Dodge City times., 1885-09-10
MY PATRIMONY.
-. dow My Husband Removed an
Unjust SuspiN,,n.

~ IA nen hor tnrOIigh the house to E,,vo
her A. 'mire the inpr overneuts m,do
since her last visN. '
1T is all very nice and cony.r,o,t
DEAR" she sad. as sh seated herself in
the easy-chair l offe, ,.ed her .but did
you never regret Civ ing the ,se bonds to
your husband, May?"'
'Most assuredly not, au ntie, Wbvp,
because / thought. it very unwise
and that some day you would bitterly
regret it 1t was yor If Door fathers
property and shonld b ave been retained
in your own name am sure.m
Now, don't v7o' .ry. auntie. please
You came to have u pleasant visit with
us. Ella has bs ,er. nearly frantic with
delight since L old her you were com
ing" -N-
The chill 1, yes. She is a dear lit le
thing, 10 I" sure. But do YOU know
tiia' yo .dr husband should die to-day
siie "o' Id inherit the property you gave
nlm If she were your own child it
wo' I'd be different" .
'tBut she is mine, all have, certain
~. l love her dearly, and hope to be
good mother to her, notwithstanding
all the bitter things written and said
against step-mothers.
es. and you are good mother TO
her. But to suppose still farther Ii
she, too, should be taken away then
your property would not revert to YOU,
but 90 to her relatives, of whom YOU
know nothing, would that be right?''
perhaps not. But why do YOU sav
these dreadful things? She and ber
father are as likely TO live as |. And
then wife is entitled to dower''
''Ycs, the interest from one ,.to,r,, or
what her husband leaves. ,,nst tbo =,
terest, mind you. And yo>o nava hin,
the means to 60 into / .usiness Ynn ln
again" fo'''''y'
But he paid ur evcry penny" I
flashed back, pro' div.
81 know, and 1t waS right; but, con-
soquentiy you mario d poor man with
cnlla as wen as >. wife to support on
ou lor get auntie. that he still had
ms peau IfW home when all his credit
ors nau be en- fully paid; the home in
"nscn Ella was born and where his poor
"he Ill d. ~
forget nothing! and what / re-
letnber with the greatest bitterness is
sour unadyised act of yielding up YOUR
Gittle patrlmony, intrusted to me bv
your dying father for you, and that YOU
took no obligation for it whatever
But" replied, she invested it in
a business which supports us nicely
Besides. it was not his fault. He want
ed me TO have interest-bearing notes. or
10 be the company in the business, rs if
would! and told him never to men
tion the subject to me again, aud he
never has"
Then all | have to say is you were
very silly as well as imprudent."
But 1T was not all she had to saw.
even to telling me that a certain match
making mother had said that nv hus-
band would have preferred one of her
daughters If she had held property in
her own right as | did. That he need
ed the money and married, me simply
TO obtain it.
Don't. aunty, please" said with
little shiver.
that he should have secured your little
property to you, if only for the opinion
cf others"
''It is all right just as it is. All!
here comes Ella" and my dear old
worldly wise aunt forgot to lecture in
her delight at seeing the little fairy who
nearl smothered her with kisses.
But had received q hurt that ranked
like thorn in the flesh. And so Mrs
Jones thought he married me for my
money? And perhaps others have the
same opinion? OF course l knew he
did not, and said it over and over again |
to myself as | helped our one servant
to prepare the evening meal.
. And when my husband came with |
his hearty, CHEEKY welcome for Aunt |
Fanny l looked wistfully in his face for |
An answer to my mental question, for |
question it would become in spite of NV
firm determination to ignore it as such.
Once more during Aunt Fanny's stay
did she attempt to renew the CONVERSE
ton interrupted by Elias entrance.
But'I only said: IF you please, aun,ie,
would rather not say anything more
about that"
And she, who thought she was only |
striving for my interest, replied. ccldiy:
Pardon me, May, shall not offend
again"
Offend you, who have been father,
mother and auntie all in one?" and 1 /
kissed her as l had ever done since she
drew me away from her only brothers
coffin, hiding her own grief to assuage
mine.
do you remember. auntie. dear.
when l used to have the sulks ard YOU
would take me out hunting hunting
sunshine, you called p" often think
of it when things go wrong, as they
must occasionally. aud wish you with
me to go hunting sunshine"
Eyes, remember. You were great
comfort to me. and am afraid l have
never quite forgotten the man who
coaxed my brothers only child away
from the lonely old maid"
''And the best friend a wayGard girl
ever had" replied.
But somehow, after Aun, Fannv's
visit my thoughts and feelings were not
the same. Had been unwise, as she
said. in giving up everything to my
husband? And had he been too eager
to accept it? was fearful it was even
%, DO should have made me under.