Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-03-01
My GrandmOther's Money.
BY ANNA SHIELDS.

apartment in London, coming over
subject for my next sketch, and wonder
ing if my engagement upon q popular
illustrated paper would prove mine of
wealth, when the letter came that showed
me what sudden whirls Fortunes
charmed wheel can take. 1t was from
a lawyer in New York, and it informed
me, Carlton Egerton, wood designer,
that was heir to two hundred thou
sand dollars. 1 gasped little, looked
about me to be sure was not dreaming,
read the letter over again, and gradu-
ally absorbed the delightful fact.
"Yoar grandmother having died without a
will, the lawyer wrote "you are sole heir to
the estate"
My grandmother Far away in the
recesses of my memory 1 could see
picture of my father death, his funeral,
and his mother, who turned my mother
and myself out of doors. She had
never cordially forgiven his marriage
with a girl who was earning her own
bread as milliner.
We'll, we went, and we never
mourned for the splendid home we left
behind US. Mother was proud for the
Egertons, for her boy above all, and
would not open store, but she made
enough for our simple wants, and gave
me a good education. When I was
twelve years old my grandmother offered
to adopt me, and my mother gave me
fair statement of all the advantages
that would result from the acceptance
OF this offer. But l chung to her, Sob
bling, praying to remain.
You must not choose hastily, Carl, :"
she said to me, gently.
You say my grandmother requires
me to give you up entirely never to
see you ?" I sobbed.
"But you will have everything else!"
L wanted nothing else I set NV
mother against all worldly advantage
and chose her. I never regretted It.
Our love was perfect until the grave
closed upon her, and knew her dying
blessing was the last word could ever
hear from her lips.
went abroad to study when I was
twenty-one, paying my way by sending
sketches of travel to a New York news.
paper, and after three years of wander
ing, had been two years in London
when this wonderful letter came to me.
l was rich Independent! I could
study art unhampered by money con-
alterations. could follow my ideal
fancies uncramped by newspaper re-
quirements. Rich!
And through the grandmother who
hated my mother, who had never given
me a kind word or a caress, even when
my father was alive / am afraid there
was wicked zest added TO nv enioy-
ment OF this good fortune, by the fact
that / inherited in default of a will,
which would, felt sure, have deprived
me OF any such inheritance.
hurriedly Cancelled my London en-.
gagements, packed my trunk and crossed
the ocean. My lawyer sent a clerk to
meet me, who accompanied me home,
informed me that Mrs. Hill, nv grand
mothers housekeeper, was thoroughly
Trustworthy person, and left me.
The house was handsome in every
particular, and was delighted to find
so many traces of feminine sway.
Surely" L meditated, "my grand.
mother was person of very youthful
feeling, for the whole house is fresh and
attractive as a bridal home"
Mrs. Hill was grim, unapproachable
person, who served me delicious. re-
pasts, kept the house in dainty order,
and never spoke unless to answer oues.
ton. She seemed to me to be nursing
agrievance, but did not care to inquire
into its proportions.
Society opened its doors to me. Was
not an Egerton? And 1 enjoyed nv
first taste of ease and luxury immensely.
My time had been given to mercenary
pursuits ever since was able to earn a
dollar, and it was a most delightful
novelty to spend without counting the
self-denial kiprmerIy entailed by every
indnlgenceA
One of my special delights was to
visit Mrs. Crawford, an English lady of
advanced years, who had been one of
my mothers friends; one of the many
who visited her and'love her after my
father died. Widowed and childless,
she was fond of young people, and sure
to have pleasant society always in her
rooms. / often dropped in unlimited
and nnannounced, and was always
warmly welcomed. Therefore / was