The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1885-09-11
The Old Chart.

"With all your fine courage you
wouldn't dare to spend an hour in the
old Grange alone after dark"
"Iwould !" cried Rilla, with flushing
glance at her fair, pale cousin.
Oh, Rilla, but they say it is haunted"
faltered Bessie Sage, with little shud-
der.
''By rats and owls" said Rilla, laugh
ing.
Miss Justine Penrynn, the heiress and
beauty and also the cousin of fearless,
daring Rilla Brooks rapidly concocted
a little plot, which should test the girls
courage, and also appease the spirit of
malice and spite hrbored in her own
heart.
She had no cause to hate Rilla, but
hate her she did and with venom She
had all heart could desire-or at least it
seemed so youth, beauty, fortune and
friends by the score, while her young
cousin lived in penniless obscurity. It
came about in this way
Old Capt. Penrynn had son and
daughter. The son married to please
his father, but the daughter married to
please herself, and suffered disinherit-
ance in consequence. She died in few
years, leaving a baby daughter, and
pleading, pitiful letter to her father,
who read it with tears in his eyes, and
who forwith took charge of the little girl
"a brown eyed, dainty sprite, who made
the old Grange merry with her childish
laughter and pattering, childish feet.
It seemed that Capt. Penrynn was
doomed to out-hve all his family, for his
son also died, leaving one daughter, so
he had only two grandchildren to inherit
his wealth, and he made new will, di-
viding the property equally between
them.
Two years before our story opens, he
died very suddenly ; but when Lawyer
Sage searched for the latter will, 10 it
had vanished.
He was astounded; he went through
his old friends private papers again and
again, but no will appeared, except the
one leaving all to his son and his heirs,
forever.
"Perhaps he hid it., unused the puz-
zled lawyer. 81 remember just before
he died, he pointed toward that chart
and tried to speak. will examine it"
He took down the heavy chart and
shook it, and looked behind it, but only
the blank wall met his view. So he read
the old will, after an elaborate explana-
ton to the assembled friends and rela-
tives, and Justine listened with secret
eYultation, and Rilla with some pain
and bewilderment
Miss Penrynn returned to town with
out offering even a small portion of the
estate to her cousin.
ga mean, heartless, stingy thing!"
cried Bessie, indignantly.
Her father secretly agreed with her.
He could not see pretty, impulsive Rilla
turned adrift on the world, and took her
home with him, to finish her education
with Bessie and to help teach the
younger children.
She had lived quiet, busy, happy life
there until Paul came out to the village
to spend the summer hunting and fish
ing
TWAS by the doctors orders he sought
the healthy quiet of country life, and
after making acquaintance with Lawyer
Sages family, he ceased to groan over
the dizziness of his existence.
He had not been in Hartwell more
than month, when Miss Penrynn came
down for a few days. She wished to
consult dear Mr.. Sage about some in
yestments, and she coolly announced
that she would stop with them, and her
Paris finery and finished worldly graces
quite overshadowed Rilla and Bessie
The few days had heightened into
three weeks, and they had been weeks
Of torture to poor Rilla, for she had only