Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-02-03
AUNT MARSTON'S LEGACY.

Aunt Marston was dead, and | sat
looking at the legacy she had left me
in her will:
'To my beloved niece, Nellie Stan
hope, 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
.tials 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
few short weeks had made in our rel
alive positions.
had been brought up by aunt Mars
ton, had lived i'll 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 a week at the de-
! Iightful old country house on the Hud-
son since she was child.
And now she had come into posses
sion of the old homestead, and |, the ia
g0rlte, whom she had hated and envied
for so many years, was put off with this
Insignificant bequest.
After all your toadying," she said,
with a sheer, ''it is too bad to be put
oft with shilling; but if Mr.. Lewis, the
other executor, knows anything about
IT, they are worth great many shill-
ngs, for he says they are solid eighteen
arat gold, and that Ormulu, who had
hem, would give you fifty dollars for
aem to-day. However, you are well
ONE to them. And now | suppose
you will see the necessity of looking
Out for another home"
The bitter, insulting words, the desc
ate, deserted feeling at being thus
Tuelly 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 it 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
KTell, for loved my aunt dearly and
had always given her daughters will
ing devotion, without one thought be-
yond the present; | even told Charlie
Hurnett, TO whom was engaged, with
Ter consent, and whom loved with all
my heart, that "we'd better bide q
wee for could not leave my second
mother to spend her last days alone, or
ared for by hirelings.
Aunt Eunice had often said to me,
You and Charlie will not have to wait
ong, dear child, and | will see that
our future is provided for" did not
IRE for myself, but | felt so disap-
ainted for his sake, when | found that
vas left absolutely penniless,
think now, as ! looked back, that
Ter she became paralyzed she wanted
say something to me about it; for as
e lay there so white and still, almost
le piece of statuary, the muscles
oout her lips would twitch as if trying
form words and the ever restless
Yes would turn on me with an earnest,
lpealing look, like the yearning, pitt
expression of dumb animal trying
make its suffering understood.
But she died and made no sign, and
W Charlie must plod along in the old
y, and | must try to earn my own
ng, for | had made up my mind
at | would never be an additional
.den on the poor fellow.
threw down the Jewel case with a
ID Of Disappointment as thought it
oyer, and then ashamed Of myself,
ok it up again and kissed the we'll
own trinkets, in fact the only ones
aunt ever wore, and put them ten
.y away among my other treasures
Ter gifts and Charlie's--in the trunk
as packing.
Mas for the frailty of human resolu-
& Charlie would not hear of my
mig my own living, and though he
aot exactly threaten to commit
de if | refused, he looked so
~'f miserable and forlorn that
forced to reconsider my de-
-4Hriie and are quite old married
a, a. low, and four little curly pated,
'gSs bodies tumble about in the
81. poor room that serves me as a
-,:oom, sitting-room, and nursery,
Ing 70 mamma with their small
ana pans TO be kissed we'll and