The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-02-03

UOats - atct SaFs Wt4a4 you Ike ~ ioJA
at my gir's picture ?"
Ruth looked at the picture of " his
girl and then repaid his confidence by
telling him about Rodney
Aunt Martha seemed to give up her pet
project She never mentioned Il to Ruth
again. When she went home. the old
woman kissed her after the same grim
fashion Of her welcome, and told her she
should expect her TO repeat the visit next
summer, if nothing happened, and Ruth
promised 10 come.
Something did happen something
that will happen to all Of Us, sooner or
later Aunt Martha had not expected TO
go 50 sOon, and none Of Iher relatives
had thought OF her dying for years 10
come, but the call came suddenly, and
she went away, one winter night, upon
the journey from which there is no CON-
ing back.
Ruth and her mother went to the fu-
neral They went out Of respect for the
dead, and no4 because they expected she
had remembered them in her will
But when the funeral was over the
lawyer asked them to stay til the viii
was read She had requested that such
OF her relatives as attended the funeral
should listen to her last will and tesla
ment
To her nephew, John Hunt. she be-
queathed the sum Of twenty thousand
dollars 10 her niece, Ruth Gerrish, she
gave the the old family Bible, hoping
that what she would find therein might
be of substantial benefit to her in future
years
Ruth took her legacy, which was found
in Aunt Martha's room, securely tied up,
with For Ruth Gerrish " written on II.
as the will had stated, and they went
back home
wouldn't have touched the old BIZ
ble,' said Aunt Lucy, in high wrath, as
they steamed cityward.
Neither her name or the names Of her
daughters had been mentioned IN the
will.
If she couldn't give me something
better than that, wouldn't have taken
the trouble TO bring it away but it Was
just what might have been expected Of
her she ne-er had any regard for her
own flesh and blood
g I did not expect even this answer
ed Ruth. Aunt Martha was under no
obligation to remember me in any way
at al"
But to think Of a woman who has
twenty thousand dollars to give away and
doesn't give a single cent of it where it
viii do the good it ought to - said Lucy,
Indignantly. It's shame She was al !
ways contrary, as have good reason to !
know, but l didn't think she would be !
un-Christian enough To let an old gruGge /
keep her from doing her duty when she /
came 10 die"
Martha's money Was her own. to do /
what she pleased with, replied Mrs Gar /
rish. Pm sure I never expected any Of /
IL"
4 wonder who has the homestead ?"
said Lucy, suddenly. "The twenty thou /
sand left to John was in bonds and mort
CAGES Nothing was said about the place. /
1 didn't think Of that before perhaps it I
was sold TO some one before her death
II must have been"
That night, when Rodney Craig came
to see them; Ruth told him of her
legacy.
I have not opened it yet" she said, /
as she brought out the package. Hold /
it on your knee; Rodney; while I unite I
the string"
She removed the wrapper, and Rodney /
opened the old book reverently. As he I
turned the pages a paper fiuttered to the
floor from between them. Ruth picked it
up, and read
Ny DEAR NIECE RUTH believe the I
woman who Is true 20 the man she loves,
when be IS poor and hasn't but one arm.
l. an honor to her sex. If you had been 4
willing to marry John, and give up your
lover, should have despised YOU. As II
Is. | respect you, and as a token Of nv 4
respect give you this old Bible and all /
you viii ind IN it, and pray you may be /
as happy as you deserve 10 be. God bless
yo1 and yours, Is my earnest wish.
MARTHA FiELDISG."
Then; of course: Ruth had to explain
to Rodney what the allusions in the let
ter meant. How his eyes shone when he
knew what she had done for love of him. +
He began TO say somsthing about a sac
rifce, in broken voice, but she stopped .
him.
didn't DO it for your sake she said. /
" did i; for loves sake there Vas 10 /
sacrifice about it. was acting from I.
very selfish motives, you viii find"
The Bible slipped from bis knee to the .
floor as he put out his arm to draw her
closer to him. As be did so, some fold !
ed papers slipped out from between its
pages.
He picked them up to replace them.
What are they ?7 asked Ruth. let /
me look at them"
On; mother! Rodney. she cried sx- !
citedly. They are deeds, think"
And 50 they were. The old home
stead and the farm, 4 mile or two from I
the village, were left g to my dear niece, /
Ruth Gerrish." To avoid all DELAY and
trouble Aunt Martha had had the deeds
made out before her death ! slip of pa
per wrapped about them said that her
lawyer, Mr. Jefries, could tell Ruth any
thing she might want to know about the 4
property. She could take possession at
any time.
@Oh, we're rich :" cried Ruth, with 4
shining ewes. a Dear Aunt Martha, She /
must have loved me, even though she 4
seemed 30 hard and cold. Her heart was
kinder than any Of Us thought it. How
happy she has made me. hope she !
knows all about it,
Perhaps she did Who knows? Who /
shall say she did not?
- II never rains but it pours," the old /
adsge runs, and it was true in this In
stance Next day came letter to Rod I
nev from the publisher Of the paper in |
the village where Martha had lived and