The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-06-17

cemetery. where that drifemnr Ia ~
this made q abort route from he vi.
Iagc below 70 the Edmunas msnsion,
on the hill This path Edward ned y
travel WHEN returning from ne village.
"As Aliccss twenty-frst bsrthdax
drew near Edward became anxious "a
the wedding. and Il was said that rfeu
partially intoxicated he urged Alice 10
set the wedding day q year sooner ana
made himself - obnoxious thai Il was
only her promlse 10 her dead father
that prevented Z positive rc3eotka.
a. length the limo drcp near for
The Important event Just : week b.
fore Aliec's birthday had Dug that
grave ~ the side Of ilse path where
that tail monument stands Rnished
the digging just before night for the
burial was . take place early Tho nexs
forenoon
During The night we had heavy
thunder shower. and IN the morning
when came dOwn evcrythinxtiooked
unusually bright "a the clear. 8nornlnq
sunlight ] came up the Yah and
started back IN astonishsnesst 10 zee 4
man lying III the bctsoFn<5f the rrnvA
On close, examination III proved n 30
Edward dead He afg probably van.
dered aside from thS<pa,h IN the dark
ness and, falling. BIZ head had struck
The opposite side/bf the gravc. break.
ing his mock
y hurried faown 70 the Village s6r
help; and tHcre found great excite
mens prevailing. Squire EdmHnd.s
mansion kad been struck BY lightning
shr niRbs before. and both the old gen.
tieMap and his invalid wife had been
Killed. Ono chimney was demolished
isnd the end 81 the mansion badly shat
tered, but no fra was discovered
Wv carried Edward home. and the
three bodies lay insksate TIL the dag n
the funeral. when alI were buried In
the lot overthere on the hill
AT the funeral Alice yas accom-.
panied ~ a fine.looking young man
who was stranger 70 all towns
people, Many con lectures were made
~ e who this stranger might 81. a.
pecially as ho rode home with Alice Id
the Edmunds carriage
The next day after the funeral
Allies received a note from the law.
yer summoning her 10 call az Ills Office.
Good morning, Miss Edmunds,,
said Lawyer Atwood. as Alice az.
pearegd Ia answer to has summons: X
beg pardon for intritding III The rniiss
OF -FOUR sorrow; but there Is matter
Of business which must 10 attended 10
very soon believe ynur tn rity-ffrst
birthday Will occur next Monday. viii
Il not2,
Hes, sir, answered Alice.
And ! suppose northumberland that
the desire Of both yotr father and yonr
uncle was that youand your cousin Ed.
ward should be. married, and 81, keep
the property in the fanflyg
DC. Alice replied
Now continued the lawyer your
Uncle Roberts WIN proyides That Ed-
ward shall inherit MI his fathers prom
erty at the hge Of twEnty-one. III case
he died before that age ii should como
into your possession on your twenty.
first birthday. Chat gives your unclc,s
half ~ all the property 10 Won next
Monday, huk your fathers share
stands In i peculiar manner In ease
Of yonr death before the aye 81 twenty.
one u was 10 no to Edward; TINT part
o. the viii Is cleari but knowing that
the objection TO tho union was all ON
your part, and wishing to make this
union sure. your father intended ID
make provisions that II You passed youy
twenty-flrst birthday without rnarry-
ing Edward the property should pass
into his hands Of all this you arc
aware, but your father also willed that
at Edwards death your portion OF the
property which he had inherited should
60 70 the town to found a hospital and
public library.
According to these provisions Won
would inherit your nnele's part Of the
property next Monday and your fathers
part would 70 TO the town
Here the lawyer hesitated moment
and then continued:
don't like this WAY Of forc,ng
young people 70 marry against their
viii. and don't think promise wrnno
from one at such q time as your promise
was made should be binding. have
studied your fathers win carefully.
and find that the language used in the
document leaves, by a technieaiity. one
chance for you to acquire tho whole
property.
ne viii provides that il you pass
your twenty drst birthday without
marrying the property shall 20 To your
cousin. Nov. byNa slight oversight II
does not specify whom you shall
marry.
And with pleasant good inorninr,
the lawyer bowed Missektiec out
The next Sunday there was oa,ct
wedding at the mansion on the hin. ana
II then tsanspired that the Young
stranger was Richard Prescott, .Jr.
And SO the property was l..pt 10
gethcr, and Richard and Alice lived IL
the old house surrounded by family
Of boys and girls Y
Here the sexton paused and appeared
wrapped In memory. At length i broho
bis reverie with the question:
And IS the new grave ii f9r Aliee2.,
Yes he answered .for Alice. dear
Alice. Il was her last reqaest of me
that ] should dig her grave rayself.''
And Whist became III tic tssrdener9,.
asked
Oh yes. yes, the gardener. Ia Said,
Is II he but half understood nv ones-
lion. And then roussng himself IA
said The gardener. well, Won see
Richard went % college and then my
wife died, and couldn't bear to b |
alone. and SO came back and became