Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-08-22
REMEMBERED THE WILL.
PETER GAINES QUEER PLACE FOR
HIS LAST TESTAMENT.

interesting Episoue OF the Coal vi DIS
coveries IN Pennsylvania.
The physical contrast between Mary
Gaines and her father and mother was
startling enough Old Gaines was very
Woodworking man, and SO ignorant that
he could ne Their read nor write. He worked
in the coal mines for many years, and put
the savings of his life into 800 acres of wild
land in Clarion county. But the farm was
rugged and sterile, and, leaving his brother
to work it, the old man came to this city
and got position on the Reading railroad
as Waterman, and with Marys help and
Mrs Gaines's thrift they made a decent
living.
AT this time the coal oil discoveries were
made. and rude mountaineers, who had
seldom a shoe on their feet, found them
selves millionaires. IN this good fortune
Peter Gaines was destined to participate
Although illiterate he was shrewd, and
refused to sell his Clarion county farm
until he had examined the ground. and the
result was that in six months he returned
TO his wife and daughter with $50, coo and
an income from leases that amounted to
several hundreds per day.
Peggy Gaines had but one idea of the
value OF money, and that was to use it for
the benefit 81 her Mary. y fine house was
purchased in the northern part of the city,
and MaTy's social surroundings began to
be very pleasant. Old Gaines looked care
fully after lis business, and his wealth was
increasing rapidly. In the days of her pow
erty and dependence Mary had given her
heart to Bernard Rudolph, a young Ger
man, who was chemist in a large dyeiug
establishment in the city Mrs. Gaines
more than once limited to her daughter
that, with her wealth and beauty, she could
look higher but Mary. with a quiet decis-
ion that her mother understood, declared
that she loved Bernard, and ali the wealth
in Christendom should not separate them.
a SURPRISE FOR MARY.
So date for the wedding was fixed, but
a terrible occurrence damaged all the
lovers plans Mrs. Gaines wanted to see
her old home in the woods and accom-
panied her husband on one of his visits to
the oil country y collision of two trains
happened on the way, and Peter Gaines
and his wife We're taken out of the wreck
dead.
1t was a terrible shock to the daughter,
and for "a month she did little else than
grieve over tine loss of her parents. One
of her fathers friends saw her and advised
steps being taken to settle the estate
Mary consented listlessly, but was aroused
from her Indifference a week later, when
her friend ctme to the house with letter
in his hand.
Miss Mary, l have a surprise for YOU
Your father brother Michael has applied
to the court Of Clarion county TO admins
ter your fathers estate on the ground thar
he is the ue,-t heir and might as well tell
you now that he made an affidavit that you
are not the child of Peter and Margaret
Gaines I IayE from, III Ipay
kohlman, o. Pittsburgh, whom you know
He states that he will call on you Thurs
day. In the meantime, | have engaged MIR
William Wallace, one of the best lawyers
in middle Pennsylvania, to look after your
intert'ts."
Mary sat for some moments in a state Of
utter bewilderment. Michael Gaines never
liked her, and this must be piece of spite
full mischief Itcouid not be true. Ber-
nard's consolation was manly and practi-
cal. If you lose the estate we will have
enough to live on. So let it go"
Father kohlman paid his visit and laid
to rest all hope of expectation that her I'M
cle's story was falSe-in short. he CON
frmed it. He said: "On the 10Th Of Octo-
Der, 1850, party Of two men and two wom-
en- were crossing the mountains near Peter
Gaines cabin. 1t was nightfall and be-
ginning to Snow, SO they stopped in the
barn and LIFT next morning at daybreak
Peter went to the barn to look after the
cow and heard something crying, and look
ing about found a child about four months
old. The mother had, no doubt, left it
when starting few hours before. Peggy
was wild with joy, and after some demur
Peter consented to let her adopt the little
girl. was called in and baptized you, my
dear. urged che old people to tell you
the truth years ago, but they feared that
You might come to love them less, but
am confident that your adopted father
never lelG this world without providing for
you, for he assured me As much not more
than a year ,go.'