The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-10-27
A STRANGE WILL.
It Brought Fortune and Happiness
to Two Lovers.

les, Snc was ucdt dJ ldSl Sl-hd dItJ
Demorest, of Stony Lodge - and the
shock of her demise had shaken Belle
vue from center to circumference, For
wears her numerous relatives, each
with an eye to the estate, had watched
her movements from a respectful dis
tance, which she herself had interposed
between them, and their hearts had
grown sick with hope deferred.
Heart disease, the doctors said. when
she was found one morning with a
smile of peace frozen on her stern and
withercd features. The relatives ac-
cepted the verdict with due resigna-
ton, following the remains of the dear
departed" to their final resting place
amid an ostentatious display of Grape,
But when the will was read the excite
ment of the hcirs-at-law rapidly
assembled to fever heat Always eccen-
trio In life, Miss Demorest had retained
that eccentricity to the end and woven
il into her last will and testament.
With the exception of a few bequests
to her servants, the whole of her prop
erty. landed and personal, to wit:
Stony Lodge, her present residence,
very Eden of loneliness; Rose Villa, her
winter resort on Lake Helen, Fla. to-
gether with splendid house in town
and money to the amount of five hun
dred thousand dollars, was to pass into
the sole possession of that one among
her kinsfolk who should discover the
hiding place of the twelve Demorest
rubies
Should the gems remain undiscov-
cred after the lapse of one year from
the date of death the estate was to be
sold and home for old maids founded
with the proceeds
THE old cat!' muttcred fashionable
Mrs Meredith, viciously. "She hid
those rubies herself, the spiteful
thing!'
1T is too provoking!" pouted her
pretty daughter Maude.
81 shall contest the WILL" said thin
Tipped Reuben Gray. at cannot
stand"
Mrs. Meredith was Miss Demorest's
niece and Reuben Gray her nephew.
The two were brother and sister and
the nearest akin TO the dead woman.
favorite nephew, who was to have been
the heir had he not displeased his aunt
by marrying against her will girl of
obscure parentage-"a pauper," Miss
Demorest called her.
Harold Vane had died some years
back, closely followed by his wife, and
the one daughter, Margaret, was left
alone in the world and utterly penni-
less.
Mrs. Meredith had taken her-for the
old aunt had remained obdurste-and
she was now serving in the capacity of
maid to her beautiful cousin Maude.
p. Margie Vane was not present at the
reading of the will. Mrs. Meredith con-
sidered it unnecessary, and Margie her
self had not the faintest hope of being
remembered kindly by her fathers
stern old relative. When, therefore,
they returned in anger and disappoint-
ment and gave an account of the word.
ing of the will Margie's hazel eyes
opened wide with wonder.
That afternoon and many ensuing
afternoons Mrs. Meredith, Maude and
Margie walked over to Stony Lodge and
wandered fruitlessly about amid the
treasures of brio a. brac, statuary, books
and rare old china
On one of these occasions Margie met
Will Demorest, cousin several times
removed of her father. He was
frank, handsome young fellow, with
dark blue eyes and close, curling, fair
hair. His was the genuine Demorest
face the index of Il strong, noble char
acter.
BY occupation he was an artist In
glass s-blowing, having learned the art
in Venice, He had done considerable
work for Miss Demorest, with whom he
wus a prime favorite
$50 you thought you would have
look for the rubies with the rest of u.s."
said Mrs. Meredith, with a sneer, as
she found the young glassblower exam
ining the books in the library one
morning Yet l thought you abhorred
mercenary considerations"
Il AM not in quest of the gems" win
replied, as his eyes rested in unmistak-
able admiration on Margie's fair, sweet
face.
'Humph! hope you don't take me
lOr u luiutlc VI ioOi, WIZ bcluOTeSI,
was the scathing rejoinder.
For neither, assure you," said win,
with bow. "Only at present l am
more interested in pearls than rubics.
Cousin Margie, may show you the
house? believe know it more thor
oughly than most people"
Margie shyly acquiesced, and the two
went off together, leaving Mrs Mere
dith and Maude to continue their search
Are you anxious to find the rubies
also?" asked viii, as they paused in the
china closet TO admire the cut glass.
II have not even looked for them,"
answered Margie, with bright smile.
They are magnificent gems" said
VIII, ''and were never set saw them
ilst once, and they nearly took my
,.,1..th away"