The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1873-09-26
THE SEALED WILL.

DO you suppose, mamma, In case
the money goes from me that it will be
given to you?"
"Dear child, how can I ever guess
Your aunt, remember, is your fathers
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
"It is only guess work, dear"
"But he is is unfit to have the re-
sponsibility of money; a man known 20
be a gambler and drinking man, if not
an actual drunkard.
Every true. Yet he is the nearest
relative your Aunt Jessie had, excepting
only yourself"
81 can scarcely think Aunt Jessie
would leave him fifty thousand dollars. :"
my dear, she has left it to you, her
niece and namesake"
"But upon condition that 1 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 me to
break my engagement yet for your
sake l wish Oh, why did Aunt Jes-
sic leave it to me at ALL F-
"Do not think of me- / can live as
We have done since your father died.
But, Jessie, and Mrs. Markham's face
looked grave and sac, -" there is one
view of the matter you do not take.
81 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 ?" ~, -...
"CharEe." ..-a.r..
"Charlie ?" .,.-.
Jessie's large brown eyes opened to
their widest extent as she repeated the
name, adding: "Why, I haven't
thought of anything but Charlie!' y
"But-I mean-dear me {" said the
mother, shrinking from uttering her
own thoughts, "You know, dear, you
have always been considered your
aunt's heiress; and Charlie is young
and only commencing the practice of
his profession. 1t may be that he
will" q
"Be false to me for the sake Of
money!" interrupted Jes lie, with the
rosiest of cheeks and brightest of eyes.
"We will soon test that" and she drew
writing-table to her side. az viii
send him copy of the lawyers letter,
and here her voice softened-Hthe
assurance that Aunt Jessie's will makes
no difference to me.
Mrs. Markham made no objection to
this step; but after the letter was
signed, sealed and dispatched to the
village by Polly, the only servant Of
Mrs. Markham's household, she called
Jessie again to her side.
Over the fair, sweet face OF the young
girl there had crept shade of gravity
and perplexity since the arrival of the
lawyers letter, that clouded the brown
eyes and gave tine sensitive, mobile
mouth firmer pressure than was quite
natural. Life had been all sunshine for
Jessie Markham, yet hers was one of
the buoyant natures that find the silver
lining for every cloud, and coax some
sweetness from every bitter dose. Her
father had been dead six years, and his
business affairs having been compli-
Gated in some way not comprehensive
to feminine intellect, his widow and
child found themselves reduced to an
income that barely covered the neces-
saries of life. They left the city and
took small cottage in the pretty vii
hge of Merton, where Mrs. Markham
soon procured class Of music scholars,
and herself gave Jessie lessons in the
higher branches of English studies,
herman, French, and music, till, at
eighteen, her daughter also procured a
lew pupils in languages. They were