The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-01-25

too old, Jacob, for p.owing and such-like
hard toll ourselves and third will be
all.we'll want. What did you tell him."
Il didn't give him any definite answer.
wish somebody else would offer to take
the lot. don't like that Thatcher"
"Why?"
HE is hard. severe-looking old fel.
low, and I'm sure he treats that pretty
niece OF bis badly"
"Oh! He does. Ell? And now. Jacob.
what the mischief is that TO you? And
what has it to do with putting the ten
acre lot in corn on sharss?"
I've seen her crying"
bah! Girls are always crying. They
like il. They DO il for practice
Peter, you'd kick a boy for throwing
stones az wild bird, wouldn't vou?"
That's another matter. Birds ara birds,
and they're Gods creatures; but women
| are the DEVILS creatures, and you'll never
Sc Peter Van Deust trouble himself to
| lift his foot to a boy who throws stones at
them. If the girl don't like the treatment
| her uncle gives her. | suppose che can
| End some fellow fool enough to marry
| her. Most any OF 'em can do that"
Peter you shouldn't talk that way. A
| poor girl has her feelings about marrying
where her liking goes, just ss much as a
man has"
"Yahw snarled Peter contem ptuously,
, vigorously putting his pipe. and for some
| minutes both men were silent. The
| younger of the two sank into a reverie,
| and awoke from il with & start, when his
brother resumed the conversation, saving:
Il tell you what it is, Jacob. You were
| spooney on Mary Wailace's mother forty
| years ago. and I'm blessed ii l think you
| have got over it vet. She threw yon over
! board then, not for better looking man
( for you were a fine, trim sailor-built
| young fellow in those dsys-but for rich
! er one. She thought"
No, no, Peter! No, MOI Don't cay
| that! Size didn't want TO marry Wallace
know she didn't But her father and
mother COMPELLED her to it She loved me
| best, 1 know she did But you are right
| in saying haven't got over il. Peter. /
never shall. I'll love her just the same
1 still, If meet her in heaven. And when
/ see Mary's sweet young face, the love
that is in my heart for her mothers MEM
/ DRY cries out like a voice from the grave of
/ all my hopes and joys, and | can hardly
| keep from taking poor Lottie's child in
| M arms end weeping over her"
(which, il you were to do. she would
/ think You were crazy, and right she would
! be-" commented Peter, snarlingly.
| He Iow sounded shortly, in a sharp
wiry voice. from the little lane ct the
| back of the house.
Peter. rising from his bench and going
to the en1 of the porch. replied with a
sailor-iike AYE. aye, sir" TO the hail of
/ the stronger, who was none other than
i the little elderly gentleman already en-
| countered by Ruth ana Mary in the
| woods. Without amounting. the visitor
! asked in q slow and cautious manner:
IAN | justified in presuning that l am
| uDou the premises o. the parties known
as Peter and Jacob Van Deus;?"
This ia where we live" replied Peter,
| a little puzzled toy the strangers manner.
pardon me sir. but your reply is not an
Answer to my question. Am to under
| stand that you are one of the said
parties?'
"Im Peter, and this is Jacob" re-
| sponded the elder brother, pointing with
the stem OF lis pipe to the younger. But
come alongside before YOU get off any
/ more OF that lingo"
Methodically and carefully the rider dis
mounted, fastened his nag to the fence,
| and pushing open the little gate, ste pped
upon tie low porch. where, after an elsb-
! crate bow to each of the brothers sepa-
| ratelv, he continued:
| Assuming your affirmation to be cor
| rect and capable of subsIsntiation by doc
umentRry evidence, aud believing that
you are, as you represent yourselves--or,
rather as one of YOU has represented
| Peter and jacob Van Deust, permit me,
gentlemen. to have the pleasure of offer
| ing you my congratU atoms"
10 saying, he raised his tall hat with old
time courtesy, repeated his bows to the
brothers severally, aud replaced his
beaver with such exsctltude that not a
hair of his nicely-brushed wig was disar-
ranged.
Congratulations upon whst2 Upon
being Peter and Jacob Van Deust? de-
manded Peter, who began to look upon
his visitor as probably harmless lunatic.
Naturally, sir For reason which you
shall present apprehend. Have you. or
! have you had, cir, to your knowledge, an
uncle named Dietrich Van Deust2"
"Ies. 1t was uncle Dietrich who went
| away to the Indies when we were bows,
wasn't it, Peter?" said the youngest
| brother.
Yes, and settled somewhere there; /
forget where. Batavia, l think. WAS the
| name of the place but ! ain't sure, for it
| is an age since heard from him"
"Your remembrance is correct, never
thelese sir" responded the stranger. 1T
was in Batavia that he took up HE resi-
| dence, and in Batavia that he died, at an
advanced age, an cid bachelor. possessed
of large wealth, az l have been given to
understand; and l offer nv congratula-
lions 10 you. gentlemen, for the reason
that you are his fortunate heirs to the ex-
tent of one hundred thousand dollars"
The mere mention of that stupendous
sum, as it seemed to them. fairly stunned
| the two Gimp e-minded old men who re-
ceived this intelligence.
'Oh, Peter 1t can't be there's so much
money" gasped Jacob.
LET me turn over in my mind. Take
a seat sir, said Peter, pushing forward a
stool for the visitor, reseating himself on
| his bench and slowly rubbing his fore
| head. Jacob went out to put awav the
little gentleman's horse, and while he was
| gone Peter reliphted his pipe and smoked
| in silence. When the younger brother re-
turned, the visitor resumed the CONVEX
| sation.
"My name" said he. sis Pelatiah
! Ho den, and my profession that of coun-
selor-at law. Here is my card" present.
ing one to each of the Van Deusts, and
| then continuing: -Four months and
fourteen days since, / received from the
firm OF Van Gulden & Dropp of Amster-
! dam, Holland. Information to the effect
that a client OF theirs named William Van
Deust wac joint heir in the estate OF
| Die; rich Van Deust, deceased of Batavia;
and they desired me. in order to facilitate