The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-08-19
AN UNUSUAL LEGACY.
Peter Horace and His Unprohtable
Speculation.


dale who would fall heir TO Aunt Mar
tina Narvalcs money when she died
There were her two nieccs, the near
est OF kin, in the first place. One, Miss
Bertha Marvalc, an amiabie young
lady, who was immensely proper and
respectable, and had been very dutiful
in her attendance upon her invalid
aunt. The other, wee bit of maiden,
with sunny eyes, and short dancing
cUrls, who taught school for her own
and her mothers support, and did not
seem to mind il ut all, she was always
50 bright and winsome. She had done
nothing in particular for her aunt cx-
cept TO make sunshine in the prim old
rooms by occasional visits, and In
saucy. iEvcigiing sort OF way To get
herself very much liked by the ccccu-.
tric old lady; it was very hard to see
upon what grounds Miss Dot May
burne based her expectation, 50 the
neigh 5urs said.
And now the good, queer Miss Martha
Mavvalc was dead, and buried with due
solemnity and proper gloom Soon it
would be known who was the fortunate
posscssor Of her fabulous ~eaIth-fur
fabulous" it had become. under the
busy tongues of interested friends and
never made a display Of riches. and no
one IL Glendale had ever seen her
money except in quite meagcr sums.
But she was known to have been quite
miscrly in her habits, and no doubt had
large amounts slowed away IN odd
corners.
The lawyer sat at the head Of the
room rattling the important document
ominouSIv. Miss Marvale sat in the
hiEh-bacEod chair, looking pale, mel
anchoIy and severe in her new and
fashionable mourning dress. Mr.. Peter
Horace. a gentleman who never in his
life had evinced a liking for anything
but money until he met Miss Marvale,
sat atteutively near.
Dot Mayburnc. IN doleful black re-
cliued In the uncomprOmising recesSes
Of the big, stiff old sofa, with sadness
in her pretty face that appealed to
every tender heart ii her presence.
Willard Hayes young and pennileSS
physician. and her most devoted adj
mirer, supported her. fguratively
speaking, of course, on her left. The
deacons OF the church sat in dccorous
silence. and one or two oldest inhab-
itants-' occupied the spare corners of
the room. The reading began.
After the usual prcliIninaries it was
found that all Of Martha Narvalc's real
estate. moneys and personal sroPerty
were left Internationally 10 her be-
loved niece. Dorothea Mayhurne. cx-
ccpting a few insignificant lcgacics TO
church and friends To Bertha Mar
vale, in consideration of afTectioustc
attention, she willed her favorite foot
stool Its many dear associations, the
l.t- l1a h. - :. ?
support Of her aunt's wcaried feet
would endear II 70 her, and, as she had
often expressed a pious contempt for
carnal wealth, She would prize it above
all earthly dross.
The whole fortune was not a munifi-
cent one, after all, and even Dot was
not a rich woman, and she could only
open her blue eyes in wonder while
Willard Hayes smiled brightly upon
her and whispered his congratulations.
Miss Mgrvalc's face was buried IL her
blacS-edged handkerchief, and no one
could tell how she was affected. Mr..
IIorace's face was a picture Of blank
dismay. The deaconS looked glum, and
said not a word. Every body seemed
inclined 10 get out Of the way with as
little ceremony as possible, and soon
the cousins were left alone.
u hope, Cousin Bertha. YOU will al
ways make this house your home, Dot
began. timidly. 'You know this is rs
great a surprise TO me as to You, and,
while l am glad of home and com
forts for mamma, do not want YOU to
be poA- or homeless. Can't we all live
together?"
NO, we can't all live together"
snapped Bertha, coming ont from be-
hind her pocket handkerchief ''Eou
are a little underhand cheat and /
wouldn't accept charity from you If /
We're starving. And it is not neces-
sary. as / am engaged. and Mr. Horace
Is amply able TO see that do not come
to want"
Dot retired. overcome by the stupen-
dous intelligence, as Miss Marvale in
tended she should be.
Il am sure l congratulate you" she
murmured, and I hope if you ever
need a friend you viii not hesitate
BOTHER your friendship exclaimed
the irate lady, rising; Il think we can
dispense with each others company.
and as ! cannot ask you to leave your
( own house ! viii take the liberty OF re-
/ tiring myself"
That evening the viii was discussed
over q hundred tea-tablcs, and many
/ queries, wouderings and Il told you
/ sos passed to and fro. What the old
lady had seen to admire in Dot so
much, what had become of all the
wealth she was supposed to have
owned, why she had left paltry old otto
! man 70 Bertha. who had been so faith
full, and so forth, were all dutiful-
/ " discussed, and left as unsatisfactory
/ " disposed of as before.
In a little meager private Office down
4 town Mr.. Peter Horace sat, with
. his head resting dejectedly in his
/ hands and general air of forlorn de-
/ spondcnCy in his attitude. lie had for
{ forty years loved himself, his money
I and his single blesscdncss more than
/ anything else on earth If ever wom-
/ an had stirred the region under his
( shirt-froEt where his heart Is supposed
J to beat il was pretty, saucy. gay little
/ Dot Nlayburne. And yet ne had dclib-
I eratcly engaged himself 10 marry a
. plain, prin, elderly maiden, who pos
J sessed nothing in the world more valua-
{ BILE than a wornout foot stool
What a donkey he had been, And
/ how had II come about? Why was not
I Bertha Marvale the heiresS, ~ he had
( calculated upon? The old lady's money
seemed not entirely accounted for,
either. Bertha had lived in the house
for years, and he had deemed her per-
son of great good sense; yet she must
have bungled in her management some
/ how.
Then he burrowcd deeper in his out
/ stretched arms, and thought il all over
again. Suddenly bright idea struck
: him. Did not people invariably, IN
stories and romances, VINO had queer
old iegacics left them knock them to
! pieces, sooner or later. 10y accident, oI