Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-02-02
Helena's Fortune.

There were seven of the Bailey child
rem, boys and girls, and they all had
to live on the income of 81 $50 a year
their father earned as rector of the par
ish church.
There We're some hopes of Helena,
the eldest, retrieving the family for
tunes when she was twenty-one, for
rich old Mrs. Goldingham was her
great-aunt as well as god-mother, and
much was expected of her.
What joyous day it was in the
Bailey household when Helena woke
up ON the morning of her twenty-first
birthday. What a fuss they made
over her, to be sure, just as if she had
already come into possession of thous-
ands and had asked them to share it.
They watched her as she tripped
down the road to Stavely Holt, with
beaming eyes and until she vanished
behind a turn in the road.
Helena Bailey did not run on her re-
turn along the sunny road. There was
look of disappointment on her face.
"Well," they all asked, before she
had time to enter the house, show
many thousands?"
"She has given me this" cried
Helena, fiinging little basket she car
ried in among them. Don't ask me
anything more, please. I want to 60
to my room," and they made way fol-
her in silence, the whole group too
angry to speak at this new turn in their
affairs.
That night Madge Bailey came into
Helena's room, and found her with her
eyes red from weeping.
"Oh, Madge," she sobbed, 'you
know didn't care for money for my.
self. 1t was for the family; and you
know, If / ever get married, Duke and
would need some money. He is in sc
hard q profession
"Well, never mind, DEAR" said hel
sister. Perhaps, after all, she may re,
member you some time. We must moi
build hopes on crusty old aunts any
way. Now, go to sleep and forget al
about it.'
But Helena was too heartsick ant
disappointed and it took all of Duke
Lees energy to make her smile wher
he met her next day.
Two years had passed away with few
changes to the Baileys. Madge wa
married, but Helena still fingered il
the old home, for Duke was not abl
to support wife.
i One day Helena was sitting sewing
and by her side was her younger sister
Isabel. She asked her for some stock
ings that needed mending in a littl
basket in the closet,
| "Why, it's the basket Mrs. Golding
ham gave YOU" said Isabel. "I'm go
ing to tear the hateful old thing up
and she proceeded to demolish it, sud
denly pausing to whisper: "Com
| here, quick; there's a paper or. some
thingin the bottom.n
/ Now Helena was pale, for her finger
had gone swiftly to work and had foun,
what Isabeps impulsive tongue was tell
ing ofas quickly as she had told 1t.
1 1t was a parchment packet hiddel
beneath q quilted! silk, and within tn
packet was q slip of paper with thes
words written on it.
II, Jane Goldingham, repent m,
harsh dealing toward my g0d-daughtel
Helena Bailey. / have sat up to-nigh
copying my first will which had re
voked, SO that now things will be as
had always intended. I pray HEAVIER
the girl may soon hate her ugly baske
and will destroy it and find this.
JANE GOLDINGHAM.n
i "What does 1t mean?p Gasped He
lena.h
| Isabel was careering around the room
"It means,n she cried, Hthat you will
have the Holt after all! Jollyv'
~ II