Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1880-04-01
"OLD MIDDLETON'S MONEY"


invalid friend so depressing;;' exclaimed
the stylish, arstocratic Theodore Trent,
to her h-ughty, weak minded mother.
''You ought to have heard her grumble
about the garden to the Rector"
"Every apple gets stolen before am
down in the morning. Hens eat every
currant, though wrap each bush IN mus
lin like a ghost"
"The birds eat every cherry; the saw
age, selfish creatures. Watch them when
you feed them. and you'll never feed
them again. A father will hop off with
the family dinner from under the very
noses of his hungry wife and children,
and grown up daughter will snatch the
bread and butter from between her old
mothers teeth. Bah, nice race"
And so she ratified On. "And the most
provoking part of it all, mother, is, Mr..
Keith has asked permission to take her
to our picnic. What axe the elegant rich
Mr.. Keith has to grind in inviting that
eccentric old woman I don't see. And
Honor Craven seems to understand the
position she is best fitted for in acting
nurse and companion to those tiresome
old women"
II wish Hervey could teach her what
was fitting Middleton, but it is hope
less task; she is not used to elegancies,
and will probably not have a chance to
show that she is ill-ftted for riches.
How wish Christmas would come and
bring with it Lady Lawrence, for until it
is down in black and white that Hervey
and I are heirs to odd Middleton's' vast
estates there will be some uncertainty.
1 think it superb idea of mine, to have
a photograph of all the Middleton heirs
taken in a group at the picnic and sent
on to Lady Lawrence. Cousin Hervey
is always elegant and easy in his posi-
tons, and Phebe Owens will wear some
dowdy blue which will take badly, and
what some people chose to call Honor's
dainty, sparkling beauty, will look very
| tame in the background, and Jane and
Lawrence Houghton cannot look other.
wise than tombstones, and don't be-
lieve l shall make very bad central fig
ure."
The day of Abbotsmoor picnic has ar
rived, and if you have listened to Theo-
dora's chat you will feel acquainted with
most of those that are on the grounds
and their purpose. Old Middleton, after
living misery, sordid life had willed
all his vast possessions to sister living
in India to be willed by her to one or
two of his heirs as she saw fit, and those
heirs you have had an informal introduce
ton to. The artist stepped forward and
said, twill you be kind enough to tell
me whom am to take?"
| ILNNf - cold Mrc
"Bless the man, does he think the
whole neighborhood is peopled by Old
Mlddleton's kindred?"
''And too, must be left out of the
picture said Royden Keith.
"Mrs. Payte's shrewd eyes watched the
preparation for the photograph.
Theodore Trent looks we'll in that po-
sition, and she knows it: but it will make
hldeeus picture. Lady Lawrence will
know a great deal about them from that
photograph, won't she's For instance,
how is she to know that Miss Trent made
| all the arrangements to suit herself, and
that Honor Craven is laughing the whole
notion to scorn.
"For goodness sake, let us walk about
till the farce is over. But don't like this
estate; do you, Mr.. Keith? How can old
Middleton's money cause anything but
evil, when we remember how it was gar
nered9"
Every easily. If nobly and generously
used, it will return blessings on the
giver.'
"See, they are reckoning us to dinner
The cloths were spread and all seated
"What is it you have there, Miss
Trent?" asked Mrs. Payte.
| "1'arte1lettes, replied Miss Theodore
with languid frigidlty.
"Good to eat?"
Miss Theodore passed the dish to the
tootman without delgn1ng reply.
I'm my young days we called spade
a spade, and atiectation folly"
Theodore kept still at this thrust, bu
wondered more than ever why this sour
tempered little thing should ever conn
among them.
After the meal they started to go owe
the house, and the art gallery was frs
visited.
'sToo bad there is not picture of Lad,
Lawrence" said Mrs. Payte.
1--WE have a sketch of her taken lately,
| Sd1u OL1O 10 OSSLA dnN SIOuCS VIII
smooth black hair, and serious face
, 81 don't like that kind of an old lady,
said Mrs. Payte, "but what are you goin
to do with Abbottsmoor if you inherit i
/ Mr.. Houghton9'
, "Let it,
"And you, Miss Trent2'
= 'PulI it down and build splendi
: mansion" -..
, "And you, Honor9'
[ II never thought about it-but SUI
= pose / should try to restore it, and mai
/ the old place and even the old nam
: honored again"
t ''Your idea is childish, Honor sa;
a Mrs. Payte.
through the gloomy rooms, and by-and-l
noticed that rain storm was adding
the gloom.
1t Are we all here said Mr.. Keith.
t. Cali but Honor, and there she come
to wet through" said Phebe.
in SO all fastened into their carriage
is and acknowledged to having had Piles
I ant time in spite of the sprinkling
] rain and the aciditv of Mrs. Payte's ]
,st marks.
The weeks sped on, and slowly
he many, but not to Honor, who, in t
mt house of her guardian, Lawrence Houe
If ton, had always much to do, and mt
is gradually had assumed more and me-
mt care of Mrs. Payte's friend, Mrs. d
es. browe,
lis, A dispatch was finally received sayl
es that Lady Lawrence was preparing
II" leave Calcutta, and that she hoped
d. heirs would meet her in London.