The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-09-12
KATHLEEN'S LEGACY.
CHAPTER ].

will. They were communicated by letter to the astonished legatees by Messrs. Long & Lovett, of S3ckville street, Dub lin, the respected firm of solicitors who had drawn up the will, and to whose keeping 1t had been committed.
 Kathleen was smelling peas under a big heech-tree in the parsonage garden when her brother Tom, tall, bony fel- low of about twenty, brought out the blue, off ficial.looking letter to her.
 She had on pink cotton gown, over which she had tied the apron of their one little house-maid, in order to ward of the juicy green of the pea pods. She had also donned white pocket handkerchief Tuscan fashion, over her dark-brown curly hair, to keep of the scorcning July sun. One corner of it kept Tapping into her eye with every light breeze that blew past.
 "l wish you would tie it under my chin" she said to Tom when he got within ear-shot. "My fingers are all green and sticky. What's that big letter !? Is it your appointment to the post-office at last2
 Tom deliberately put the letter into standard rose-bush, yard or so distant. and proceeded, also deliberately-Tom never did anything in a hurry-to tie the handkerchief in good strong knot under Kathleen's chin.
 "Why, your mouth is green aud sticky, tool" he said "Oh-h, look at your teeth You've been eating the peas 1! "
 "Why shouldn't ?" sad Kathleen, looking up at him with smile that showed the said pretty teeth to advant- age. "Oh-h, you're choking me. Thatll do. Now, who is your letter from? ?"
 Tom picked the letter out of the rose bush.
 It isn't for me-it's for you. Now, don't be in hurry, my dear girl it is not from him-you know who mean. It has Dublin post-mark, and has the name of Messrs. Long & Lovett, solicit ors, on the seal'
 Dublin-solicitors ?" echoed Kath- lesn. "Who can it be from2 Open it at once, Tom, or beware of my sticky 6ngersl"
 So Tom opened it, and read it aloud, his voice with difficulty keeping an even tone as he communicated the astonish- ing fact of the feo COO legacy.
 Long before ne eached the concluding line, Awaiting your instructions, we re- main, madam, yours obediently, Long & Lovett," Kathleen had dropped her pea. pods, and, peeping over his shoulder, had got to the bottom of the page.
 They madea pretty picture, the brother and sister, with their heads so close to- gether snder the shifting shadow of the leafy beech-tree. Tom, though big and bony, was not ill-looking. His features were we'll ll-formed, though somewhat massive-his eyes decidedly good. As for Kathleen, she was a typical brunette, of the red.lipped, clear-skinned type, with large, straightforward-looking eyes, which sometimes, though not always, recalled her brother Toms. She was tall, too, like Tom, and, though not bony, was more inclined to be slender than plump.
 Tom gave a long, low whistle as he read the last word.
 Good gracious l" cried Kathleen, her eyes opening wide and wider; and then they stood still looking at each other.
 Let's go in and tell mother aud father " exc aimed the girl, getting back her powers of speech first. "Run, Tom, just for once in your life," and she set of for the house at an altogether express speed.
 Good news will keep" said Tom com- posedly But nevertheless his stride was little longer than usual.
 Mrs. Derwent was seated in the par sonage parlor with huge heep of un- mended and very well-worn stockings in front of her. She was small, faded woman on the wrong side of fifty, with pale eyes and querulous voice.
 How thoughtless you children are T" she said complainingly as the two bounced in on her. You forget how nervous ! am."
 Mother, twenty thousand pounds 1" cried Kathleen, waving the lawyers letter over her head, and dancing round the room.
 "Kathleen's an heiress," said Tom from behind, in tone that made Kath- leen turn round and stare at him, for there was something in 1t she had never heard in Toms voice before.
 Then the father had to be told the good news.
 He came creeping in from his study, spectacles on nose, the draft of letter in his hand, at the sound of such an un- usual hubbub of voices in the next room. He was tall, white-haired man, about ten years older than his wife. It was easy to trace the good looks of his son and daughter backward to him. Natur- ally he lacked their sunshiny smiles aud erect carriage. Also there was about him certain dreamy, dejected air which they as naturally lacked, bat which is a thing scarcely to be wondered at in a man who, ip despair of better days com- ing to him, marries late in life on an in- come of 52oo per snnum, and endeavors on that microscopic sum to clothe and educase respectfully son and daughter