries, five days to ]
cave this house, and renounce all claim
0 Mr.. Jeffries' property, or the whole 1
own shall ring with your villainy," she ]
tarted, and her face turned to sickly {
elbow hue. ,
You need not start nor look sur S
rised," he continued. ''The will was
Ound in your possession-at least, Miss |
Ioore found it inside the lining of hat
hat she received from your shop one s
ear ago."
The expression of Tabitha Jeffries' {
ace changed from fear to rage anger. {
+" 1 know who put it there she cried, s
osing all self-control as she remembered /
hat she herself had been instrumental ,
. the wills being found. "That old {
Vhittle did; she never had half sense" {
he added, spitefully. "Take this old ]
OQSe if Won want 1T have q hettar ,,