The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1893-11-11
A STRANGE WILL.
It Brought Fortune and Happiness
to Two Lovers.

1t Brought Fortune and Happiness
to Two Lovers
Yes, she was dead at margaret
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 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
withered 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 heirs-at-law rapidly
ascended to fever heat Always eccen-
trio in life, Miss Demorest had retained
that eccentricity to the end and woven
it into her last will and testament
With the exception of few requests
to her servants, the whole of her prop
erty. landed and personal, to wit:
Stony Lodge, her present residence,
with it's beautiful park, which was a
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 a home for old maids founded
with the proceeds.
1.-THE old cat!" muttered fashionable
Mrs Meredith. viciously. ''She hid
those rubies herself, the spiteful
thingl"
1T is too proyoking!" pouted her
pretty daughter Maude.
II shall contest the will, said thin
Tipped Reuben tray. Ut 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
Next came Margie Vane, child of
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
,he one daughter, Margaret, was left
alone in the world and utterly penni-
ess.
Mrs. Meredith had taken her-for the
I'D aunt had remained obdurate-and
he was now serving in the capacity of
maid to her beautiful cousin Maude
Margie Vane was not present at the
eading of the will Mrs. Meredith con-
idered it unnecessary, and Margie her
elf had not the faintest hope of being
kindly by her fathers
tern old relative. When. therefore, ,
hey returned in anger and disappoint- .
lent and gave an account of the word
ng of the will Margies hazel eyes
pened wide with wonder.
That afternoon and many ensuing !
fternoons Mrs. Meredith, Maude and 7
largie walked over to Stony Lodge and
'andered fruitlessly about amid the :
-easures of bric-n- brac. statuary, books '
nd rare old china.
On one of these occasions Margie met
I'LL Demorest cousin several times
,moved of her father. He was s
'ank, handsome young fellow, with v
ark blue eyes and close, curling, fair
air. His was the genuine Demorest
zee, the index of a strong, noJlc char
tier. +.
By occupation he was an artist in Il
ss-blowing, having learned the art "
Venice. He had done considerable O
ork for Miss Demorest, with whom he h
as prime favorite. @,
$50 you thought you would have q e;
ok for the rubies with the rest of u.s. b
id Mrs Meredith, with n sneer, as h
e found the young glassblower exam Il
ing the books in the library one :.
orning. 'Yet thought you abhorred
srcenary considerations &C
Il am not in quest of the gems, +" Will DC
piled, as his eyes rested in unmistals- kl
lie admiration on Margie's fair, sweet
e.
Humphl hope you don't take nue. bs
lunatic or fool, VIII Demorest,r an