Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-08-23
"What was it?''
81 can't tell anybody but Marie.
Who il Mariep''

/ 81 cant tell anybody but Marie.
| Who is Marie?"
! 81 don't know as I'll tell you, seeing
you are so close-mouthed yourself Be-
| sides, am good friends to Miss Ora
ham, and you are so free with your
Marie's too. / never called her Marie"
s'Well, that was all the name Iheard,
and if you are her friend you had bet
| ter send her here to get the message.
Was she relation of Mrs. HolwelIs?''
s.No: she was an adopted daughter
! She might have been some distant con-
nection of the family-I don't know.
But Mrs. Howell was very fond of her
and never was an own child petted or
made more Of The family thought
she would be remembered handsomely
! in the viii. You see the old lady was
| took sick sudden, and off her head
from the first Mr.. Timothy Howell
and his wife, that the old lady couldn't
abear, neither of them, they came in
! as soon as she was dangerously sick,
and they sent for me. Mr.. Timothy,
he was old Mr.. Holwell's nephew, and
Mrs. Timothy, she was Mrs. Holwell's
niece: SO they did have some claim,
being next-of-kin; and they just turn
ed Miss Graham out of the room, and
had orders rot to let her in. But I
did, for all, and many a night she has
cried and cried over her adopted moth
er because she did not know her, and
petted and kissed her. 1t was shame
full to keep her out, and the breath was
not gone from the old iady's body be-
fore Mrs. Timothy sent her out Of the
house. She was at the funeral, poor
child, all in deep black
''Where is she now?n
"You tell me your secrets and I will
tell you mine," said the hateful old
woman. ''She is getting her living in
shop, and that's all you'll get out of
me-
/ And not another word would she say.
But | made up my mind then that the
old lady had actually come back from
| the grave to send that message to Ma
/ RE, and | was determined to deliver it.
| Uncle John had told me that q lawyer
"a Mr.. Hughes-was paying the bills
! and settling up the property.
I worried and studied over it for al
most a week, and determined to 90 to
| Mr. Hughes.
Hewas an old gentleman, and busy
! one, but very good natured. ] told all
about it, excepting what the old lady
| said, and that [ wasn't going to tell to
anybody but the person it was intend
ed for.
He was very grave over my story,
and at last said:
''Y on want to see Miss Graham?n
eyes, sir. 1t may not make any diff
ference, but | think she ought to know
what Mrs. Howell said.''
" oh - r orl-
her TO meet you here tomorrow"
So the next day [ went back. The
sweetest young lady ever saw was in
Mr.. Hughes's office, and she said to me:
on may speak before Mr.. Hughes
have no secrets he may not hear"
So / gave the message word for
word, and they both spoke at once:
THE lost willn'
Then Miss Graham told me that Mrs.
Howell had made a viii, leaving her
a handsome property, but it could not
be found. Mr.. Hughes had drawn it
up, but Mrs. Howell kept it herself.
When it was missing, Mr.. Timothy
and his wife were the next heirs, and
Mr. Timothy would have come in any
how. for what his uncle left by his WILL
1t was only Mrs. Holwell's own money
Timothy took that when there was no
will found The dressing-case was one
the old lady had bought in Paris years
before, and nobody but Miss Graham
and herself knew about the secret
drawer
1t was none of my business to ask
questions, so | went away, but Miss
Graham did not forget me.
Che caD,o ono dow NOT 1COO, fto,, or,l
told me that Mr. Hughes had insisted
upon one more search for the will, and
had found it in the dressing-case. 1t
gave Miss Graham handsome house
that Mrs. HOWELL had rented to other
people while she lived, and an income
that made her rich.
She was so grateful to me that real
~ think she would have given me half
her money had / asked her. But she
has not forgotten me. She helped ed
ucate my two boys, and Mr.. Hughes
has one one OF them in his office now,
and she never buys a rosebud any
where but at my shop. 1t is mine now.
I Uncle j Ohm left it to me when he died,
and my eldest son is with me in the
business.
We furnished the flowers for Miss
| IfdHalIl NeuuiuS TWO years VIteE MIS-
Howell died, and prettier bride 1
never saw.
Her husband comes in for flowers for
her, and she comes in the carriage with
her children and buys all they can car
ry home.
And we have standing order for
the cemetery lot where old Mrs. Hol-
we'll lies, and all summer it is one mass
Of growing plants, and in winter we
send out cut flowers twice Il week.
Yes, Marie Graham was grateful;
but only did my duty, when | under
stood the importance of the message
which was as one from the grave.