Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1882-05-06


the memory of that luckless speech.
Working in her garden one day when
the first spring grass was growing green,
Hannah heard footsteps, and, lifting
her head, saw two gentlemen beside
her, and arose precipitately, with
womanly anxiety about her ankles, not
strictly covered. perhaps, by her cotton
gown. The nearest gentleman, an ell
derly man, with bright, dark eyes, ad.
dressed her:
"Mrs. Gneldt, presumed?
eyes, sir"
She asked him to walk in and he did
SO, the other following. In the little par.
lor they sat down.
"You are Mrs. Hannah Gneldt, Oliver
Gneldt's wife?"
"Yes, sir; it is about-about-excuse
me, you look like lawyer, and I fear it
is more trouble for poor Oliver"
"Reassure yourself, madam" said the
gentleman; ''reassure yourself, madam.
Your husband is not concerned save
through you, and that. I hope, pleas
antly. Your name was Burns before
you were married ?"
"Yes, sir; Hannah Burns"
"Do you remember dates well2"
"No, sir"
"You have, perhaps, record Of
family events-your own birth, your
parents marriage, your grandfathcr's
death p
Hannah Gneldt wonderingly Replied
ST have mothers Bible, and they tell
me it's all there"
GLOW far back"
''To grandfather's birth, I believe
Grandfather Burns. He had one
child and I am the only one my par
ents ever had. Oliver set down our
wedding day and our two boys birth
days"
"And your great-grandfather
record of his death is there ?"
81 don't know; you may see. Wait,
I'll call nv husband"
Going to the door, Hannah took down
horn, used for that purpose, and ut
tered a call, which brought Oliver
Gneldt home from the field at once.
He also felt alarmed, but explana-
tions quieted him. Almost as much
astonished as his wife, he brought out
the Bible"
"The death Of my wife's great-grand.
father, Zebulon Burns, is not here,'
he said. "The first record is in his
hand, 1 believe. 1t is the birth of his
eldest child"
So it proved. and the lawyer looked
disappointed.
"You cannot remember the day OF his
death?" he said. II mean the date
of it,"
He died long before I was born,
said Hannah, "and though rich, left
nothing to grandfather. They had
quarrelled, I believe. He told ode
stories of him. He must have beer
very eccentric, and servant or house
keeper had great influence over him
she had the property. Margery-Mar
gerry"
"Margery Wilber, 1 think" said the
lawyer.
eyes," said Hannah. "I remember
now"
"You are quiet people, not likely te
talk too much" said the lawyer. 81
will tell you something. We have
found something. We have found
will among the effects of legal gen.
tleman who died very suddenly in a fit Of
apoplexy. Don hope too much, mind
A will in your favor. as your fathers
only child" Hannah clutched her hus
bands hand. "It was written by one
on his death-bed, dated the 10th O.
March, II, and leaves all his property
to your father, his grandson, then {
boy. Hush don't hope too much
Margery Wilber or her heirs now hole
this property under will dated Marcl
18th, IL"
ga later will" said Oliver "Ther
of course they are the rightful posses
sors. What need of all this the lates
must stand"
"Not if it is forgery" said the law
yer.
Oliver laughed, the bitter laugh o!
care and disappointment.
I "Who can prove that, he said.