Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1881-02-11
AUNT MARSTON'S LEGACY.


looking at the legacy she had left me
in her will:
''To my beloved niece, Nellie STAN
nope, the faithful nurse, the loving
comforter OF my declining years, ! be-
queathe my gold ball earring, with the
brooche to match, marked with my in
itials in black enamel" Thus ran the
passage referring to me.
When my cousin, Lucinda Marston.
handed me the little morocco case, she
could scarcely repress smile of tri-
umph as she thought of the difference
q few short weeks had made in our rel
alive positions.
had been brought up by aunt Mars
ton, had lived III ease and luxury all
my life, while my cousin had been
obliged for years to earn her own liv-
lug by sewing
had always looked upon Greylands
as my home, while She had never been
invited to spend even week at the de-
| lightful old country house on the Hud-
son since she was child.
And now she had come into posses
sion Of the old homestead, and i, the ia
| voritc, whom she had hated and envied
| for 50 many years, was put off with this
insignificant bequest.
after al your toadying," she said,
| with sneer, lit is too bad to be put
off with shilling; but if Mr.. Lewis, the
other executor, knows anything about
| it, they are worth great many shill-
ings, for he says they are solid eighteen
karat gold, and that Ormulu, who had
them, would give you fifty dollars for
them to-day. However. you are wei
come to them. And now / suppose
you will see the necessity of looking
about for another home"
| The bitter, insulting words, the desc
late, deserted feeling ut being thus
cruelty turned out of the only home [
knew, overcame the unnatural calm
ness with which | had hitherto borne
my irreparable loss, and threw myself
on my bed and wept, as never in my
short, happy life thought it possible |
could weep.
| don't know how long il lasted, but
when | became calm my heart still
ached, but my brain seemed clearer,
and | could look my situation in the
face.
| was no sycophant; | knew that
well, for ! loved my aunt dearly, and
had always given her daughters viii
ling devotion, without one thought be-
You'd the present; | even told Charlie
Burnett, to whom | was engaged, with
her consent, and whom | loved with NIL
my heart that "we'd better bide u
wee for could not leave my second
mother to spend her last DAYS alone, or
cared for by hirelings.
| Aunt Eunice had often said to me,
You and Charlie will not have to wait
long, dear child, and | will see that
your future is provided for" | did not
care for myself, but | felt SO disap-
pointed for his sake, when | found that
! was left absolutely penniless.
| think now, Us / looked back, that
after she became paralyzed She wanted
to say something to me about it; for as
she lay there SO white and still, almost
like i piece Of statuary, the muscles
about her lips would twitch us if trying
to form words, and the ever restless
eyes would turn on me with an earnest,
appealing look, like the yearning, pitt
| full expression of Il dumb animal irving
| to make its suffering understood.
But She died and made no sign, and
now Charlie must plod along i'll the old
way, and | must try to earn my own
living, for | had made up my mind
that | would never be M additional
burden on the poor fellow
| threw down the Jewel case with a
sigh of disappointment rs [ thought it
all over, and then ashamed of myself,
took it up again and kissed the we'll
known trinkets, III fact the only ones
my aunt ever Wore, and put them ten
DERBY away among my other treasures
her gifts and Charlie's-in the trunk
| was packing.
Alas, for the frailty Of human resolu-
tons. Charlie would not hear of my
earning my own living, and though he
lid not exactly threaten to commit
suicide if | refused, lie looked so
atterly miserable and forlorn that
1 was forced to reconsider my de-
,ision.,
Charlie and | are quite old married
folks now, and four little curly pated,
restless bodies tumble about in the
small, poor room that serves me is a
bedroom, sitting-room, and nursery,
coming TO mamma with their small
hurts and pains to be kissed well and
petted, while often my heart and head
are both aching.
So many little mouths to feed. so
many little limbs to clothe and sew
for; eight little feet that are never
still 10 cover with shoes that wear out
too fast.
1t is no wonder that Charlie has to
wear his coat till it is threadhare. and
my only best dress is my old black silk
made over again and again, which with
lace rutfles at the writs and throat, and
Aunt Marston's legacy forms my gala
day toilet.
would not complain to myself, but
Charlie looks SO pale and tired, and his
cough gets worse and worse every dav.
If he could only go into the country for
month or two, the doctor saws. rest
himself, keep IN the open air, drink
plenty Of milk and take plenty of gen.
tie exercise, such as little rowing or
riding, he could get Well
My head aches with thinking how to
get the money that will save Charities
life. My darling husband, so devoted.
unseltish, depriving himself Of even
the smallest indulgence for me and our
little ones.
| think bitterly on the unequal dis
tribution Of the good things of this
world; 50 few have all, and so many
nave nothing; but when / say so, Char
lie laughs, and says I'm little COM
munist, dangerous character, and
must suppressed.
As usual, while / am sitting sewing, I
am devising thousand impracticable
schemes, when my reverie is interrupt
ed by my elder boy, Robert.
''0h, mamai see those beautiful po-
niesl"
look out and see a phaeton. drawn
by span of black ponies, and seated
at her ease, her lap dog beside her, l
recognize my cousin Lucinda Marston.
How circumstances have changed
She and her dog in my place; and my
children living a life of privation, My