The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-03-20
TRI-WEEKLY EDITION.

Will, leaving nll ne had to OarOllne'S
deceased father, was opened, CLARA
made the best of things.
II did suppose he would leave me a
little," said she, choking down sob.
"But then people ought not to be sell
fish. Tho will was made ten years ago,
before uncle Tom died.
''If unolo Joseph had thought to
make a new one, I do believe he would
have remembered mo,
And of course Caroline will divide,
seeing that we are equally related to
uncle Joseph, AMI was with him whom
he died.
But Caroline did nothing OF tho sort.
"What's mino is mine," said she;
"and I certainly shall not give away a
solitary cento it,"
So tho cousins went their differen
ways.
Mrs. belmont married hand so 10
Southern lawyer who mad left her O
widow at forty.
CLARA welded penniloss Clergyman
who had died as poor as he lived, and
she kept soul and body together by
means Of third rate boarding house,
further incurring Caroline's displeasure
by adopting poor little lame orphan
who had no other prospects than the
poor. house.
''I'vo been unlucky all my life"
sighed Mrs. Masters, as she hurried
home through the biting winter blast,
"and luck don't sccm likely to change
now.
II must just let Thompson, the
secondhand man, have the big walnut
secretaire that uncle Joseph gave me,
and the rosewood bookstand l took for
Miss Mowbray's board. They're the
only articles I've got left of any value"
Thompson, tho second band man, sat
i'll his store with faded oil portrait
hanging above him, and pair of blue
velvet window curtains draped at the
left, three bird. cages on the table, and
a cooking-s tove at his rear, while he
was engaged in counting out the pieces
of II set of antique china.
"Humble servant, ma'am," said
Thompson, who had always recognized
Mrs. Masters as lady through all her
adversltles.
''Thompson," said Mrs. Maste Is
sadly.
''I've made up my mind to part with
my walnut secretaire and rosewood
bookstand."
''All right, ma'am," said Thompson,
cycling the spout of the cream pitcher
hard, to make sure that it was not
cracked.
"You may send up for them to night.
"Very well, ma'am," said Thomp-
son.
Mrs. Masters shed few tears as the
big secretaire and the little bookstand.
the last relics of her gent,lity, wore
taken away in Tnompson's wagon.
"Goodness knows what I ON to do
next" said sbe. but therel We're all
in Heavens hands,"
Tho upson tho furniture man made
his appearance the next day, with q
curious bewilderment in his face"
"Well, an beatl" said Thompson.
"Wonaers never will cease, as my
poor old mother used to say"
"What do you mean?" said Mrs.
Masters in surprise.
"It's that there secretary O your'n, 1"
said Thompson. "It was kind o bruised
and scratchy, so T just took it all to
pieces to oil and polish it up. And clear
at tho book, found two or three old
papers that must have slid down out of
the back OF the drawer and got wedged
above the wooden claats that support.
ed the lover drawers" :"
"Papers?" said Mrs. Masters, "Dear
me, Thompson, what sort OF papors2"
srThere's M old note of hand, as
must be outlawed long ago," said
Thompson "And catalogue Of Rail.
way Bonds, and will.
"A what!' gasped the widow.
"a last will and testpment. Dated
six weeks before your uncle Joseph
died. And--don't turn pale. Mrs. Mas
ters," said Thompson; sit leaves you
all tho property ho had in the world.
It states"
But here poor Mrs. Master tainted
away.
"Well--the rest can be easily imag-
ined,
The will was put into court, and tri-
umph antly proved.
Mrs. belmont found herself dispos-
sessed and Clara Masters became the
heiress.
''But, dear mo, wouldn't harm n
hair Of Caroline's head" said good Mrs.
Masters.
"Aln't there enough for both of us?
And really, I am moro glad on Dennie's
account than my own"
For Mrs Masters was thesame sweet.
natured woman through storm and sun
shine alike.
"Ought to ha' been duohess," said
Thompson the secondhand man.
"And always said SO,
HA nd to tho div of nv death 7 ahalJ