The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-09-09
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on the Hill This path Edward used 70
travel when returning from theviilage.
"As Aliee's twcuty-hrst birthday
drew near Edward became anxious for
tho wedding, and II was said that when
partially intoxicated he urged Alice 70
set the wedding day year sooner. and
made himself 80 obnoxious that IL was
Eonly her promise 10 her dead father
that prevented positive rejection.
AT length the time drew near for
the important event. just week be-
4 fore Aliccs birthday had dug that
grave by the side Of tho path where
that tall monument stands. l finished
the digging just before night. for the
/ burial was TO take place early the next
forenoon.
"Dnring the night we had a heavy
1 thunder shower, and In the morning
when | came down everything looked
unusually bright ia the clear, morning
sunlight ! came up the path and
started back in astonishment to SEQ .
man lying In the bottom Of the grave.
ON close examination Il proved TO DO
EdwaId-doad. lie had probably wan
dered aside from the path in the dark
ness, and, falling. his head had struck
the opposite side Of the grave, break
ing his neck.
~ hurried down to the village for
help, and there found great excite
ment prevailing Squire Edmund's
mansion had been struck by lightning
the night before, and both the old gem
tleman and his invalid wife had been
killed. One chimney was demolished
and the end 81 the mansion badly shat
tered, but no fire was discovered.
''We carried Edward home, and tho
three bodies lay IN state till the day Of
the funeral, when NIL were buried In
the lot over there on the hill
AT the funeral Alice wus accom-
panied by iine-loolsing young man
who was q stranger 70 all the towna-
people Many conjecturcs were made
as 70 who this stranger might be, a.
pecially as he rode homc with Alice ii
the Edmunds cnrriagc.
"rhc next day after tho funeral
Alice received n note from the law-
yer summoning her to call at his ofiico.
Good morning, Miss Edmunds,
Aaid Lawyer Atwood, as Alice ap-
pcnrcd lii answer to his summons: Il
beg pardon for intruding In the midst
Of your sorrow; but there Is matter
of business which must DO attended TO
very soon. believe your twcntyAhrst
birthday will occur next Monday, will
| Ii not?',
"'Yes, STR 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 family9
i do, Alice replied
Now, continued the Lawyer, your
Uncle Roberts win provided that Ed
ward shall inherit all his fathers prop
erty at tho age Of twenty-one. In case
| he died before that age II should come
into your possession on your twenty.
first birthday. That gives your uncle's.
half of all the property to you next
Monday, But your fathers share
stands In q peculiar manner. In case
Of your death before the age Of twenty
one it was to 60 to Edward; that part
of the will is clear; but knowing that
the objection to the union was ali ON
your part, and wishing to malSe this
union sure, your father intended 70
make provisions TINT II you passed your
twenty first birthday without marry
ing Edward the property should pass
into his hands OF all this you ara.
aware, but your father also willed that
at Edwards death your portion Of the
property which he had inherited should
go TO the town TO found hospital ana
public library.
According to these provisions you
would inherit your unclc's part OF the
property next Monday and your fathers
part would 20 to tho town.
Here the lawyer hcsitated moment
and then continued:
don't like this way Of foSeinR
young people 70 marry against tLefr
will, and don't think promise wruny
from one at such time as your promise
was made should be binding. | have
studied your fathers will carefully.
and find that the language used in tho
document leaves, by technicality, one
chance for you to acquire the whole
property.
The will provides that il you pass
your twenty-drst birthday without
marrying the property shall 10 to your
cousin Now, by slight oversight, IL
does not specify whom you shall
marry
And with q pleasant good morning.
the lawyer bowed Miss Alice out.
''The next Sunday there was Quiet
wedding at the mansion on the bill, and
II then transpired that the young
stranger was Richard Trescott, Jr.
And 50 the property was kept to-
gether, and Richard and Alice livedin
the old house surrounded by a family
Of boys and girls.
Here the sexton paused and appeared
wrapped In memory. At length / broke
his reverie with the question:
And SO the new grave Is for Aliceqs
"Ycs," he answered, sfor Alice; dear
Alice. II was her last request Of me
that should dig her grave MYSELF
And what became Of the gardener2's
! asked.
''ohl yes, yes, the gardener. Z he said.
as X ne but half understood my qnes-
ton. And then rousing himself, he
said: THE gardener; well. you see
Richard went to college and then my
wife died, and couldn't bear to be
alone, and SO Came back and became
sexton Of the town. Here could be
near the old home, and Alice always
came TO see me often. and my life was
happy, until Richard came to live ii