People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1892-08-05

stretched arms, and thought 1t all over
again. Suddenly bright idea struck
him. Did not people invariably, in
stories and romances, who had queer
old legacies left them knock them to
pieces, sooner or later, by accident, or
in fit of i'll temper, and find them
stuffed full of gold pieces?
This was certainly the solution Of the
eccentric gift, and also accounted for
the missing wealth which everybody
seemed so sure existed somewhere He
sprang up and paced the room in
sprightly manner quite at variance
with his former moody demeanor.
81 will play the disinterested lover
he said; 81 will swear to be true, come
veal or come woe, and thus gain the
appreciation of the entire community.
I'll marry the poor, disinherited Bertha
Marvale, and at the very first dawning
of matrimonial infelicity I'll kick that
beastly footstool viciously across the
floor. Then won't | be astonished to
see the papers and gold roll out? Won't
! clasp my fearful companion in my
arms, magnanimously forgive her, and
calmly take possession of her fortune2
What lucky idea of mine that wasI"
Miss Marvale was deeply gratifed at
being assured of her lovers devotion
and disinterestedness, and her spirits
and dignity rose in proportion. Indeed,
she carried herself in the presence of
her unpretending cousin as though she
were the heiress and Dot the insignii-
cant possessor of a footstool. She
claimed the right foreman in the house
which had been her home so long till
she should be married from it, and, as
far as appearances went, might as well
have been the mistress of Marvale
Mansion
Mr.. Horace rented a pretentious
house and furnished it completely, re-
ferring with beautiful Difference to his
betrothed's taste in everything.
BE sure and bring your footstool, "
he said, playfully, land we will dedi.
cate whole corner to it would not
keep house without it for the world. "
And Miss Marvale thought this very
delicate in him, as it might naturally be
supposed the stool would be a disa.
greeable object
They were married, and the wedding
was the event Of the season." Dot was
not invited, but she was busily engaged
elsewhere, and did not mind the ne.
glect; and, when Bertha left the old
house to enter her brand new home,
Dot and her happy husband, Willard
Hayes, moved in
For few weeks everything went on
smoothly. Mrs. Horace carried herself
with great deal Of dignity, as became
the newly-wedded wife Of a well-to-dc
money lender and the mistress of a
handsome new residence. Indeed, the
fashionable people of the place paid her
more attention than they did the real
heiress, who was so little like wealthy
matron that the fact was almost for.
| gotten.
Mr.. Horace bore his happiness quiet.
" and contained himself with patience.
Perhaps he was little irritable in the
privacy of the domestic circle, but he
was only preparing for the grand mo-
ment when it would be appropriate tc
"kick that beastly stool clear across the
room" To be sure, he might have sug
gested to his wife that they examine the
stool, and see if it contained anything
Of value; but she would perhaps laugh
at his within, and would not allow it tc
be spoiled, and when the wealth wa;
found she might suspect him of know
ing something about it and of marrying
her for it; and, as he rather preferred
peace to unnecessary squabbling, hi
wished the discovery to come about &C
cidentally.
At last, one evening, he found il
standing directly in his way. Bertha
looking apprehensively at her hus
bands stern countenance, fastened t
remove it, but he was too quick for her
A well-applied and forcible kick SEN
it dancing across the room, where i
was shattered against the marble fire
place. Mr. Horace eagerly sprang Il
the spot, where Bertha regretfully fol
lowed him.
He did look at it in amazement, as HI
had often pictured himself doing, bu
the amazement was very genuine. Il,
grasped each piece and shook it fierce
ly; he tore everything apart that could
be torn apart with furious haste
Alas! in vainl At his feet lay heal
Of broken mahogany, torn purple vel
vet and dusty Notwithstanding mort
nothing less.
"What do you mean? What did yol
expect to fnd?" asked Bertha, will
trembling lips.
"Your aunt's legacy. I've been foolet
trapped won't stand it! Wha
have you done among you with all he
money? She couldn't have carried l
with her."
Peter Horace was angry enough a
he strobe up and down the room t,
have demolished forty ottomans, ant
Bertha went into Mysteries on the sofa
1t was dreadful blow to her vanity t,
think that she had not been married
for herself alone" after all; they hat
a terrible scene, but finally sort o
reconciliation was patched up Boil
were too respectable to let the worlt
know of their disappointment, and the.
agreed to keep the fate of her aunt
legacy secret
Bertha owned that the old lady hat
given her five hundred dollars befor'
she died, telling her she was not as ricl