Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1893-04-07
MisCtllanenMs.
PAUL RAYNE'S ESTATE.

"a pretty place Well, yes, | flatter
myself it is pretty place now, You are
wondering why | should take any credit
to myself about it, but explaining that
involves the story promised You"
Mr. Montgomery settled himself more
comfortably 10 his arm chair, and his
companion said:
"Ah yes. The romantic story of
the Rayne estate | have not forgotten
that promise"
Eyes Odd genius, Rayne We
went to college together and we're good
friends When he went abroad, after
his father died. he gave me charge Of all
his affairs, for he was wealthy. The
house and grounds we passed this morn
ing are a part Of the estate, the house
one Of the oldest in the country There
are some bits of English furniture there,
brought over before the Revolution, that
would make collectors mouth water.
IL was an oldfashioned place when Paul
Rayne's father died, and as Paul had u
handsome house in Philadelphia and a
large income, it was not surprising that
he did not care to bury himself at Poole
vile. But he married, and lost his wife
and two children with malignant fever
Then he came back to the old place lie
was not alone. Herman Rayne, the son
of his brother, long dead, came with
him, aud also his wife's sister, terrible
cripple, whose mind was enfeebled and
body mutilated by a fall.
"Not TO weary you too much with de-
tails, this was the family ten years ago,
when Paul Raync died Paul himself,
Miss Henderson. the crippled sister-in-
law, Mrs. Clifford, the bousekeeper, two
servants, and last, but far from least,
Lottie Henderson, an orphan niece of
the late Mrs. Rayne Herman was in
Paris, finishing bis medical studies.
"For years before his death Paul
Rayne was a recluse, student from love
of knowledge for its own sake. lie
wrote no books, sought no opportunity
to share what he learned, and seemed TO
have no interest in life outside of his
home But in that home he made il
one aim of his monotonous existence to
train Lottie in intellectual pursuits.
Bless my life can see that baby now.
before she was seven years old, sitting
at the great library table studying Latin
grammar. She would slip away when
| engaged her uncle in con versation,
and the next time | saw her she would
be rolling pie-crust for Mrs. Clifford, or
knitting socks on the porch.
She was the loveliest little creature |
ever knew, and Paul Rayne loved her
as il she had been his own child. Yet,
with the strange fatality 80 often met 10
my profession, be kept putting of and
putting of making q new will and leav-
ing her independent. He often talked
of it.
"'Of course | want Lottie to marry
Herman he would say, but | shall
not make any conditions. ! will leave
her this house aud $50, 900, and poor
Clary'-that was Miss Henderson,
must have life income out Of the
estate."
but one morning, when Lottic was
only 10, Paul RayDe was found dead 10
his study chair, and the only will 10 ex-
istence was an old one, made before Lot
tie came to Pooleville, leaving every
thing TO Herman Rayne
81 suppose | must 90 away" the poor
child, Lottic, said TO me, after the
funeral.
"Wait until | hear from Paris"
said for | hoped Herman Rayne would
carry out bis uncle's intentions. lie
was a wealthy man from bis fathers
share Of the Rayne property, and |
hoped be would not let Miss IIender-
son or Lottie suffer for his unclc's neg
lect."
81 shall not live at Poolevllle," bc
wrote, and certainly should not deprive
Miss Henderson Of home Will not
Lottie stay, as her companion, at any
salary you think right ?"
"Lottie, as said, was we'll pleased "a
stay; but you must let me explain my
own regrets. At eighteen Lottie was
beautiful, a pure blonde, tall, graceful
and refined TO the very tips of her arts
tocratic little fingers. For years thu
loving pupil Of devoted teacher, bel
requirements we're very masculine, bu
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