Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1882-10-05
EBENEzER cRANcH.


1t is shame, a burning shamer
cried Kittie Wayne, as she looked III
from the letter in her hand, ant
dashed away the indignant tears which
had gathered thickly on her long, darl
lashes.
g What is a shame?" asked soft
languid voice, and a tall, handsome
young man. with dark blue eyes an6
a blonde mustache, came out from
under the shade of the elm trees which
bordered the road, and leaned care
lesssy over the garden gate near which
Eittie stood.
Oh, Leslie" exclaimed Kittie, with
aquick blush, and smiling through hel
tears, 8 | didn't know you were there
When did you come.
s'Just a moment ago." answered
Leslie Earl, "and when 1 saw YOU
coming down the walk, reading that
letter, I concluded to wait here fol
you. I prefer to interview you here, y
with a wave of his hand that took in
rose-bush, elms and circular beds OF
heliotrope and verbenas, "to sitting
in that abominable, stuffy little parlor
ofDeacon Smiths, where his rigid
faced ancestors leer down at me-"
Kttie laughed, then grew sober in
stantly.
"TeH me what troubles you, Kit
tie?" said Earl. 81 have right to
know your every thought now"
81 am not so sure about that, said
Kittie; "but, of course, I will tell you
this, for it may affect our future very
materially. may not be able to marry
you after all, Leslie, for my mother
may need me to work for her"
"I viii work for your mother if any
thing of the sort is necessary" said
Earl. "I certainly shan't give you
up, no matter what happens. But ]
understood from you that your mother
was comfortably situated on farm
somewhere"
But she is to lose the farm" said
Kttie. ST was wondering why 1 did
not hear from her, for she usually
writes me letter twice week, but
never imagined anything was wrong
AndRow, after waiting ten days, I get
the worst kind Of answer. My cousin
Asa, with whom my mother and two
sisters have had a home for twelve
years, died week ago, after an illness
Of only few hours, and he has left
the farm, livestock and all his money
to Ebenezer Cranch, the son Of his only
sister. Mother is to have only the
furniture of the house. Isn't it a
shame? How could he be so cruel
And what is mother to do?"
zone question at a time, please, .
said Earl, ~and give me some explana-
ton. don't exactly understand. Why
should this Ebenezer Cranch have the
property? What was thenature Of his
claim on your cousin ?"
He had none at all save his rela-
tionship," said Kittie, emphatically
more than twenty years ago-before
I was born-he lived with Cousin Asa
at the farm for time. But his father
was worthless, wretched creature
who would never stay long in one
place, and he soon took his wife. and
boy away, and Cousin Asa never saw
them afterward. When father died,
Cousin Asa sent for mother, and gave
us all home. He was very old, and
she gave him the most devoted care
and now he has left everything to that
Ebenezer Cranch. Why, he didn't even
know where he hyedl He left direc
tions with lawyer to find him.
at is a shame" said Earl, slowly
Il don't blame you for feeling badly
Kittie. But perhaps it will all com,
out right in the end. Don't worry"
.How can it come right?" cried
Kittie. "Oh, that hateful EbenezeI
Cranchr'