The Princeton union., 1881-03-17
THE MISSING WILL
BY NJ. S. G.

BY NJ. S. G.
"Oh, mother lam so tired!" These
words were uttered by Il young and
beautiful girl about eighteen years of
age, who had just come into the room,
with a large roll of music under her
arm. Yes, LOttie, I know you must
be tired,' said her mother, who was
busily sewing. "Were your pupils
more tiresOme than usual to-day! Or
is it only the warm weather that
makes you feel so fatigued -
''Dearie, it is everything! I am
thoroughly worn out. Who would
have thought, six months ago, that
the supposed heiress of Uncle Alfred's
riches would ever be music teacher,
depending on what she made for a
living? Or that you, dear mother,
would have to take in sewing! But
stranger things than these happen in
this tickle world of ours
BY the above conversation, the
circumstances of our heroine and her
mother, Mrs. Gordon, will be seen.
About six years before our story COM
mences, Mrs. Gordon had lost her
husband, who left her enough to live
on, by practicing the strictest econ
omy. Mr.. Gordon had only been dead
one year when his widow received a
letter from her husband's S only brother
Alfred, who had left England several
years before his brothers marriage.
and had gone to America,
Mr.. Gordon, not hearing from Alfred
since his departure, suspected him
dead. In his letter he said that after
arriving in America, and working
hard for several years. by a successful
speculation he had awakened one
morning to find himself rich, which,
by the way, some people esteem more
than being famous. He had written
several times to his brother, but had
received no answer, and had only just
learned by accident of his death, and
in the same way had learned that
he had been married several years
and had left, beside his widow, a child,
a girl about twelve years Of age, He
then went on to say that, having no
children OF his own, his wife having
been dead for several years, he wanted
his dear sister-in.law and little niece
to come and cheer UP his lonely house
and promised after his death his niece
should inherit his fortune.
It was not long before Mrs. Gordon
arranged all her plans for departure ::
she Invested her little money in what
was then considered good investments.
and, in little more than two weeks
after the receipt of her brother in
laws letter, was established as mis-
tress in his elegant home in Savannah,
Georgia.
LOttie soon became the idol of Uncle
Alfred, who thought nothing too good
for her to have; she also loved devot.
edly her stately, gray-haired uncle.
She had every advantage that money
could prOcure-the most intelligent
masters in all the languages and arts
and, being Intelligent and fond of
study, she very soon became the pride
of all her teachers.
Therefore at seventeen when she
completed her education, she was one
of the most cultivated us we'll as
beautiful young ladies in Georgia. For
who does not think q bright face,
golden locks and sunny blue eyes,
beautiful!
Lottie had scarcely left the school
room when her uncle's health began
to fail, and he was ordered abroad for
the winter. -.l-. -
All was hustle and confusion in the
house for a few days, making prepar-
ations for departure. The day they
left for England, for of course Lottie
and her mother must go with Uncle
Alfred, Lottie went into his library to
hand him a letter that the post-boy
had just brought. While there her
, uncle said:
:" Lottie, see that old cabinet over in
that corner -
Lottie saw it, and had frequently
wondered that Uncle Alfred would
keep such an old thing in his library.
But the mystery, if any, was soon to
be explained, for he went on to say
MY father gave it to me just before
he died, and told me never to part with
it, as it had belonged to my dead
mother. It has secret drawer, which
my father then showed me how to
open. Now, Lottie, give it to you.
Never part with it.
Lottie promised to do as he wished.
and leaving the room, did not think of
the cabinet again until after Uncle
Alf's death, which took place six
months after they went abroad. No
will could be found that he had made
after hearing of his brothers. late mar
riage, and as the original one was in
favor of a distant relative, who had a
large fortune already, our heroine and
Mrs. Gordon were thrown on their
own resources.
They were much worse off than
before Uncle Alf's kindness, as the
little money Mrs. Gordon possessed
was lost in the supposed good invest
ments.
When Lottie left her house she
took thelcabinet with her, as she had
promised never to part with it.
Mrs. Gordon took small house at
the other end of the city, and there
they tried to maEe living, Mrs. Cor
don by taking in sewing, and Lottie
by teaching music. Lottie did not
find much difficulty in procuring
music scholars, as she had many kind
friends to help her in her misfortunes,
and was, up to the time my story COM
mences. getting along very well.