Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-04-17
MARIAN'S FORTUNE.

| George HallOWell, OF E1mSDOrOugn, dled
at the age Of 80, worth 100000. People
generally thought that he had lived a very
long time but they could not deny the
fact that he had improved the time, and
got together very respectable fortune.
Early in his young manhood he had
married Estelle Cleaves, the daughter of a
poor actor; and some incongruity Of taste
OF temper-nobody knew which, for Hal
| lowell kept his own secrets, and death long
ago had sealed the lips Of his wife-had
! separated them after about ten months of
married life.
The wife had gone forth nobody knew
whittier, and Hallowell had lived on his
sour, crusty and monotonous life in the old
home where he was born, and where before
him were born his father and grandfather.
He never went into society, he received
no company, he had no friends and it was
a great wonder to whom he would give his
property when he was dead.
And when the announcement was made
that the old man was gone everybody
spricked Up their sass, and the wondfF
grew.
Three old servants-nearlya as old as him
self-a man and two women, had always
been with him. and constituted the only
family he had.
| The old male servant was named Gilbert,
and in his hands Mr. Hallowell had left
| his will.
| The funeral was largely attended by the
! whole neighborhood; and, at it's close
Gilbert requested all those interested to
remain and hear the will read.
Of course, in matter like this, every
| body was interested, and old Gilbert had
good audience.
| Lawyer Secors read the will. It seemed
| he had drawn it up a year before for the
testator. Divested OF it's formalities, it
| bequeathed handsome life annuities to each
of the three servants, two thousand pounds
to each of the two churches in the village !;
two hundred pounds for the support of
"Jim," a large striped cat, which the old
man held in high regard, and all the rest
of his property-houses, lands, stocks, and
money was bequeathed, without reserve,
to Marian Esterly, the village school-mis-
tress.
The people were all stricken dumb with
astonishment, and Miss Esterley was, per-
haps, more surprised than any of them.
A few words in pencil, in old HalloWell's
own handwriting, on the margin of the
will, explained his reason for this DISPOSE
ton of the property:
II have been friends with nobody"-so
ran the marginal reference-"and people
have looked upon me as being destitute of
the attributes Of humanity, and it was my
own fault. [ make no complaint. Only
one Of my toWns-people has. seen deep
enough beneath the surfaceto surmise that
old Hallowell might have feelings, Of his
own, and she has never passed me by with
out kind good day. And once when I
passed by her little garden she gave me
bunch Of pansies. One loved in youth
was fond of pansies, and think Of her al
ways when l see them. And so. as Marian
Esterley has treated me as if I had a soul,
1 bequeath to her the property which it has
taken me a lifetime to gather, and may
heaven bless her in it's possession"
All the villagers were jealous of Miss
Esterley, and all thought she had been very
well repaid for few kind words and a
bunch Of pansies. But none could dispute
old Hallowell's right to do as he chose
with his own; and so the poor school-mis-
tress passed peaceably into possession.
Miss Esterley was an orphan, twenty
three years Of age, tall and fine-looklng,
and with more character than IS generally
given to one individual. Now that she
had the power, she asserted herself grandly.
The Hallowell home place was put I'M
der series of valuable improvements
which soon changed it's entire aspect. De-
caying trees were cut down, fresh, young
ones were planted, a spacious fiower-gar-
den, with extensive graperies and green
houses, f1ourished where had been only a
stretch Of dismal heath; the stock in the
stables was overhauled, and great changes
made, the Hallowell house was rebuilt and
remodelled, until it was the finest residence
in the country round.
Miss Esterley kept the old servants, who
shortly learned to adore her, but she added
new ones to the ,neaeage, and entertained
the visitors, who fastened to honor her, In
gracious and liberal style.
AS matter of course, the mistress OF
Hallowen House was not long wanting fol
lovers, thew came thick and fast-sOme