Litchfield enquirer., 1875-09-02
hs s,reash upon her lips :

EasasI- passing: hand across his eves. --F have fseea breaking q commandment znzG s,ovesIns my neighbor's goods. Par Ssaa ne"
 EsseIEe did not sec much of Mir. Denen zfszr this for some time and Carruth having gone abroad to visit foreign hos PzszES, she was much alone now, till one 1zy Grandpa DeEringer was suddenly sat4ea with paralysis, and signified his Ssszre to have Denen sent for. There wzs 10 reference to the past, however. TAey met over the sick-bed, passed medi- cSncS. arranged pillows. consulted togeth- er. and relieved each other at the. watch like the merest friends, who have no other aspiration than friendship. When Mir. Derringeg rallied somewhat, as they be- Esyed, he said to Denen, .I suppose Es- sSne Is we'll provided for. at any rate !; better by Estelle, but half a loaf, you know. You can't have your cake and eat it too. She's been on my mind ever since she began to breathe. wonder if Car ruth knows-the will I hope he loves the child for herself-onlY Dr. Thorough wort's leaky. I'd rather 1t had been you, Danen :; but I see money. can't win y0tir affections you've stood the test bravely. I had no idea I should grow so fond of the girl. Blood will tell An old mans plans are IuncerGain, like wind and water. If I'm stronger tomorrow. .Denen-do you hear? Where are you? There, give me your hand. How warm it is Mine feels like the grave. If I'm stronger, we'll write-another-will- But Grandpa Derringer's tomorrow was all eternity!
 When the funeral was over, the handful ofssrelatives assembled in the library to hear the will read: Estelle in her weeds John Derringer, sable of countenance as well as attire, with his expectant family Mary Perry in rusty black and nephews and nieces to the third and fourth genera ton. Mir. Denen, too, had crape on his bat, and his face was ashy when he un- folded the will. His hand shook. his voice trembled, and something like mist hung before him and blurred the handwriting In the pause that ensued you could hear the impatient rustic of Q garment, the half-concealed yawn, the stihed sob of those who waited. When he had finished the reading there was a stir of relief, and all eyes turned to the heiress, and every tongue but John Derringer's was loose to congratulate her. But Estelle was like the ghost of herself, pale as alabaster, heavy-eyed, ,husky-yoiced; there was noth- ing of happiness in her air. ''I did not know, she said, with her eyes upon De- nen-''I thought that grandfather had only his insurance and the annuity, which died with him. MT. Denen, did you know of this?"
 ''Miss Estelle, wrote the will"
 In few days those who had assembled dispersed on their several ways. In course of time John Darringer came into posses sion of his ten thousand. while his wife looked sharply after the silver tankard and Mary Perry, in her rusty black. went to housekeeping in her new home, inviting Estelle to remain there till she should marry, (which won't be hundred years, reckon, seeing you're an heiress," she said and Dr. Thoroughwort dropped in to add his congratulations and condo lences Tn the same breath.
 'Tve known that you stood we'll in your grandpa's will all along" said he. '1 was one of the witnesses, you know. Heard from Dr. Carruth, lately? I used to tell him you were worth looking after. Money isn't to be sneezed at when you're making a match. It's the cushion that eases the jolts along life's highway, eh {? All is, have it secured to yourself. Good. mOrningi"
 So Carruth had known about the will. and Denen had known. Shc was the only one who had been in the dark.
 Well, some weeks passed, so heavily for Estelle that nobody could have guessed she had any cause for happiness, when one day Denen appeared, as black -browel as thunder-cloud, and requested to see her alone. z -- mw-
 ''He's going to propose, sure as you live, thought Mary Perry. "Well, how the men do hanker after body's purse Them as haven't let on that there was such person breathing as Mary Perry for these ten years have shook hands cor dial as all possessed, and called round to spy out the land"
 ''Miss EsteIle, Mir. Denen began, ..I am sorry to be the bearer of evil tidings. but"
 Has anything happened to Carruth ?" she questioned, startled. rEsEs :
 Nothing of which 1 am aware. Miss Estelle, how could you bear poverty after your expectations of wealthy"
 "Mr. Denen. what is it? Tell me quick. lyl Has anything happened to my grand fathers beques'1 ?'
 Your grandfather's bequests, Miss Derringer, never existed except in his inn aginatIOn they were castles an the air, which have reason to believe, from words uttered during his last moments, he had raised to serve some especial purpose zor wllim of his own. Bat he did not intend to subject you to this bitter disappoint- ment, for his last words were, If I am stronger, Denen, we will write another will tomorrow
 "And so am a beggar again The sen- sation is so totally new that do not re- cognize it" ...-.-
 But you will soon marry2" turning away his head.
 ''I don't know. Meanwhile ono must live"
 ''If there is anything to which could help you, call upon me. I would share my last crust with MT. Derringers grand- daughter"
 ''Thank you, returned Estelle, coldly "I hope may not need it." If he offered 1t only to Mir. Derringer's granddaughter, she would starve before accepting 1t.
 Claw sakes," said Miss Perry, when the conference was ended, "what's he been saying to you? Now don't look so gum about 1t. You needn't feel obliged to have him jest because he asked you. It does 'em good to get the cold shoulder now and then. Law, didn't refuse Tom Bnckett plump, and did it do him the least bit of hurt as ever was? Didn't he go and ask Susan Samson the same ques- tiOn. and get published the next month 1? And then you've got plenty to live on till you're gray, and I had to take in sewing for my bread and butter. But, No says I to Mr. Brickett T haven't waited forty five years for the likes of you F"
 'Mr. Denen did not ask me to marry him, Cousin Perry; he came to tell me that grandpa didn't leave any thing to me but the old paste shoe-buckle."
 ''Fhe paste shoe-bncklei Why. he left you houses and lands besides. | heard if read out of the will myself"
 'sBut he didn't own any such things, and am poorer than ever"
 ''No, no. Wasn't this your grandpa's s house? You shall live here as long as there's one beam of it upon another. Pretty thing it would be for me to turn your grandpa's granddaughter out of his hnwma tss