The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-03-05
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80, that h. liked you all the better for
treating him so ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS you
thought this place would become his
wrongfully."
GAS though his having the place could
possibly make me treat him Welt" 1 ex-
"He says it has made some Of the girls
treat him too well by half" Aunt Nora
said, dryly.
"Ah, / know who n Of them is,the
minxes"I cried. "But, Auntie, did he
really say that he liked mel"
NO, not exactly" chow my heart sank),
she said that he loved you"
"Aunt Moral"
eyes, he did-and now, deary, can't you
part with that aspen? The life seems to be
pretty well shaken out of it."
l tossed the poor thing into the fire, and
snatched my roses from the vase. Pretty
soon Aunt Nora said goodnight n left
me to my demonstrating dreams. l hope
I sha'n't awake and find it Is a dream.
THURSDAY NIGHT.-Ar HOME: 1 didn't
find it a dream-at least the dream goes on.
1t was ten O'Clock this morning when
| Aunt Nora and l sat down to breakfast, to
the CONSERVATION of Phoebe, who had never
been subjected to such irregularity before.
We were just beginning our coffee when
! Charlie appeared. l declare 1 thought 1
should sink through the floor, and wished |
might. But he kissed Aunt Nora and
shook hands with me, and said good
morning as cool as you please.
After Phoebe left the room, Charlie said:
"Last night, late as it was, 1 took down
one of my uncle's volumes of Shakespeare
to recall the exact connection of the rose
with anv other name.'o He didn'tl look at
me, but all the same 1 grew hot and red as
fire.
"Did my uncle use any of those volumes
just before he had the stroke?" asked
Charlie.
81 think he may have done So" said
Aunt Nora. "a number of books lay
about the room, and if I remember, some
of those volumes were among them.
Why?"
Charlie drew a paper from his breast
pocket and rose to give it to her, saying:
81 found this between the pages of Romeo
and Juliette.'"
"Read it for mel left my glasses up
stairs" said Aunt Nora. Besides, she was
trembling from head to foot.
Charlie read: "Feeling strangely unwell
tonight, 1 wish to put into ~writing-as l
have so foolishly neglected doing-my will,
bequeathing to my beloved sister Nora all
of our fathers property, thus annulling all
previous wills made by me. The n dis
posing of the property / leave to my sisters
sensible and charitable mind, a duty for
which she, far better than 1, is fitted. l
hope tomorrow to put this into suitable
FORM"
The last ines were hardly Iegible. "The
date shows" Charlie said gently, "that it
was written the very night upon which he
was taken ill. 1 am very glad; my father
will be very glad"
"Dear brother" murmured Aunt Nora,
weeping with bowed head. GLOW thank
full I am that 1 never even thought of going
to law about the will. This is worth the
property a thousand times over--this, and
cousin Alfred's noble generosity"
We sat long silent. At last Aun Nora
said: SIT truly seems more like fiction
than sober reality-an estate given away,
a will found and a will made in a single
night
"Yes; before l lay down to rest I made
my will, my dear. I named a few per-
sonal requests and charities that 1 can
heir. Hush!"-with appraised finger
'there are conditions. l stipulate that-if
you can stand so much of an old woman's
society, o begin. at once to make this
from the office. And another thing
don't speak yet-if you should ever happen
to marry, 1 should like to have your wife
come, too-that is, if I approved your
choice"
"Will you come, Hazel?" Charlie said,
and stretched out his hand towards me.
| slipped mine into Aunt Nora's, and
said: "1f Aunt Nora wants me-"
Then Charlie walked around the table
and kissed me, and that is how we were en-
gagged. We have been engaged all day,
and it seems ages of happiness. Charlie
says I accepted Aunt Nora, and 1 say OF
course, because it was she who madet the
avowal But if our love-making wasn't
orthodox our love is. knOtc that Charlie
is the most splendid fellow in the world,
and l am so glad that his father takes after
him.
When the June roses bloom, I am to &c
to the homestead to live with-Aunt Nora.
~. Y. Examiner.