St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1893-12-23
A STRANGE WILL.

A STRANGE WILL
It Brought Fortune and Happiness
to Two Lovers
Yes. she was dead at last-Margarct
Demorest, of Stony Lodge - and the
shock of her demise had shaken Belle
vue from center to circumference For
years her numerous relatives, each
with an eye to the estate. had watched
her movements from q respectful dis
sancc. which she herself had interposed
between them, and their hearts had
grown sick with horc deferred
Heart disease, the doctors said. when
she was found one morning with a
smile OF peace frozen IN her stern and
w;thered features The relatives ac-
septed the verdict with due resigna-
lion. following tho remains of the ''dcar
departed" to their final resting place
amid an ostentatious display OF Grape.
But when the will was read the excite
,rent Of the hoirs-at-law rapidly
asccnded tn fever heat Always ccccn-
eric in life. Miss Demorcst had retained
that cccentricity to the end and woven
IL into her last will and testament
With the exception of a few bequcsts
TO her servants, the whole Of her prop
crty. landed and personal, TO wit:
Stony Lodge, her present residence.
with its beautiful park, which was q
very Eden Of loneliness; Rose Villa, her
winter resort on Lake Helen, Fla. to-
gethcr with splendid house in town
and money to the amount of five hum
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 Dcmorcst
rubies
T. Should the gems remain undiscov-
cred after the lapse Of one year from
the date of death the estate was to bo
sold and home for old maids founded
with the proceeds.
THE old cat!" muttcrcd fashionable
Mrs Meredith. viciously. ''She hid
those rubies herself, the spitcful
thing!"
1T is too provoking!" pouted her
pretty daughter Maude.
Il shall contest the WILL" said thin
Tipped Reuben Gray. 1T cannot
stand"
Mrs. Meredith was Miss Dcmorest's
niece and Reuben Gray her nephew.
Tho two were brother and sister and
the nearest akin to the dead woman.
> Next came Margie Vanc, child Of q
favoritc nephew, who was to have been
the heir had he not displeased his aunt
by marrying against her will girl of
obscure parentsge-"a pauper." Miss
Demorest called her.
Harold Vane had died some years
back. closely followed by his wife. and
the ono daughter, Margaret, was left
alone in the world and utterly penni-
less
!, Mrs. Meredith had taken her-for the
she was now serving in the capacity Of
maid to her beautiful cousin Maudc.
Margie Vane was not present at the
reading Of the will Mrs. Meredith con-
kidercd it unnecessary. and MarGie her
self had not the faintcst hope Of being
remembered kindly by her fathers
stern cid relative. When. therefore.
they returned in anger and disappoint-
mcnt and gave an account of the word
ing of the will Margic's hazel eyes
opened wide with wonder.
That afternoon and many ensuing
afternoons Mrs. Meredith. Maudc and
Margic 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 MarRic met
Will Demorest, . cousin several times
removed of her father. lie was .
frank, handsome young fellow, with
dark blue eyes and close. curling. fair
hair. His was the genuine Dcmorest
face. the index of . strong, noble char.
acter.
By occupation he was an artist In
Glass-blowing. having learned the art
In Venice. He had done considerable
work for Miss Demorcst with whom he
was . prime favoritc.
$50 you Thought you would have .
look for the rubies with the rest Of us"
said MrA Meredith, with Q snecr, ss
she found the young glassblowcr exam
lining tho books in the library ono
morning. 'Yet thought you abhorred
mercenary considerations"
II am not in quest Of the gems. VIII
replied. q his eyes rested in unmistak-
able admiration on Margie's fair. sweet
face.
''Humph! hope you don't take me
for . lunatic or fool, Win Dcmorest"
was the scathing rejoinder.
For neither. assure you. said win.
with bow. only At present ! am
moro interested In pearls than rubiea
Cousin Margie. may ! show you the
house? believe ! know Il more thor.
oughly than most people"
Margie shyly acquiesced. and the two
went Oh together. leaving Mira Mere
dith and Naude to continue their search.
'.Arc you anxious TO find the rubies
also7" aslcd Will. Is they paused in the
china closet to admire the cut glasa
II have not even looked for them,"
answered Aargie. with = bright smile.
They are magnificent gems" said
Wul. and were never set saw them
inst once. and they nearly took my
bseath away.