Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1889-07-05
miscellaneous.
PUT TO THE TEST.

Well Marion which OF your lovers
are you going to acccpt?"
al really do not know Aunt Nor.
dant," answered Marion Harland, who
had just bid adieu to two Of her most
devoted admirers. Allen Ford and Fred
erick Throap, and assembled to her aunt's
room. Sometimes. she continued, II
believe | care more for one. and then
again for the other, but | cannot decide
which is more worthy of woman's love.
Perhaps both want me for the wealth
that will one day be mine, and yet |
think Allen Ford is too honorable to
try to win mo for that"
1--WE must put them to the test" said
Aunt Mordant, and long after Marion
had fallen asleep Mrs Williott lay
awake planning how it could be done.
Marion Harland had lived half her
life with her Uncle John Wiliott's
widow he having died several months
after her mother and only parents death,
when she was ut tho age Of ten years.
10 Mrs Williott she had been like a
daughter ever since that day when the
chidless aunt had clasped the sobbing
orphan to heart declaring that she would
be mother to her and faithfully had
she kept that promise, for Marion had
never wanted for love, or anything else
that could be given her, and she it was
who would inherit old "Williott Man
sion, and the broad acres of land TINT
surrounded it, as we'll as the many thou
sand pounds deposited in bank, ut the
death of her aunt
She had often told Marion SO, as they
would sit together in the twilight. "You
will be a great heiress my DEAR she
would say, but Marion would only cry
rs she answered "What will it be to me
aunty when you have left me ?" But it
came one day, short time after, when
Marion stopped over one morning to
arouse her from her slumber, she started
back with cry, for Aunt Mordant had
passed away. She had been failing for
some time, tho quick sharp pain at her
heart, caused her to believe that she
was doomed. To Marion she told moth
ing of this, but one day having sent her
on an errand, she summoned doctor,
and from him she learned that her days
we're numbered. After Mrs. Williotts
funeral, the will was read, and Marion,
as il in dream, listened to the words
that told her that she, Marion Harland,
would only inherit the pitiful sum of
one hundred pounds, while the home
she had learned to love and think of as
her own, was to be sold, and the money
divided among several charitable insti-
tutions. How white she grew beneath
the words, yet she hardly realized what
they meant.
Mr.. Crosby coughed and hestated
very much over the reading of that will,
and many sympathetic glances were d.
rectod toward that corner of the room
where the slight girlish figure draped in
black sat listening
The reading of the will was over at
last and she had heard All! yes she
knew all now. and the pitiful face grew
white and silent as the words came back
TO her.
She was to stay one year in the old
homestead for until then every thing
was to remain tho same, but after, after
that, she was to 90 out in the world
alone
Miss Harland," she started, so far
her thoughts had wandered away from
them all, that she hardly heard Mr..
Crosby addressing her. He had taken
from his packet of documents letter,
and crossing the room, was now holding
it out 10 her.
"A letter your aunt placed in my
keeping, Miss Harland, to be given you
after her death" And Marion with
tears binding her eyes tried TO read
the few scrawled words upon the packet
"For my niece, Marion Harland, to be
opened on her wedding day" A sad,
dreary smile fitted over the fair face,
then rising quietly she left the room.
How lonely the house seemed after
that. Had it ever seemed so lonely OF
dreary before ? Marion wandered from
room TO room, then would turn YEARLY
from them with sigh, for how plainly
they reminded her of the one loving
friend, who had cared so tenderly for
her, and yet she had thrown her upon
the mercies of the world
"Oh! Aunt Mordant, why did you
do it; did you not know that my heart
would break if you left me? Yet you
took from me my own beautiful home. y
All, the grief and loneliness Of those
days. yet never even while her trouble
lay heaviest upon her, did Marion ever
doubt that kind loving friend of her