The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-07-28

4
on the hill This path Edward used 10
travel when returning from the village.
AS Alicc's twenty-drst birthday
drew near Edward became anxious for
the wedding, and Il was suid that when
/ partially Intoxicated he urged Alice 10
set the wedding day year sooner. and
made himself SO obnoxious that il was
only her promise to her dead father
that prevented a positive rejection
AT length the time drew ncnr for
the important event Just week be.
fore Alice's birthday ! had dug that
grave ~ the side Of the path where
that tai monument stands finished
the digging Just before night. for tho
burial was 70 take place early the next
/ forenoon.
During the night We had a heavy
/ thunder shower. and In the morning
when came down everything looked
| unusually bright 10 the clear, morning
sunlight camc up the path and
started back In astonishmcnt TO SEQ q
man lying in the bottom OF the grave.
On close examination IL proved To DO
Edwaid-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
I ing his neck.
II hurried down TO the village for
help; and there found great excito-
ment prevailing. Squire Edmund's
mansion had been struck by lightning
the night before, and both the old gen.
tleman and his invalid wife had been
killed. One chimney WINS 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 barred In
the lot over there on the hill
AT the funeral Alice was accom-
panied by fpe-looking young man
who was a stranger 10 all the towns.
| people. Many eonjecturcs were made
as to who this stranger might be, es.
pecially Ms he rode home with Alice in
the Edmunds carriage.
The next day after the funeral
Alice received note from the law.
yer snmmoning her to call at his office.
Good morning, Miss Edmunds,'
said Lawyer Atwood, as Alice APP
peared In answer to his summons 4
beg pardon for intruding In the midst
Of your sorrow; but there Is d matter
Of business which must be attended to
very soon. believe your twenty first
birthday win occur next Monday. will
! 1t notp'
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 family2'
81 do, Alice replied
Now, continued the lawyer, ,yonr
Uncle Roberts win provides that I'd
ward shall inherit all his fathers prop
erty ut the age Of twcnty-onc. IN case
he died before that age IL should come
into yonr possession on your twenty.
first birthday. That gives your nncle's
half OF all the property 10 ypn next
Monday. but your fathers share
stands in peculiar manner. In case
of your death before the ngc ~ twenty
ono 1t was To 60 to Edward; That part
Of the will is clear; but knowing that
the objection TO the union was MI on
your part, and wishing TO make this
union sure, your father intended to
make provisions THAT II yon passed your
twenty first brit hday without marry.
Ing Edward tho property should pass
into his hands OF all this yon arc
aware, but your father also willed that
at Edwards death Your portion Of the
| property which he had Inherited should
60 To the town To found hospital aud
| q public library
According to these provisions you
| would inherit your uncle's part Of tho
property next Monday and yourfathcr's
part would go to the town;
Here the lawyer hesitated moment
and then continued:
| j don't like this way Of forcing
young people to marry against their
will, and don't think promise wrnng
from one at such time as your promise
was made should be binding have
studied your fathers will carefully,
and find that the language nscd ia the
document leaves, by technically, one
chance for You to acquire the whole
property,
The will provides that II you pass
your twenty-frst birthday without
marrying the property shall goto your
cousin. Now, by slight oversight, 1t
does not specify whom you shall
marry
And with pleasant good morning
the lawyer bowed Miss Alice out.
THE next Sunday there was a quiet
wedding at the mansion on the hill, and
| II then transpired that the young
stranger was Richard Prescott, Jr
"And so the property was kept to-
gether, and Richard and Alice lived In
the old house surrounded by n fpmily
Of boys and girls
Here the sexton paused and appeared
wrapped in memory At length broke
his reyerie with the question:
"And 50 the new grave is for Alice?"
yes" he answered, .'for Alice; dear
Alice. It was her last request Of me
that should dig her grave myself"
"And what became Of the gardener"
! asked
"Ohl yes, yes, the gardener. he said,
as II he but half understood my ques-
tom And then ronsing himself, he
said: THE gardener; well, you see
Richard went TO college and then my
wife died, and couldn't bear to ~
alone, and so came back ard became
sexton Of the town. Here n could be
near the old home. and Alice always
came to see me often, and my life was
4 I'll. ~ r.