Montgomery County sentinel., 1891-05-08
miscellaneous.
THE HIDDEN WILL.

Madonnas. | never saw more lovely
face. SO pure and good. Is she one of
the attendants here p
"Yes, know her people. Her father
and mother are country Dutch, and more
than usually rugged and hard featured
Where she gets her beauty is matter
of wonder. Her name is Gaines"
The speakers are two ladies who have
been examining the pictures in an Arch
street Photographic gallery. and the girl
of whom they have spoken is arranging
frames against the wall. Mary Gaines
beauty deserves all the commentator of
her admirers, and is an index to her
character. Pure, upright, she has kind
ly consideration for all, and even the
most envious admit that Mary has no
enemies.
The physical contrast between the
father, mother and daughter is startling
enough. Old Gaines was very hard
working man, and so Ignorant that he
could neither read nor write. He worked
in the coal mines for many years, and
put the savings of his life in three hun
dred acres of wild land in Clarion coun-
ty. But the farm was rugged and sterile,
and, leaving his brother to work it, the
old man came to this city and q got
position on the reading Railroad as
watchman and with Mary's help and Mrs.
Gaines thrift they made decent living.
At this time the coal oil discoveries
were made, and rude mountaineers, who
had seldom shoe on their feet, and
whose only luxury was an occasional
quart of corn whiskey. found themselves
millionaires In this good fortune
Peter Gaines was destined to partici-
pate. Although illiterate he was
shrewd, and refused to sell his Clarion
county farm until ho had examined the
ground, and the result was that in six
months he returned to bis wife and
daughter with $50, 900 aud an income
from leases that amounted to several
hundreds per day.
Peggy Gaines had but one idea of the
value Of money, and this was to use it
for the benefit of her Mary. A fine
house was purchased in the northern
part of the city, and Mary's social sur
roundings began to be very pleasant.
Old Gaines looked carefully after his
business, and his wealth was incrsas-
ing rapidly. In the days of her pow
erty aud dependence Mary had given
her heart to Bernard Rudolph, a young
German, who was chemist in a large
dyeing establishment in the city. Mrs.
Gaines more than once hnted to her
daughter that, with her wealth and
beauty she could look higher. but Mary,
with quiet decision that her mother
understood, declared that she loved
Bernard, and all the wealth in Chris
tendon should not separate them.
SO date for the wedding was fixed,
but terrible occurrence damaged all
the lovers plan. Mrs Gaines wanted
to see her old home in the woods and
accompanied her husband on one Of his
visits to the oil country. A collision of
two trains occurred on the way, and
Peter Gaines and his wife were taken
out of the wreck--dead.
1t was u terrible shock to the daugh-
ter, and for month she did little else
than griove over the loss Of her parents.
One Of her fathers friends saw her and
advised steps being taken to settle the
estate. Mary consented lstlessly. but
was aroused from her Indifference a week
later, when her friend came to the house
with a letter in his hand.
"Miss Mary. have n SUNRISE for
YOU. Your fathers brother Michael
has applied to the Court of Clarion
coun,v IN aaministor vonr fatber,a estate
on the ground that he Is the next heir.
and I might os we'll tell Won now that
he made an affidavit that Won are not
the child of pe,orand Mor1orot Ga;nos