Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1878-07-18
Miseellaneous. q
Aunt Hepsibah's Revenge.


birthday, with light, happy heart un.
touched by care or pain or sorrow ltwas
one OF those GLORIOUS June days when II is
bliss merely to live; when we are content
To draw IN the pure. sweet-scented air. nd
drink In Natures fresh beauty. asking for
nothing more. The robins outside my win.
dow ia the old apple tree, greeted ne with
bursts OF glad melody. aud the clear morn
Ing breeze iilled me with a sense OF lnd.-
scribablc eNhiaratIOu.
tie closing exercises OF the Young La
dies' Seminary 10 our town had successfully
terminated the day before We had passed
our examinations, read our essays. received
our diplomas, partAken vi the class supper.
aud gracefully retired from the stage of
school girl lite, and to-day, as "A grand
finale TO the rnomentous occasion we were
TO have picnic In the Gieu, n perfectly
lovely little spot some ten miles away.
In all the world. | think. there was no
one happier than | that morning. | hast
ened 10 array myself in my new and pre- tiy
white muslin dress and ran down stairs to
receive my birthday greetings, singing a
gay little song.
Father an1 mother were waiting for ire
In the library, mother looking little anx-
ious aud worried, thought.
Eighteen years old, and grown-up
danced .aii into ths nffoJ2 2 aial ial7 l.. ana
my fathers arms. while he bestowed nine
kisses upon one cheek, and nine upon the
other.
Eighteen years, Bless my stars, how
the years do 90! II seems only matt er
OF months since held you wee Bit OF q
baby, in these arms
But mamma looks SOBER" said |, and
| ran and kneli by her side. "what is 1t,
4. .a..f lima, MI. tsrt
sorry 10 have your little girl grown so big
aud so old that she can never be child
any more?''
Mamma smiled, and laid her hand, with
q gentle. caressing touch, upon my hair:
then she said, tenderly:
~ GU Will never cease TO be 4 child At
heart, Mabel, however great the aceumu-
lation OF years upon your head. And now,
dear. your father has something OF Import
ance 10 tell you"
Yes. dear child. Of great Importance,
broke in my father. 1t is about your
aunt Hepslbah's will"
Aunt Hepsibah's Will. - exclaimed. In
astonishm-nt. for that estimable lady had
been dead over two years. and the disap-
pointment telt al the time that my father,
her only brother, was not represented in
her will, had been long overcome. The
possibility OF there having been a codicil in
favor OF us at once. however iiasned through
nv mind.
You know, Mabel" said my father,
that, osteusibly, every thing was left TO
that protege OF hers; but there was a sealed
document retained in the hands of the
I lawyer. which document ae sent TO me
yesterday.
According TO Hepsibah's wishes, it was
! not to be opened, neither were We to know
of its existence, till you were eighteen.
This little piece OF paper, Mabel makes you
/ the possessor of thirty thousand dollars
/ and me of twenty. very nice birthday
present, isn't it little onei''
/ Twas so surprised | could not for some
time speak. At last | said, in bewildered
sort OF way, Thirty thousand dollars for
the, and twenty thousand for you? Why,
| thirty and twenty make tifty." Then clap
/ ping my hands. jumped up, shouting,
.'Oh, how rich We are. Fifty thousand
| dollars" And l gave papa good hug,
and then mamma. Ny world was surely
| growing very bright. Although we had
J always been comfortably we'll of we were
/ far IRON being rich; and my father, l
knew, had had hard time in trying TO
keep the old homestead and clear on the
mortgage which still shsdowed il. | had
always longed for wealth, and many were
the fair castles in the air and the gioriou,
projects had formed when the day should
come In which riches should be mine.
! Yes. the word looked fair and bright
aud wide to me, stretching on and on, rich
with golden opportunities. My future lay
iu broad sunshine before me, with no gloom
/ of tears to veil it. How kind at heart Aunt
Hepsibah had been. alter all, l said. And
| had always thought her cold and stern
aud strange. Suddenly asked:
How came she TO do it, papa: Why
didn't she put it in the wlll!'
Your Aunt Hepsibah was always queer
and never did things like other people" hs
replied. .She has made one condition te
all this which will not be very hard for yot
to accept. think. Ii is that you
Please, Charles, never mind that now.
my mother gently interpOsed. The break
fast bell has rung, and Mabel must &c
ready for the picnic. Tonight will be tim'
enough for that
Dear. tender mother-heart. Was it L
give your child another day Of perfect hap
piness. day to be marked with a whit
stone that you might shield her from
knowledge which might pain her? Was !
intuition that taught you that the condition
which my father thought would be easy L
fulfil might not be possible tor me!
Ny father simply acceded to my mother
request. and folded the precious slip oil pa
per and replaced it in the envelope; the
we sat down to breakfast. was too ex
cited TO eat, and the attempts to appea
calm and cool that my father made wer
very amusing. HeecautioDed me agains
losing my head with my good tortase, an
warned me against being completely upst
When smiled upon by the good iates.
. NV mother was very quiet. AID regarde
/ link which In