The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1885-04-08
INTERESTING STORY.
LEmuEL AsHFoRD'S WILL.

Almost before he had uttered the words,
lady passed The servant and entered the
room. She was q handsome woman of forty,
with dark eyes and straight features, and n
small, closely-shut mouth. Her face was
naturally very cold, but it softened as she
bent over her brother, saying:
"Iheard of your accident, Lemuel, and
came at once. How are you--better 9''
shall never be better, Marcia replied
the man, but suffer less. So you cared
enough for me to come, after ALL
Yes, always cared" said Miss Ash
ford.
"And you will stay until the last, Mar
cia p Gil
Twill stay with you as long as you need
me.n
She took of her hat aud cloak, and be.
stirred herself to make the Invalid more
comfortable. She softened the light, and
set the medicine bottles out of his sight.
and did all noiseIessly and deity. Then
she seated herself OF her brothers side, and
he spoke again, saying
"what horrible tempers we have always
iad."
Yes" responded the sister; +" you and
have lived estranged from each other for
five years, and il is who come at last. The
man were the worst always. There, I do
not intend TO reproach you, poor fellow.
I'll never allude 10 the subject again"
The lady took her seat by the bedside,
and kept her word. Soon the sick man
Numbered. Then she arose, and stealing
softly out into the hall, addressed the ser
vant-man who fingered there
Andrew, can you tell me, just how my
brother was hurt ~
Thrown from his horse" replied An
irew.
Yes, understand" sighed the sister.
And my brother has had the best advice. y
Yes, ma'am,p said Andrew. 1.-THE yery
best. Everything was done for him that
could be, but he knew there was no chance.
and he sent for the lawyers the next day,
and made his will Twas Witness
And you know what he has done with
the money ?" asked Miss Ashford, eagerly.
Yes, ma'am," replied Andrew. ~
heard every word. Oh, Miss Ashford. he
hasn't left you = cent--not one cent. It's
all gone TO an asylum. The will is in the
library, Miss, locked in his desk, and the
key about his neck MS he lies in bed. Law.
yer locked it up for him."
Miss Ashford listened without remark,
but her heart was burning. She returned
to her brother, and sat quietly looking ut
his sleeping face, but over and over again
she said to herself
Z" II he had died without will it all
would have been mine. How cruel and
wicked he has BEEN"
Softly she stopped over her brother, and
| saw, tied about his throat, narrow black
ribbon, from which hung suspended curl
Gus key. The temptation was strong. She
yielded to il. Detaching the key, she crepi
into the library, opened the desk, and took
put the crisp parchment that lay hidden in
Its recesses. Opening it, she read the will.
brief but conclusive. Andrew was right.
All went to the charity she was not ever
mentioned. With something that on o mans
lips would have been curse, she replaced
II, locked the desk, and restored the key to
its position on her brothers bosom, not q
moment too soon, for the next he WINS awake
and clutching at it.
Miss Ashford had come to her brother
with no thought of his fortune, but anxious
TO be reconciled, after years of i'll feeling,
70 one who might be dying.
She kept her promise, and sat day after
day by his bedside, but there was no love
in her heart. Once it lie anne so difficult
for her to hide her feelings that she left him
and went out into the fresh, cold air and
walked until she was ready to drop. When
she came back, Lemuel, brighter than he
had seemed before, took both her hands and
said, fondly:
Marcia, have wearied you, but it will
not be long now-not long"
That night Lemuel Ashford died His
death was very quiet. Only Marcia sat be-
side him. Andrew Numbered in his own
room. The brothers last words had been |:
Z" Marcia, want to tell you about my
will !" but there his voice had failed him.
Marcia wished that he had not spoken a,
all for even while she watched death steal
across his features, the thought came into
her mind:
az am his heiress, his next of kin. Were
the will but destroyed all would be mine. !"
And then abe said to herself;
" II shall be. No one can suspect me.
What more natural than that he should for
give ct the last and destroy it himselfa I
will tell the lie II need be-"
Then, with trembling hands, she once
more detached the key Of the desk from ita
black ribbon, and crept into the library. II
desk, turned the key in the lock and opened
II. Her hands fumbled with the packet for
moment, then touched crisp and crack
ling parchment.
She had no need to read 1t. She knew it
word for word, and Fastening to the fire,
placed it upon the red Goals, crushing it
down amongst them and piling others upon
1t.
Safe" she cried, as she hurried back to
the chamber of death. "Safe from poverty
ut least"
Then she summoned Andrew.
The man came hurriedly and stood with
wet eyes beside his dead masters pillow.
"Gone," he sobbed. - Gone, poor gcn.
tleman! All, this is not the first of the
family whose temper has been his death ;
but he was kind-hearted gentleman, and
liked to do right. He told you about his
will, didn't he, ma'am ?"
Do not speak about the will at such &
time" replied Miss Ashford. How should
know my brothers plans? We have been
strangers for years."
All, poor gentleman" replied Andrew.
You'll find he was better than you think
far better-far better"
But Miss Ashford only hid her face in her
kerchief.
i" don't think you do know" said An.
drew; you haven't been told. Thatf
plain to me and like to be the first tc
tell you. The day you were away he sent
/