The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1891-12-24

house in Bedfordshire.
The facts of the case are as follows:
had an aunt, by name Julia Reeves,
an old maid of sixty, and possessor
of the money and house which have
just mentioned. She is dead, and SO
will say all think about her-"De
mortuis nil nisi bonum" is O. we'll
known saying, but still there is an
other and O. better which often think
over-"The evil that men do lives af-
ter them" This latter applies to
women also, and with Aunt Julia this
was certainly the case.
was Aunt Julia's favorite nephew;
when | was only a boy she had a seri-
Gus dispute with her only other nep-
hew-my cousin, and much older than
land she never spoke to him again
till the day of her death, consequently
had great expectations" OF being
my aunt's heir. My parents shared
in this belief, and as result spent
most of my holidays in Bedfordshire
and very dreary found them.
When grew up my aunt constantly
invited me to stay with her, and as
her invitations were really commands,
| invaribly had to 60 when was ask
ed.
She certainly expected me to make
: myself useful to her, and gave me lit
tie thanks for my trouble; but then
she more than once gave me clearly to
understand that | was down as sole
heir in her will, and know | was, but
49,,
pened which caused her to alter her
mind-and her will.
Four years ago in August was stay
ing with her, as | always did four or
five times in the year, for long and
short periods, when the sad affair oc-
Cured. My aunt, be it known, was o
little eccentric-in fact, / tried to up
set her will on the ground of insanity,
but failed-she also had an extreme
fear of thunderstorms. Whenever q
thunderstorm commenced she ran
down to her wine-cellar and crouched
in the very darkest corner there till
all was over.
Her cellar was irregular strong room
with an iron door and a patent lock,
the key of which she nearly always
kept in her own possession; she never
allowed it to leave her own hands
except when, as sometimes happened,
she gave it to me when she wished me
to bottle some wine for her, which fire.
quently took place, as she always
bought her wines in casks, and being
particularly good at the work, it was
one of the various ways in which |
made myself useful to her.
One day, during the last visit I ever
paid Aunt julia, had been bottling
some wine for her, when something or
other called me away just as | had
finished, and I left without locking
the door. l was away about ten min
utes, during which time q violent
thunderstorm, which had been threat
ening, took it into it's head to burst.
stood at the window for u minute
or two to look at the lightning, which
was particularly vivid, and then, re-
membering the cellar was unlocked, 1
went downstairs, locked the door,
and put the key in my pocket. l
then ran up again hastily to lunch,
which | took alone and earlier than
usual, as had to go to London on
business which would detain me all
night.
AS Aunt Julia's house was some
distance from the station, and as l
had but little time to catch the train, l
had to start before the thunderstorm
was quite over, and was driven hur-
rledly away, having quite forgotten
to give the key of the cellar to the
butler in order that he might give it
to his mistress. 1t was a fatal mis-
take.
In due course I reached London,
and met the friend whom l had to see
on business; we separated very late
at night, SO when got home went
straight to my bedroom without light
ing the lamp in my sitting-room, or
looking to see if there were any letters
awaiting me, was awakened about
nine O'Clock in the morning by the
servant with telegram. He told
me etwa had come for me the previous
night as well, and handed me all three.
They were all from my aunt's butler.
The first was, Come back at once
with the cellar key; the second,
Start st once and bring the key with
YOU; the third, Cannot understand