The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-09-22


''As Alfce's twcnty-frst birthday
drew near Edward became anxious for
the wedding. and Il was said that when
partially intoxicated he urged Alice %
set the wedding day year sooner, and
made himself so obnoxious that IL was
onlyhe promise to her dead father
that prevented positive rejection.
AT length the time drew near for
the important event Just week be-
fore Alice's birthday had dug that
grave ny the side Of the path where
that tai monument stands. ! finished
the digging just before night, for the
burial was TO take place early the next
forenoon.
During the night we had heavy
thunder shower, and Ia the morning
when ! came down everything looked
unusually bright in tile clear, morning
sunlight came up the path and
started back in establishment 10 see
man lying in the bottom Of the grave.
On close examination Il proved TO be
Edward dead lie had probably wan
dered aside from the path in the dark
ness. aud, falling, his head had struck
the opposite side Of the grave, break
ing his neck.
II hurried down to the village for
help; and there-I found great excite
ment prevailing. Squire Edmund's
mansion bad been struck by lightning
the night before, and both the old gem
tlcman and his invalid wife had been
killed. One chimney was demolished
and the end OF the mansion badly shat
tered, but no fire was discovered
1--WE carried Edward home, and the
three bodies lay In state till the day Of
the funeral, when all were buried in
the lot over there on the hill
AT the funeral Alice was accom-
panied by a 6ne-looking young man
who was a stronger 70 all the towns
people. Many conjccturcs were made
as TO who this stranger might be, cs-
pecially as he rode home, with Alice In
the Edmunds carriage.
THE next day after the funeral
Alice received note from the law
yer summoning her TO call at his office.
Good morning, Miss Edmunds,'
said Lawyer Atwood, as Alice APP
peared in answer to his summons: i
beg pardon for intruding In the midst
Of your sorrow; but there Is n matter
Of business which must be attended to
very soon. believe your twenty first
birthday will occur next Monday, win
1t not2''
Yes, sir, answered Alice.
"'And suppose you understand that
the desire Of both your father and your
uncle was that you and your cousin Ed
ward should be married, and so keep
the property in the fnmily?'
i do Alice replied.
Now continued the lawyer, your
Uncle Roberts will provides that Ed
ward shall inherit all his fathers prop
erty at the age OF twenty-one, In case
he died before that age 1t should como
into your possession on your twenty
first birthday. That gives your nncle's
hay Of all the property to you next
Midday. But your fathers share
| st;Hhds in peculiar manner In case
] 5ofAA,ur death before the age Of twenty
o9e II was to go to Edward; that part
4 " the will is clear; but knowing that
the objection to the union was all on
your part, and wishing to make this
union sure, your father intended to
make provisions that If you passed your
twcnty-hrst birthday without marry
Ing Edward the property should pass
| into his hands OF all this you are
aware, but your father also willed that
at Edwards death your portion Of the
/ property which he had inherited should
| so 70 the town TO found a hospital and
4 a public library.
According TO these provisions. you
would inherit your uncle's part Of the
property next Monday and your fathers
part would go to the town.
Here the lawyer hesitated moment
and then continued:
81 don't like this way OF forcing
Iiyouug people TO marry against their
will, and don't think d promise wrung
from one at such a time as your promise
was made should be binding have
studied your fathers win carefully,
i document leaves. by technicality, one
chance for you 70 acquire the whole
property.
" The will provides that il you pass
/ your twenty first birthday without
marrying" the property shall go to your
cousin, Now, BY slight oversight, it
docs not specify whom you shall
i marry
And with a pleasant good morning
the lawyer bowed Miss Alice out.
"lle next Sunday there was Il quiet
wedding at the mansion on the hill, and
it then transpircd that the young
stranger was Richard Prescott, Jr
And SO the property was kept to-
gether, and Richard and Alice lived iu
the old house surrounded by family
Of boys and girls,
4 Here the sexton paused and appeared
i wrapped in memory At length broke
his reverie with the question:
Il And SO the new grave is for Ahce?"
4 Yes" he answered, ''for Alice; dear
i Alice. Z II was her last request of me
that should dig her grave myself
And what became of the gardener?n
asked
i 'f1hi ges,yes, the gardener, /" he said,
as II ne but half understood my qucs-
4 ton And then\ rousing himself, he
1 said: The gardener; wen, you see
Richard went to college and then my
wife died, and couldn't bear to be
4 alone, and so came back and became
i sexton Of the town. Here | coa1d be
near the old home, and Alice always
1 came to see me often, and my life was
happy, until Richard came to live in
the old mansion and could call Alice
kdanghter, and then had the old house