The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-10-21

thing; but some sudden thought lent to
Amy's efforts q keener zeal. Her
cheeks blazed, her eyes were bright
with excitement, as she turned over the
papers, opening, examining and shaking
each with an eagerness so intense as to
make the others smile. No smallest
scrap escaped her notice. Suddenly
she stopped, and stood as If turned to
ston6, staring incredulously at paper
which she had just lifted; thick,
longish sheet, folded in three. So
strange was her aspect and so agitated
her features that May cried out, in
alarm: "Amy, don't look so! What
is it?''
Amy tried to speak, but choked in
the attempt. She put the paper into
Mays hand, and, after little struggle,
burst into a flood of uncomfortable
tears. Ben, much alarmed, put his
arm about her. She leaned her pretty
head on his shoulder and sobbed quietly;
while May. after moments pause,
burst into EXPLANATIONS.
"Aunty's will! Oh! Amy, didn't
always say that she made one? Oh!
Amy, dear, isn't it wonderful? How
did it come herep Oh, Amyr' And
with the third repetition of her sisters
name she too began to cry. Ben seized
the paper, while the two girls hung
over his shoulders.
1t really was Miss Iselin's will, drawn
up, as the handwriting proved, by old
Mr.. Allen, about five years before, and
duly signed and attested. Ben rapidly
glanced over the instrument. It's pro-
visions were simple enough. All that
the testatrix died possessed of was be-
queathed, without reservation, to her
beloved neices, May Eleanor Iselin and
AMY Dysart Iselin. There was no
mention whatever of the obnoxious
Elisha, the beneficiary of the first will.
Ben gave shout of JOY as he finished,
waved the paper over his head, and
cried: "Habensus"
els it really Aunty's will?" ques-
toned Amy.
"Really her will" .
"And is it legal? Is the dear old
house really ours-May's and mine?"
''The old house and all within it,
dear"
"Oh, Benz Amy's head went down
on his shoulder, in a new burst of joy
full tears. And, somehow, it was never
exactly explained, Ben's head bent
lower and lower. Amy looked UP.
Their eyes met. He kissed her, and
May even did not seem shocked.
"All yours, including the broken
jar" added Ben, jokingly, perhaps to
hide the fine color which had rushed
into his manly cheeks.
"Oh! the jar. had quite forgotten
the blessed old thing. We shall never
find the broken bits now, suppose.
And, somehow, don't care, since we
have found something so much more
valuable. Dear, dear aunty, l knew
she hadn't forgotten us. l was sure it
was mistake. May, if you read this
in book, would you ever believe a
word of it?"
"Never! It is great deal too I'M
probable to be put into book. Story
writer's wouldn't dare; it is so much
too good to be true. The strangest
things are those which happen out of
books"
For a moment the three stood silently
looking at the paper in Ben's hand.
How much it meant to them all, that
bit of paper! To the girls it represent
ed home, comfort, society, the continu-
ance of sweet old ties, ease of mind, all
things good and pleasant. To Ben it
was shining mirror. from which the
face of his future bride looked out and
smiled. He folded up the will. Its rus
tie was better than song.
''Let us go home," said May, soft
ly. at seems more like home to me
now than it ever has done since aunty
died"
So the breakage of the Japanese jar
did prove a "blessing in disguise to
our sweet little heiresses, after ALL
Susan Coolidge, in ~ Y Independent