Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-03-27
The Hiding Place.

Grandfather was dead, Over ami over
again, the thought he must die had
made me cry my eyes nearly out, for
though he was eighty, he vas not toe
old TO love. And now it happened, ,and
was all over, and L sat in a kind of a
miserable dream, listening to Lawyer
Curdle asking me ....
Where grandfather had kept his
will:
Had not been told?
Did | know?
a will in my favor, leaving every
thing 70 me?
Or course | knew of it
.Grandpapa wanted TO tell me,'' said
|. "but | would not let him. | could
not bear to think of his being dead. |
hoped he would not die before | did,"
"In legal matters, ladies are little
short of idiots" said Mr.. Curdle.
II grieve to distress you, but l saY-
pose you know there's rampant old
fury down stairs. who claims this place
and everything in it-who is really
YOUR grandfather's sister-and who, if
there is no will found, can turn you
out of house and home.
You know your grandfather was
only stepfather to your mother. You
were not actually related at all.
Come now; plain speaking is ne
cessary-if We find the will, you are an
heiress; ifnot,a beggar."
Nothing could make Inc that" said
/; 'nothing while have ten fingers. ="
But he had reused me at last.
Where had grandfather told me the
will was?
tried to think.
No, he had not told me.
had put my hand over his mouth,
and said
Grandpa don't. shall cry myself
to death if you die, so l shan't want
anything"
And he said
well, well, know you are not
waiting for dead mems shoes; | know
that, my child-and some other day,
some other day"
And the next morning he was found
dead in his bed-the very next MORN
ing.
s'You see it is somewhere" said |,
"else grandpa would not have MENTION
ed it,
s'You don't think he had destroyed
it. and was about TO make a new one, or
anything OF that sort?" asked the law
yer.
No said |, ~ think not. I'll
try to remember what he said exactly.
Oh, this was it, | think
"'Beulah, it will be very important
when | come to leave you that you
shall know about my viii. l have
made one and hid it in the most inge-
niOus place
Then | stopped him. That's all. )"
Utter insanity" said Mr.. Curdle;
cutter insanity"
He WAS usually very polite, but l did
not wonder that his equanimity was
disturbed when | went down stairs and
saw the person whom he had described
as rampant old fury"
She was very old woman, with hair
that was still bright red, and long,
sharp nose.
She was talking at the top of her
voice, apparently to no one in particu-
lar.
Lawyers, lawyers, she was saying
''all alike the world over. Didn't send
me a word of my poor brothers. death;
not word, not line; so that | should
not come to claim my own.
Left it to that girl, Ell? Humbug
She's no relation to him; she's no rela-
ton at all. Margaret Boxer had lit
tie girl already by her first husband
when she married him. This is that
girls child.
NO blood relation-none. No, no.
NY brother and haven't been friends,
| know, but its all the same if he hasn't
left willard / know he didn tall
his property is mine."
She took snuff and scowled at me
furiously.
| shrank away, and began to feel how
important it was that the will should
be found.
L searched eagerly enough now.
turned back carpets and shook out
curtains.
rummaged every desk and drawer,
trunk and box in the house.
All in vain.
At last even Mr.. Curdle acknowl-
edged that further search was hope
less.
"A man should confide his will to
his lawyer" said he; "a lawyers box
is the only safe place for it."
mo doubt this old woman has em-
ployea some one to steal your grand
fathers will from its very ingenious
hiding place, and the result is that you
are a beggar." - s.sE-4a .Feaa
You are ridiculing poor dead grand
pa, and calling me names," L said,
bursting into tears.
''My poor, foolish child," said Mr..