Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-02-16

AUNT MARST0N'S LEGACY.
Aunt Marston was dead. and / sat
booking at the legacy she had left me
In her will. "To my beloved neice.
Nellie Stanhope. the faithful nurse.
the loving comforter Of declining years.
1 bequeath my gold ball earrings. with
the brooch to match, marked with my
initials I'm black enamel" Thus ran
the passage referring TO me.
When my cousin. Lucinda Martson,
handed me the little morocco case she
could scarcely repress q smile Of tri.
umph as she thought II the great diff
ference few short weeks had made i'm
our relative positions.
l had been brought up by Aunt Mars.
ston. had lived In ease and luxury all
my life. while my cousin had been
obliged for years TO earn her own liv-
ing by sewing. / had always looked
upon Creylands as my home. while she
had never been invited 90 spend even a
week at the delightful old country
house ON the Hudson since she was a
child. And now she had come into
possession of the old homestead. and |,
the favurite. whom she had hated and
envied for so many yeas. was put of
with this insignificant bequestl
"After all your toadying." she said
with sneer, lit Is too bad 20 he put
of with shilling; but IL Mr.. Lewis"
the other cxecutOr-"knOws anything
about II. they are worth n great many
shillings. for he says they are solid
eighteen carat gold. and that Ormulu.
who had them, would give you $50 for
them to-day. However. you are vel
come TO them. And now | suppose
you will see the necessity Of looking
about for another home"
The bitter, insulting words. the desc
lalc. deserted feeling at being thus
cruelty turned out Of the only home I
knew. Overcame the unuatural calm
ness with which | had hitherto borne
my irreparable less. and | threw my
self ON my bed and wept. as | never i'm
my short, happy life thought 1t pOssi-
BILE 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 dealy, and
had always given her daughters
willing devotion, without one thought
beyond the present. even told Charlie
Burnet, 10 whom | was engaged with
her consent, and whom | loved with
all my heart, that "we'd better bide a
wee,"-for could not leave my sec
Ond mother to spend her last DAYS alone.
or be 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 Tot care FOR, myself. but / felt
so disappointed for his sake. when 1
found that was left absolutely l,enni.
less.
think now. a3 look back, that af-
ter she became paralyzed she wanted
to say something to me about IL; for as
she lay there so white and still. almost
like n piece Of statuary. the muscles
about her lips would twitch as IL try
ing TO form words. and the ever restless
eyes would turn ON me with an earnest
appealing look like the yearning. pitt
ful expression Of dumb animal try.
ing 10 make its suffering understood.
But she died and made no sign. and
now Charlie must plOd along In the
old way. and must try 10 earn my
own living, for / had made up my mind
that | would never be an additional
burden on the poor fellow.
threw down the jewel case with a
sigh OF disappointment as thought Il
all over. and then, ashamed of myself
took Il up again and kissed the wei
known trinkets. In fact, the only ones
my aunt ever wore. and put them
tenderly away among my other treasures
her gifts and Charlies-in the trunk
was packing.
Alas, for the frailty Of human reso-
lutionsl Charlie would not hear of my
earning my own living. and though he
did not exactly threaten TO commit sui
eide ~ refused. he looked so utterly
miserable and forlorn that Twas forced
TO reconsider my decision.
a
Charlie and l are quite old married
~e af"t eAtAA ANhA AAlAlt, NuIIl-lAIeOl. i.
'-rnatleSs bodies tumble about in the
small. poor room that serves me as a
oedroom.sitting-room and nursery, COM
ing TO mamma with their small hurts
ana pains TO be kissed well and petted.
while often my head and heart are
both aching.
so many little mouths 10 feed so
many little limbs 10 clothe aud sew for
eight little feet that are never still 10
cover with shoes that wear out too
IAsI IL Is no wonder that Charlie has
70 wear his coat tin it is threadbare
ana my only best dress Is nv old black
silk made over again and again. whIch
win lace rufiles at the wrista and
throat, and Aunt Marston'a legacy
forms my gala-day toilet.
would not complain to myself bu,
charlie looks so pale and tired. and hi
couch gets worse and worse everv dav
lt ne only could 90 into the county,
Tor month or two. the doctor sav:
Festhimself, keep in the open air, drinl