Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-08-03

her presence, since Helen had decided that
she should remain.
SO the winter passed, Mrs. Darby having
several severe attacks of rheumatism, through
| which she was tenderly and faithfully nursed
| by Helen, who felt fully repaid for her
trouble when the old lady one day looked at
her with tears in her eyes, and said gratefully .
You're the best and most unselfsh girl /
ever knew. You've been a daughter to me,
and you'll get your reward sooner or later. in
heaven, il not on earth"
Summer came again, and with il the board
ers and Helen worked on as cheerfully and
indefatigably as ever, having again good sum
laid by in the bank when fall came as the ro.
suit Of her labors
Mrs. Darby still remained fixture in the
old house. though she had ceased to be remu.
nerative.
''I cant pay you any longer" she said to
Helen, "and of course you can turn me out
If you choose. 1 could hardly expect you
TO Keep mo without money and without
price"
But Helen had kissed her afTectionately.
and said she might stay as long as she lived
and begged her not to worry about her mon.
oy difficulties
Naturally, Fanny, Louisa and Josie object
ed to this arrangement and declared that
Helen was taking the bread out of their
mouths to feed a stranger.
"A cross, imbecie, lecturing old woman, 4"
Josie said sayagely, II wish We had never
seen her."
But Helen remained firm in her resolution,
and was as attentive to tho old lady az she
had ever been, even growing attached to her
in time, and feeling grateful for the sympa
thy and interest Mrs. Darby expressed, when
told of that long engagement with the strug
Cling young doctor.
Two years passed away, making no change
in the household, aud seemingly bringing
Helen no nearer her wedding day, and then
Mrs Darby suddenly left Barvlle, with the
intention, she said, Of going to cousin in
the city who was able to support her
She ought to have gone long ago to her
cousins, said Fanny. at was shameful to
impose upon our generosity for such length
of time"
ut would be just like her to come again
next summer, and expect us to be glad to see
her" said Josie.
But they never did see Mrs. Darby again.
year passed, and they heard nothing of
her. which seemed odd to Helen, who had
believed thoroughly in the ladys gratitude
and affection. But one morning strange and
unexpected tidngs came.
Helen was busy in the pantry over the
Thanksgiving pies, when the little hand.
HN.NSH Souiv III ltOLl u tIlp " tue pOSt-OIncb
with letter
Letters for Helen were rare, and she hardly
waited to wipe the -four from her hands be.
fore tearing the missiVe open. 1t was from a
Mr.. Beck, prominent lawyer in the city, who
briefly informed her that Mrs. Darby was no
more, and had the honor to enclose a copy
of the will for Miss Marsh's perusal"
How can Mrs. Darby's will interest me 7"
murmured Helen. Poor old creature, she
could not have had much to leave. Perhaps
she has left me that antiquated jewelry Of
hers as a token of her love"
As she unfolded the legal document letter
fell from it to the floor. Helen stopped and
picked it up, recognizing Mrs Darbys pecu.
liar, grabbed handwriting in the address,
which was to herself. Opening it, she read
have tested all my relatives as l have
tested you, aud found you alone not wanting
in respect and kindness to an eccentric old
woman whom you believed pennless You
have richly earned your reward and it is Civ.
en- as much for loves sake as becouse it is
justly due you. EMMA MARSH DARBY.
Dumb with amazement, Helen stood gaz-
ing for several minutes at the name written at
the bottom of the sheet-then she tore open
the will, and found herself heiress to eighty
thousand dollars
How spiteful!" said Fanny, when she
twenty thousand apiece instead of leaving it
all to one. 1t isn't fair"
And such hypocrisy :" cried Louisa.
Think how she palmed herself of on US for
a stranger :"
Our own aunt, and we never guessed it :"
said Josie. ''And 50 she didn't die in Europe
AN old maid after all If had only known,
how differently would have acted
Tom was of the opinion that Helen had de.
served the good fortune which had befallen
her, and since there was nothing to fear from
poverty now, the long deferred wedding took
place on Christmas day, and gentle, patient
Helen became at last the wife of the man to
whom she had been Sc constant and true.
To Louisa fell the task of managing the
household affairs of the old home, but she
was spared the necessity of practising such
rigid economy as had been the rule in the
past for, as we may suppose, Helen was too
unsel6sh not to share with her sisters their
Aunt Emma's fortune.