The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1874-02-12
THE SEALED WILL.
BY ANNA SHIELDS.

BY ANNA SHIELDS.
DO you suppose, mamma, in case
the money goes from me, that 1t will
| be given to you"
My dear child, how should ever
guess? Your auEt, remember, is
your fathers sister, not mine SO it
is scarcely likely that she has given
any thought to me. | am afraid the
heir in the sealed will is John Gar
land"
Mamma
1T is only guess-work, dear
"But he is so unfit to have the re-
sponsibility of money man known
to be gambler and drinking man, if
not an actual drunkard.'
"Very true, Yet he is the nearest
relation yonr aunt Jessie had, ex-
cept yourself
81 can scarcely think she would
leave him fifty thousand dollars.
MY dear, she has left it to you,
her niece and namesake.'
But upon condition that never
marry. III do, the sealed will in
the hands of her lawyer is to be
opened, and pass from me TO the
heir or heirs designated therein.
You must know me well enough to
be sure that the money could never
tempt me to break my engagement;
yet, for your sake, l wish-oh, why
did aunt Jessie leave it to eat all 2
sDo not think Of NE. | can live as
we have done since your fathers
death. But, JESSIE and Mrs. Mark.
hams face looked grave and sad,
there is one view of the matter you
do not take
Il dare say there is fifty. Remem-
Der we have only an hour or two to
think, since the letter came from the
lawyer. But what is the view you
mean ?
Charlie
sCharie 2
Jessie's large brown eyes were
opened to their widest extent as she
repeated the name, adding
'Why, l haven't thought of any
thing but Charlie =
'But-I mean-d dear me y said the
mother, shrinking from uttering her
own thought. you know, dear,
you have always been considered
your aunt's heiress and Charlie is
young, and only commenced the
practice OF his profession. 1t may
be that he will
BE false to me for the sake of mon
ey 2 interrupted Jessie, with the
rosiest of cheeks and brightest OF
eyes. 'We will soon test that and
she drew a writing table to her side.
Il will send him copy OF the law
yer's letter and-and the assurance
that aunt Jessie's will wakes no dit
ference to me-
Mrs. Markham made no objection
to this step but after the letter was
signed, sealed and dispatched to the
the village by Polly, the only ser
want of the Markham household, she
called Jessie again to her side.
Over the sweet face of the young
girl there had crept shade of gravi-
ty and perplexity since the arrival of
the lawyers letter, that clouded the
brown eyes, and gave the sensitive,
mobile mouth a frmer pressure than
was quite natural. Life had not
been quite all sunshine for Jessie
Markham, yet hers was one Of the
buoyant natures who finds 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
become complicated in some way not
comprehensive to feminine intellects,
his widow and child had found them
selves reduced to an income that
barely covered the necessities of life.
They left the city and took small
cottage in the pretty village of Mer-
ton, where Mrs. Markham soon pro-
cured class of music scholars, and
herself gave Jessie lessons in the
higher branches of English studies,
German, French and music, till, at
eighteen, her daughter also procur-
ed few pupils in languages. They
were very happy in theirtmutual at,
fection, in the love Of their pupils,
and the cares of their little house
hold.
1t had been understood from the
time Jessie was a little baby, that
she would inherit the fortune of her
maiden aunt, for whom she was
named, and who came from the city
every month or two to the little cot
tage, always bringing pretty presents
to brighten the home of her brothers
widow, and lavished tenderest affec-
tions upon her niece.
Yet, though Jessie herself had
known of her aunt's supposed inten-
tious, neither she nor her mother had
ever made calculations upon for
tune dependent upon the death of
one for whom they felt the warmest
affection, aud The idea that others
could be Influenced by it was new
thought to the young girl.
She had given to her betrothed,
Charles Seaton, the first love of her
young heart, believing his love was
all her own. In the six years she had
lived in Merton, child and maiden,
Charlie Seaton had b zen her devoted
admirer from the first. He was
young, only twenty-three, and had
recently finished his course of law
study, and been admitted to the bar.
His fortune, inherited from his faith
er, was small, barely covering his ex-
penditures for board ahd clothing
but he was energetic, industrious,
and, without brilliant talent, clear
headed, intelligent student, promis-
ing to make capable lawyer, it not
shining light, at the bar.
Answering her mothers call, Jes-
sic nestled down in her favorite seat
at her feet, saying sadly:
sIf Charlie was influenced by any
hope of aunt Jessie's money, man.
4 q. hattar 30 L,o1 - NOM II