The Portland daily press., 1888-12-25

heard thief at it. We shall see if anything
be missing"
He was obeyed. The papers were in con-
fusion, and Jenny gave a deeorous shrek,
for mouse leaped over the overturned bot
tie of mucilage and vanished into one of the
many cracks of the colonial residence. Ell
frida, to save them from the sluggish stream
of mucilage which meandered on its course,
took up pile of papers, and handed them to
her brother. He shifted critically.
''Are you in the habit, sir, of keeping ripe
cheese among your valuables," he said, en-
couraged by curious expression, apologize
aud emotional, that changed his fathers
face.
THAT is my last will and testament" said
Jonas Marlowe, sadly, "Your sister will
have told you what is in it. Iwould change
it If could, Richard; wrote it in anger /
have right in law to change my own will, l
know that; the courts would have nothing
to say if wrote twenty wills, all different.
But have, Of my own free act and in dis
posing mind, given my property-all but a
little for Elfrida and small requests to these
women here present"
AT this Juncture Mrs. Briggs apron went
up to her eyes.
oh father, no matter. / don't want
your money, only to be your sonw cried Rich
ard impulsively.
"All to distant relations, wrote that will
and Heaven forgive me, meant it. When
signed my name to it, it was like an oath.
Paper with Jonas Marlowe's name on it has
never been protested yet. l have injured
you, my boy; but it is worse thing for me.
l have sworn to my own hurt, but shall not
change"
The old merchant was sublime for
moment. His steel-oue eyes shone with a
cold fire of the Puritan conscience behind
them. give me my last will aud testament"
he said.
He took it. and held it pressed between his
palms. "For my punishment Richard, you
shall read it. have written hard things of
you and, think, false things. may sure.
ly cancel those; l do not think Heaven, that
is just, will forbid me to do justice to my
own son, harming no one else. But my
money, that goes to the relations aforesaid"
Then he opened the paper. Elfrida gave
an exultant cry, strange enough in that
moment. For the paper was jagged, in rents
where the mouse had gnawed it. and pre-
cisely where Mrs. Briggs broad thumb had
baited with cheese the signature of Jonas
Marlowe-the trap in which the merchant
himself had been caught-there was hole
instead of the autograph.
The face of Mr. Marlowe became white
with an inward debate. Elfrida chung to
his arm as if to restrain HIM from following
his thoughts. Daddy, daddy" she implor-
ed him. "Do not you understand? 1t was a
sign, a Christmas sign to you, that little
mouse. Heaven never meant that such bad
promise was better kept than broken. 1t
was sign, daddy, signv'
Don't distress father, Elfrida," said her
brother lie will do what he thinks right
In any case am content, for he will not dis
own me-"
"Oh dearl Surely, Mr.. Marlowe. sir" de-
clared Mrs. Briggs, you've right to do as
you please with your own while you have it !;
and long may you live, sir, to enjoy it,"
And those sweet young things. Master
Richard and Miss Elfrida. too added
Jenny
"Be silent; and let me think of this mat
ter" said Mr. Marlowe. He separated him
self from the little group, and went TO seat
himself in his armchair for communion with
his conscience. Narrow, sharp and arbitra-
ry he might be; but as he had told Elfrida
he was an honest man. The others awaited
his decision silently. Elfrida in anxiety,
Richard superbly content, the women with
curiosity.
Mr.. Marlowe, after long pause, rose and
came forward. IF have decided wrongly,
may be forgiven" lie said solemnly. 81
have tried to look at this act according to
law and to equity. The letter of the law re-
leases me FROM these obligations, and so, L
believe, does the spirit of its Interpretation.
1t seems to me that / should add to my
fault by persisting in it, Truly it is right for
me to deal as father ought, by my son.
The will is null and void, lacking the tesla
tors signature; which in the mysterious
workings of Providence, has gone TO line a
mouse's nest. For SO it is that the small
things of this world confound the greater.
There is no will; hence there can be no ex-
ecutor, but only an adminlstrator-suppo
me even to be dead, which might as well be
as t. Jamestown myself such FOOL
Here the old merchant paused an instant
Then he went on inhexibly "a money
saving fool-but spendthrift is fool, too
l hope you will always be prudent, Richard
AS was saying, there must be an admins
TRAITOR, if that will is null, and will be my
own administrator. To see to it that my
property is wisely used. during my life
time and after, for the benefit of my children
That was bad will, you were right Elfrida,
and am glad that 1t is broken. 4 have had
enough of my own way. Richard. 1 have
been reading series of financial articles
lately in your paper and they are good, re-
markedly good. was told only yesterday
that you wrote them. l did not believe it,
because had made up my mind that you
were to be a merchant and must be failure
at anything else. Did you write them, my
SOM"
81 did. father" said Richard. "You ought
to have recognized some of your own IDEAS"
The reply pleased Mr.. Marlowe He re-
garded his son with tolerant smile. "Well.
well, each to his own trade, after all. am
not above saying that got some good no
tions, and new to me, from your last article.
You are like your mother, Dick; she could
MT tell good quality of grain by handling
it, DOR compute interest-but while she was
here she many times counseled me for my
good. She seemed to hit the mark, some-
how, without aiming at it. You look like
her, Dick"
Elfrida knelt beside her fathers chair and
pressed his hand into the hand of her brother
"Hark" she said. "Do not you hear the
midnight bells ringing for Christmas; and
surely mamma, singing with all the angels in
heaven, s ees that we on earth are. at peace
and good will" aM
$3.50 49,, ....-