The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1879-02-21

I'm worss' Feel my pulse. look At my
tongue; I'm not q grain weaker; my ap-
petite's growing; rmgood for some time
vet. You don't feel anxious about meP
I'm an old woman. 70 be sure, but creak-
ing gates. you know, hang long on their
Eyes" said DIR. Gilbert, $50 they say
but our breath IL In our nostrils. II !
mad any thing particularly wished 70
do, any wrong TO- right, any cherished
plan to fulfill, should want 70 make
sure of Il before the breath left them"
"You mean you'd pay all your debts
and make your will II you were in my
situation. That's exactly what I've
done. Now. wouldn't you like 70 know
how I've disposed Of my filthy lucreP
Ha! hal you'd be coming here too often
il told you. Carries no beauty, but
I've known money to gid a palmer
face"
Had he been coming to see Miss Par
rott more frequently than was necessa-
nv, and had the old lynx found It outp
"Your affairs are nothing TO me, Miss
Parrott," he said gravely; they are
between your own conscience and your
self. At the same time, l must confess
that have no respect for those who de-
wise their estates to Borrioboola Cha,
and leave their relatives as = legacy to
the town. BY the way, ! heard OF
curious case the other day: man hav-
ing come into fortune through the es-
tate of his wife's father, died, leaving
her paltry portion Of her own money,
and the bulk of it TO his own sisters and
brothers. There's justice for you'll"
"Blood's thicker than water" said
Miss PARROT, peevishly. "Can't you
give me q sleeping potion, Doctor"
And then he went down and met
Miss Carrie on the staircase, and ask
ed il she could spare the time and had
the inclination to drive into the country,
where he had patient. "It's a half
holiday at your school, believe; 1 am
going to-day instead Of tomorrow, for
that very reason"
What q charming drive it was
through the autumn woods, away from
a sick bed, from ragged school, leav-
ing all the dusty and sordid care of ev-
ery day behind her. What if Fortune
were niggardly toward her, was not Ma
ture rich in bounty? Leave sorrow and
trouble for tomorrow, but for the pres
ent moment it was happiness enough to
listen TO DR.. Gilbert, to meet his kindly
glance, to know that he had
thought Of her pleasure and plan
ned for it. That he cared for her,
that he was growing interested in her
in any but friendly fashion, that he
might fall in love with her, did not once
occur to her mind; she was simply a
little pauper whom he pitied. She had
only known him since Aunt PARROT,
having quarreled with her old physician,
had installed him in the others place,
and she had heard that he was going to
be married; and now, as she drove by
his side and he favored her with the ia
mliar courtesy one accords to ones
best friend, she found il hard to sup
press half-formed wish that that for
tunate and probably beautiful woman
did not exist.
As Carrie was preparing Miss PARROT
for the night, the latter said, Now,
you'd like something interesting to read,
III be bound. just take the key, the
skeleton key What hateful word
II suggests all sorts Of horrors. How.
ever, It unlocks my desk. You'll find
my will there; read 1t while / drop
off to sleep; it's as good as q novel"
II don't want to read it," said Car
RE.
"Ncnsensei you're dying to get it Thu
minute. Read il aloud; perhaps it'll lul
me to sleep"
Without more ado Carrie produced
the document, and began: ~, Rebecc,
PARROT. being Of sound mind, this sixth
day Of June, 1860, do hereby"
"Stop! What q mess you make 0
i'll 1902 Haven't made will since
that? My minds growing cloudy;
must have been dreaming. You foun'
it in the deskP"
"Yes.r
"well, what are you waiting for
Read"
And Carrie read to the bitter end
then the will slipped from her hand
upon the floor, and she sat before tn
slight blaze which the autumn weathe
demanded in q sick room--sa. and gaz
ed at it with an air Of depression an
! hopelessness quite foreign to her. as
she had got over the habit Of maxim
, the best Of things.
"Only string Of gold beads" sh
J sobbed, land all my great-grandfather
: fortune left TO strangers! Only strin
! Of miserable gold beads!"
: "HeyP what did you sayP" aske
, Miss Parrot, waking suddenly. "Whs
. have you there, Caroline Fanep"
! Your last will and testament" ar
4 swered Carrie, picking it up.
D my last will and testament Wher
Q did you get that, you hussy? Have 20
! been ransackinO nv things before III