Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1878-08-24
n ooxsrA>cE sTEhIIsS


Old GHsy~rd ~ss d<aa GB1 hal ief; g.
The Dsszs snGis the h0Gs~ II shIcA be kAa
hvrss &c farfy yesr..
He bad t<vn eAlbes ssnFly --Oii GHs-
pad evsr slnce he hsi come 30 TsOrnIsy.
and sssex Ep his reslaesee IN the aati-
qasre3 haszse IN xhich be bad ~ las; died
He whole name ~as GaspArd DrinSsrd,
though there ~ere m2ny whO had m,
known ihas until after ms death. and his
uill had been read
There was some excitement about the
reading Of the will. Old Gaspard had
been believed 20 be q miser. and certainly
the way in which he had lived had jus
tiled people in this belief, for he saved
in every possible way, did all the work
there was to he done in the house or about
the grounds, only hiring a woman to do
the washing he had every week, and this
wasn't much.
Some people expressed the belief that
some charitable institution, while others
speculated about some relatives who
might turn up to claim it.
The Desmonds were poor. There we're
seven children, and they were fatherless.
Mrs. Desmond was pretty woman, but
care and anxiety and denial had caused
her to lose much of her good looks, but
to her children she was charming.
Reginald was the eldest. and Milicent
came next. Both handsome, amiable
young people, who made the best of
everything, even their poverty, which
was great cross to them all. Paulina,
particularly, rebelled because Providence
had not placed her in more exalted
sphere. She was handsome, naughty
looking girl, but her disposition was not
an amiable one. Perhaps the most pa
tent and accomplishing of all the chill.
dren was Rachel, the fourth in point of
age; and yet she had more to bear than
any Of the rest, for ill-health might have
been her excuse for fretfulness and re-
pinings. But all day long she lay on her
sofa in the family sitting-room, and only
sighed when she heard the others enjoy
ing their games in the orchard or yard.
She could never expect to run and play,
TO share in the pleasures of other girls of
her age, but she did not make her mother
and sister Milly unhappy by constantly
reminding them of it.
Hugh, Dick, and Andy we're three stout
boys Of nine, six and four years. A great
deal of trouble were they to Milly, and
caused more sewing and patching to be
done in the house than all the rest of the
family put together.
To this family had Old Gaspard left
his house, and the sum of one hundred
dollars, much to the surprise of every
one, the Desmonds included.
Fifty dollars was also left to the woman
who had done the old mans washing, and
that WAS all the wealth which, seemingly,
had been left by him.
The wording Of the will was singular,
and there we're conditions attached to the
legacy left to the Desmonds. They were
to move into the house within four days
OF the funeral, and if it was ever sold or
let by them it should be forfeited. But
at the death of Mrs. Desmond it should
be torn down by the hands of the male
representatives of the family, and no out
siders employed to assist in the work.
On agreeing to these conditions the fam
lily could take possession, otherwise the
property would pass to the town, as we'll
a. the one hundred dollars.
Of course we will move into the old
shanty for the sake of the one hundred
dollars" said Paulina; "but it is enough
to disgrace US all in the eyes of every
one to live in the old tumble-down
place."
ut will save paying rent" sighed Mrs.
Desmond, who always counted her PEN
MES before she bought anything, and
had learned the lesson Of "doing with.
out"
"Of course, and it was very kind in
him to leave it to U.S." said Milly in her
bright, cheerful way. THE house ia
partly furnished, and with all our furni.
ture will he very comfortable, and 80 the
removed Was made within four days of
the funeral of Old Gssps.d.
OF course every one was astonished II
the small amount Of money the old man
had left, and said he could not have been
Q miser after ell, but just poor, crippled
o.a S..n. Ali wondered at ais choosilg
70 benefit the Desmonds, but the old man
had had no friends, End few even TO speak
10 him -Four years before his death,
Hilly hsd seen him fall in the road nss;
Aer inthsr's house, and had run out, and
WITH tle asnissasce Of Gfegssy vsBe, had
heipsa him into the kcass. warmed his
chiised liahs sne given hlrs . cap Of bo'
eclr<- Moe Than ell. she bad walked
With him 90 kis osn house. fss fear h
might fais ax.in, md hsa len him uIsh I
hgiwAs seile and . fes Kind words
VIA Mr. D<sossd had died Q mosfi
lsasr. Old Gsspsrd hsd ssst Aiily fft,
6ssisss for The fssersi expsas<a, ssd sfse'
80 hsa s<sef spsAes 10 ha sgsss. sses
- - gisiis sssyrise- Bat thss be hos
SDsah<rsa hu kisAsess ~ hin ws ,es
49, ~ kis isasisg sAe fsaily kis bees
- ~ ssa Il osasy.
Nifty uss sagagsd % be married D
0ssgssy vsna, bu osg vsrs both -