The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1889-01-04


80 the autumn came. and on GER
tain evening Miss Melissa Judd had |
occasion 70 open a leather trunk.
Wherein she kept stored away her
most valued and secret possessions.
This trunk. 10 be secure from Mrs
Jollifcrs prying. was kept in the attic,
out OF reach; and thither Miss Judd
now proceeded. leaving the old lady
indulging in her usual afternoon nap
From this she never woke until four
o'clock. in time for her port wine
Cruel. and the prudent companion
would take care 10 be back in good
time.
I On opening the trunk Miss Judd was
dismayed 70 find that the rain. drip
ping from leak in the roof. had
I found its way through crack in the
lid and moistcncd portion Of the con-
tents Among these was the little box
containing Mr.. Peck's letters. which
! she Immediately FASTENED To examine
They were dry and uninjured- But as
she turned tnem over something
strange in their appearance arrested
her attention. There were the post
marks. but what had become Of the
address, Hastily opening them her
establishment increased. Beside the
date OF receipt. which she herself had
written in pencil. there was not a
word or sign written upon either OF
the two incloscd sheets OF paper.
Melissa sat staring at the papers
What could il mean? She had heard
Of .'evancscent Xxx" and these letters
must undoubtedly have been written
with something OF the kind Then she
remembered having come upon MIR.
Peck while all alone in the Office he
was engaged in writing her name with
endearing appellations on sheet OF
paper. He had been experimenting with
the ink. She remembered how hastily.
and. as she no~ thought guilty. he
had thrust away the paper and the
muIberry-colored bottle into pigeon
hole above his desk. He had in
tended that the writing should
dIsappear-but why' And with
the question there gradually dawned
upon the acute mind OF Melissa Judd
full perception Of Ambrose Peck's
design. IN all its unmitigated viIlainy
and dupiiciiy. And 70 think that she
should so easily have been made a
foot Of He had managed to get pos
session Of her written promise OF mar
riagc and to destroy his own, and to
prevent her discovery Of the trick he
had requested her 10 seal up the let
tcrs- His intention was to abandon
her in case Of his falling heir TO the
property: and ten 10 one he would seek
to marry that chit. Alice Hayes, 70
whom he had been paying attention Of
late Miss Judd hated Alice and her
mother When the latter had MORALLY
offended her Aunt Jollifcr BY prefer
ring to share poverty with the man
she loved TO remaining under her root
as pampercd slave and pensioner on
her bounty. Miss Judd had stepped in
and secured that place for herself. and
! had ever since. by means Of false re-
ports on either side. managed to keeF
the aunt and niece apart Mrs. Hayes
was now a widow and very poor, and
Alicia woman can easily discover
what a man can not about love affairs.
Alice was. n Miss Judd knew. engaged
10 that impccunious young doctor who
would probably have to wait dozen
years before he could afford 10 marry.
In any event. thank goodness. Mr.
. Peck could never get Alice As for the
rc-t. Miss Judd set her teeth and
cIenched her hands inyoluntarily. Oh,
il she could be revcnged.
II She was aroused by great knocking
proceeding from Mrs. Jollifcr's room,
Hurrying down. she found it long past
four o'clock and the room full 81
smoke from q burning LOG which had
rolled of the andirvns 10 the hearth.
Mrs Jollifer was furious She had nc
doubt hut that Melissa had purposely
shut her up there TO be suffocaied- And
) her anger and resentment reached III
. climax when Miss Judd. after hurried
IL preparing the Cruel. presented il
! seasoned with tansy vinegar instead
Of wine. Melissa-ungratefu treach-
erous Melissa-was trying 10 poison
; her. And without moments delay
the old lady ordered her TO Z, NJ ones
for Mr. Steele; 30 that BY night a new
I will rcT,osed under lock and key II
, Mrs Jollifer's desk. Then the old
lady went TO bed; and. whether from
, | the effects Of her agitation or the tans,
vinegar. or from other causes un
known. there she was found aext morn
: ! ing. stif and stark in death And II
i | less than an hour the news had sprea<
: | all over town. with the additional tha
, the last act Of her life had been 4
make win entirely Ia her nephew
! favor. II was surprising how friendly
: the whole populace Immediately be
came towards Mr.. Peck.
1 In compliance with the express de
4 sire or the deceased her will was 4
1 Be opened and read by Mr.. Steele i'm
(. mediately after the funeral. and II
! presence OF all whom that occasion
> might bring together. Wherefore