Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-11-06
MY PATRIMONY.

made since her last Visit.
'It 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, Mav2"
Most assurediy not, auntie. Why"
Because / thought it very unwlse
and that some day you would bitterly
regret it. II was your poor fathers
property and should have bee2 retain
ed in your name, / 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 l told her you were
coming"
THE child, yes. She is dear liz
tie thing, TO be sure2 But do you
know that if your husband should die
to-day she would inherit the property
you gave him. II she were your
child it would be different"
But she is mine, all have Ger
tainly. / love her dearly, and hope
TO be good mother TO her, notwith-
standing all the bitter things written
and said against stepmothers.
Eyes, and you are a good mother
TO her. But to suppose still further
If she, too, should be taken away,
then your property would not revert
TO you, but go to her relatives, of
whom you know nothing. Would
that be right2"
Perhaps not. But why do you
say such dreadful things2 She and
her father are as likely to live as 1.
And then a wife is entitled TO dow
err"
Eyes, the interest from one~third of
what the 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, pos
sibly again"
But he paid every penny" flash
ed back, proudly.
II know it, and it was right; but
consequently you married poor man
with a child as well as wife to sup,
port on a clerks salary"
"You forget, auntie, that he still
had his beautiful home when his
creditors had been fully paid; the
house in which Ella was born, and
where his poor wife died"
II forget nothing, and what re-
member with the greatest bitterness is
your little patrlmony, Entrusted to me
by your dying father for you. and that
you took no obligation for it whats
ever.
But" replied, che invested it in
business which supports us nicely.
Besides, it was not his fault. He
wanted mo TO have interest bearing
notes, or to be the company in the
business, as if would and Itold him
never to mention tho subject to me
again, and he never has"
Then all have to say is you were
very silly as we'll as imprudent."
But it was not all she had to say,
even 10 telling me that o certain
matchmaking mother had said that
my husband would have preferred one
of her daughters if she had held prop~
erty in her right as | did; that he
needed the money and married me
simply To obtain T.
Don't aunty, please" said with
little shlver.
Nor would |, but to convince you
that he should have secured your lit
tie property TO you, if only for the
opinion Of others"
Its 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 fairy, who
nearly smothered her with kisses.
But had received hurt that rank.
led like thorn in the flesh. And so
Mrs. Jones thought he married me for
my money! And perhaps others have
the same opinioA9 OF course l knew
lac did not, and said it over and over
again to myself as helped our one
servant prepare the evening meal.
And when my husband came with
his hearty, CHEEKY welcome for Aunt
Fanny l looked wistfvlly in his face
for an answer to my mental question,
for question it would become in spite
of my firm determination to ignore it
as such.
Once more during Aunt Fanny's
stay did she attempt to renew the con
versation interrupted by Elias en-
trance. But l only said: IF you
please, Auntie, l would rather not
say anything more about that"
And she, who thought she was only
striving for nay interest, replied cold
ly:
Pardon me, May, l shall not offend
again"
Offender you, who have been
father. mother and auntie all in onei"
and | kissed her as | had ever done
since she drew me away from her
brothers coffin, hiding her own grief
to assuage mine.
do you remember, auntie, dear,
when / used TO have the sulks, and
you would take me out hunting
hunting sunshine, you called itH Oft
en- think of it when things go wrong,
as they must occasionally, and wish
you with me to go hunting sunshine"
"Yes, l remember. You were a
great comfort TO me, May, and l am
afraid have never quite forgiven the
man who coaxsd my brothers only
child away from the lonely old maid"
And the best friend wayward
girl ever had" replied.
But somehow, after Aunt Fanny's
visit my thoughts and feelings were
not the same. Had l been unwise,
as she said, III giving up everything TO
my husbands and had he been 100 ready
to accept it, was fearful it was even
so. he should have made me under
stand that had reserved rights, and
not taken my property under control
unadvisedly, especially to invest in =
business subject to all the huctua-
tions of the market. And now he
never spoke OF 1t only as his own, and
had helped him to it all and he had
forgotten it.
In my morbid state of feelings l
found so many bitter things of which
to complain to myself.
We had been married four years,
and during that time many improve
ments had bsen made in the house
and around it. mourning an expense
of some thousands Of dollars. NY
slightest wish in regard to conven-
fence or modern change was satisfied
almost as soon as expressed. And it
was, as said to my aunt "a beautiful
home"
But what if it vast 1t was with my
money, it had been embellished and
made more valuable, and ne could
easily aEsrd to be lavish of expendi.
ture.
my money used to beautify his
home," said bitterly, glancing at my
handsome surroundings.