Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1885-11-06
MY PROPERTY.

Aunt Fanny had just come to make
her usual summer visit and l had
proudly taken her through the house
to have her admire the improvements
made since her last visit.
1T is all very nice and convenient,
DEAR" she said, as she seated herself
in the easy-chair offered her "but did
you never regret giving those bonds to
your husband, May?'
Most assuredly not, auntie Why?'
Because | thought it very unwise
and that some day you would bitterly
regret 1t. 1t was your poor fathers
property and should have been re-
tanned in your own name l am sure"
"Now. don't worry, auntie. please.
You came TO have a pleasant visit
with us. Ella has been nearly frantic
with delight since told her you were
coming"
"The child, yes. She is dear little
thing, to be sure But do you know
that if your husband should die to-day
she would inherit the property you
gave him. If she were your own
child it would be different"
"But she is mine, all have, certain.
ly. / love her dearly. and | hope to be
good mother 60 her. noN---->----s - s
all the bitter things written and said
against step-mothers."
Eyes, and you are good mother to
her. But to suppose still farther. If
she, too, should be taken away then
your property would not revert toyou,
but go to her relatives, of whom you
know nothing, would that be right"
Perhaps not. But why do you say
these dreadful things? She and her
father are as likely to live as !. And
wife is entitled to DOVER"
"Yes, the interest from one-third of
what her husband leaves Just the in
terest, mind you. And you gave him
the means to go into business, You
know he failed once, and may, posi-
bly,, again"
"But he paid up every penny" !
flashed back, proudly.
II know, and it was right; but con-
'equently you married poor man
with child as we'll as a wife to sup
port on clerks salary"
"You forget, auntie, that he still
had this beautiful home when all his
,reditors had been fully paid; the
lome in which Ella was born and
where his poor wife died"
81 forgot nothing and what re-
member with the greatest bitterness is
your unadvised act of yielding up your
little patrimony, intrusted to me by
your dying father for you, and that
you took no obligation for it what
ever"
But" ! replied, che invested it IN
1 business which supports us nicely.
Besides. it was not his fault. lie
wanted me to have interest bearing
notes, or to be the company in the
business, as if l would and told him
lever to mention the subject to me
again, and he never has"
Then all l have to say is you were
very silly as well as imprudent."
But it was not all she had to say,
even to telling me that certain
matchmaking mother had said that
my husband would have preferred one
Of her daughters if she had held prop
erty in her own right as l did. That
ne needed the money and married me
simply to obtain it.
Don't, aunty, please" l said with
little shiver.
Nor would /, but to convince you
hat he should have secured your little
property to you. if only for the opinion
If others"
at is all right just as it is. All !
here comes Ella and my dear old
worldly wise aunt forget to lecture IN
ler delight at seeing the little fairy
who nearly smothered her with kisses.
But had received hurt that rank
ed like thorn in the flesh. And SO
Mrs. Jones thought he married me for
my money? And perhaps others have
he same opinion? OF course / knew
le did not, and said it over and over
again to myself as l helped our one
servant to prepare the evening meal
And when my husband came with
MS hearty, CHEEKY welcome for Aunt
Fanny l looked wistfully in his face
Tor an answer to my mental question:
for question it would become in spite
If my firm determination to ignore II
as such.
Once more during Aunt Fannys