Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1874-04-20
MarlaN's Fortune.

|
ally thought he had lived very long time; but
they could not deny the fact that lie had i'm
proved the time, aud got together u very re-
spectacle fortune.
| Early in his young mannood he had married
Esttlle CleaveS, the daughter Of a poor actor;
and some incongrliity OF taste Or teinper-no-
body knew which. fJr H,iowell kept his own
crets, aud death long agp had sealed the lips
Of his wiie-lad separated them LITER about ten
| months OF mar iel life.
| The wife had gone forth no one knew with
er, and Hallowell had lived on his sour, crusty
aud monotonous iifs in the oil home where he
was born, and where before him were born
both his father and grandfather.
lie never went into society, he received no
company, he had no friends and it was IA great
wonder 10 whom lie would give his property
| when he was dead.
I And when the announcement came that the
Old man was gone, eveiybndy prcked up his or
her ears aud the wonder grew.
Three old servants-nelrly rs old as himself
| Il luan anu two women, had always been
with him, and constituted all the tamily he
| hal.
| The CID male servant was named Gilbert,
and in his hands Mr. Hollowell hand left his
| will.
| The funeral was largely attended by the whole
neighborhOod; and at Its close, q Inert request
ed all those interested 10 remain and hear tho
| will read.
or course. In II matter like this, everybody
| wus Interested, and old Gilbert Ii al u good au-
dence.
Lawyer SecOrs read this viii. II seemed he
had drawn /; up year before the testator died.
l)lfl5leu OF lis lOflnalities, IL beqheatheu hand
some life anuiiies TO each OF his three servants,
Two Thousand pounds 10 each OF the two church.
rs III Tie village, two hundred pounds for the
support Of jim, large suIped cat, which the
olu man held III great esteem, and II the rest
OF the property-hous0s, llnGs, stocks, and
money was bequralhed, without reserve, TO
Marian Eherly, the little village schoolms-
tiess.
They were all stricken dumb with astonisl-
upnt.
AfGw words in pencil, in old Hallowe' s
own handwriting, on the margin of the viii,
explained his reason for tlis disposition of the
property.
Il have been friends with nobody'-so ran
the marginal reterence-'ani people have look
Ell upon me AS being destitute ui the attributes
OF humanity, and ~ it was my own fault | do
not complain.
Only one Of all my iownspeople have seei
deep enough beneath the surface to surmist
that old lIlllowel might have feeliI gs If hi,
! own, anu she has never passed me by without
a Kind good day. And once when passed hy
her little garden she gaee me a bunch Of pan
1 sizes.
One loved in youth was fond of pansios AN,
aud think OF her always when see them. -
And SO, as Marian Eslerly has treated me
| had a soul, | beqneath to her the propert,
which il has taken me a lifetime 10 pulhe
and may Heaven bless her in its possession.
All the villagers were jealous of Miss Esterl
4 and all thought she hal been very well repai
FOR Il few kind words aud IA small bunch {
pansles.
MS But none could jispnle old IIalluwels ris
"a to do as he chose with his own; and 50 the poe
as schoolnisIress passed peacably into posse:
I'd sion.
a, a. Miss Esterly was an orphan, twenty-five
10 years OF age; tall and iiue looking, and wit
X more character than is generally given to on
!, II, individual. Now that she had the power, sll
te. asserted herself grauuly.
OF The Hallowell home place was put uuder
os, series Of valuable improvements which 500
20 changed lis entire aspect.
hs Decayiug trees We tuf down, fresh youl
ones were planted, spacious flower gardel
ne with extensive graperies and green house
he fourshed where had been only a stretch OF di
or, nal heath, the stock in the stables WAS owe
la hauled, aud great changes made, and Halle
IRE well House was rebuilt and remOdrled until
"a. was the finest residence in the country round
Miss Esterley kept theioli servants who short
:. learned 10 adore her, but she added new on
to the menage, and entertained the visitor
who FASTENED 10 honor her, in giacious al
liberal style.
As a matter Of course, the mistress of Ha
lowell House was not long wanting Tor lover
they came thick and fast, some few perhaps
q her beauty aud grace, but most Of them ket
on the scent after Hollowpll's gold.
But Marian possessed sense well as got
md looks, and she was not deceived by their pr
r. tensions.
=, She remembered the time when the po
- schoolmistres might have sat evening after o
IT, ening at parties and social gathering u
ON noticed and neglected by all these obsequiou
~ fine gentlemen who now professad to De
IS deeply in love with her and 81 she tleate
I'VE them all with coolness which drove them
80. the VERGE of dish rlrtinn.
m She hat becn just u year mistress Of II
lowell, when ono day old Gilberi came
NV her with II troubled face, and asked All All,
,re euce.
ate She bade him st down anil speak witho
restraint, bu the old man made blund ri
work Of it. Marian had 10 question and e
courage him continually, but at last his sio
a. was told. In effect, il was this:
Il When Esee Ilallowell had died, years Al
years before In an obscure Scottish village, S
had left son--George Halowcll's child, bG
three months after her separation from him
e This son had hated his father for the wrongs
- had inflicted upon Estellr and had never ma
himself known TO him; and Mr.. Hallowe h
lived and died unconscious of the fact that
was father.
'"'' This son had died two months previous. lei
les, Ing one son behind hil hln-'sorse INN hal'o~e
Clement ualowell-that was h. yrung ma
nama---was now clerk IN bank in Lond
con- Oh a salary Of one hundr ID and fifty pound
= -. year, and all unconscious of the fact that
TO , was the heir to over OF hundred tbous,
pounds.
= These facts old Gilbert had Just lear