The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1881-02-25
Selected Story.
NELLY IRwIN's LEGACY.

equally between the two heiresses, the
will concluded with these words;
1.-The old family Bible, II sacred leg
acy of generations, l bequeath to the
one of nv beloved nieces who shall read
it the most industii iously and love it
the most fervently ; hoping that, there
fore, it may have no individual pos
SCISSOR, but be shared with mutual own
ership."
"What great, darling old tome "
cried Nelly. rs Harry Rose, her alii-
anced, placed tie important Volume in
her hand
perhaps it's very dimensions ac-
count for our aunt's infinite area of
henevolence." observed Miss Maud.
"Judsing from her earthly residue her
lenefcence must have becn-is astonnd
insly sreat-cspecially TO her own Aith
aud kim" she added, sarcastically.
"Fie, fe, sister how can YOU speak
SO uagratefully T
These baubles," continued Maud,
apparently unheeding the reproach, and
pointing to the diamonds which bad
been specified rs hers 10y the will, ''eon-
stitute, then, the nucleus OF our wor
thy relatives wealth Why, | thought
Aunt Hester was rich 1ngratitude's
not my fault, but when | expend n
years income on the resetting of these
antique ornaments, gratitude, | fear,
will be sadly married by the item of
dollars and cents p Pausing, she went
on: "As for the much envied Bible,
since YOUR aunt has made such minute
stipulations as to its future career, /
resign all claim of it to you, trusting
You may CLEAN from its pages a mag
nanimity of heart like that possessed
by its quondam owner.
Saving winch, Miss Maud Irwin
stalked haughtily from the room.
did you ever y
"Well, hardl-"
Il am glad, then, this is not the bone
of contention" said Nelly, revelently
carr, ing the book to her lips.
But il seems strange" remarked
/ flan,, THAT. hereas every other arti-
/ clr Il rerfu is specified, no direct heir
Ia her wealth Mas nan,'.i iu 'he will"
/ ..Anntie bad suol, very strange no
tiDns -eccebtricity. they call IL. sup
,-o.. that also explains her invrrly.
/ Licl Maud 50 "a, justly cenauIes.
Perhaps"
He was toying With ll'o l'ngrs 81 'hc
book as he spoke. " ben hiS eye Sudden
IL caught the ny-leAf. yellow aud
fade.l. yet distinctly visiblr, Was regis
terrell line Of nnmrs dating back L.
The age uf IA century, and l"nerth, ol
more recent date, the follow ng
| Il fr,.l that day will sopn qomt
hen must part with this my dean.st
friend on earth. Throughout life thu
precious olnlnr has hrrn NY swcetrs
comfort. Certain beautiful lassagei
thereim have insPIe'l ,ae TO make occa
sional notes OH the margin of its pages
bringing To pind dear aud familia
texts OF my childhood. entreat y
TO read these carefully, my believes
nieces, for every hour spent with Co
reaps a harvest of gain and in thi
godly book are hidden treasures dear t
: the hearts Of mortals.
HESTER HARDING PRIMM."
= Eccentric, surely, but you will do 3
Nelly Z"
81 will, indeed !"
e The dreary autumn and the snow
robed winter days sped by, and ono
more beauteous spring burst forth
all her glory. And during tho loni
weary months Nelly had kept her Gov
+: nant, studying the leaves of her s2cre
legacy with ferYor and patience. Il
deed, she had become so attached
the cid book that the reading of it no
d was to her delight.
One lovely morning she sat reading
chapter of the Proverbs. Thus Fl
had she advanced since the memorial
day Of the will, ever and anon perusir
with interest tho notes she occasional
came across. The chapter before Il
= was the XXI, but she had come to
abrupt pause at the end of the twent
first verse: "He that followeth aft
rs righteousness and mercy findeth ii
righteousness and honor"-for on t
left blank of the page were added al
underlined these strange words-"a
u riches. See within the cover of u
Bible"
At first Nelly could not clearly CO
Ibm he prehend the import of these stran
Of words. Mechanically she turned to t
- lid of the book. For the frst time q
- now noticed that its coYer end back
old brown leather were disprOporti'
ice ately thick and bulky and of Hngair
weight, detracting from the general I
Dg pearance of the book. A sudden fai
ness overcame her as the mystery sIO
ly began unravelling itself. Pale,
calm, she began to look about the sw
'H' len cover for an opening, when sudd
. Iy her eyes fell upon an old wsrn
carefully doubled and fastened do
n over the binding.
With beating heart the girl took
tiny knife and began loosening the u
Or spreading that held it fra. On
twice, thrice she pplifted the crea
= folds, and turned back the limp GOV
n There her eyes beheld mass of pap
~ stitched to the side of the book, e'
sheet revealing az she took it from
place one thousand dollar U. y, q
!, ernment bond, stamped and dated, "
- its bunch of glittering coupons draw
the national interest from the da
on. was issued
. And as the last paper was dra
/! forth, Nelly, dszed and bewildel
counted them, and there were ten