Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1894-10-19
MisctlLamenMs.
MARCHHARE'S WILL.

If there hadn't been touch Of
well, to put it mildly--a touch of eccen-
tricity about old John Marchhare. he
would hardly have made such n will.
Several years before, the vessel in
which he was returning from the West
Indies went down at sea, with nearly
all on board John Marchhare was
picked up by one of the boats, clinging
to little girl--a mere child-whose
life he had saved, while her relatives
and all who knew her were among the
lost.
From the little stranger thus thrown
upon his care he did not turn away
She was too young to give any account
of her parents or family; and all sub
sequent efforts to discover her kindred
or whence she came proving fruitless,
John Marchhare adopted her and took
her to his home and heart
Having neither wife nor child, he felt
free to do as he would with his hand
some fortune; and it pleased him that
it should go to his adopted daughter
provided. his will, that if my said
adopted daughter should marry during
the lifetime of my brother, Edward
Marchhare, whom | hereby constitute
her guardian, without the approval Of
my said brother, the foregoing requests
aud devises shall become void, ind my
whole estate shall go to my said brother. "
This was an eccentric will (; but we
have already said John Marchhare was
an eccentric man. 1t is easy to see that
it left to Alice Marcbharc, as she was
called, the threefold choice Of accepting
husband of her GUARDIANS selection. of
remaining single during his lifetime, or
of FORGETTING her fortune That it was
thus made the interest of Edward March
hare to oppose any match that be offered
to Alice was a point that probably did
not occur to the testator, or, more likely
still, he knew his brother better than to
suspect that sordid motives would ever
sway him in fulfilling a trust committed
to his conscience.
Alice had barely reached womanhood
when her benefactor died but when it
was known how John Marchharo's will
read, and the power it gave his brother,
sutors fairly swarmed about the young
lady and her guardian, and it is hard to
tell to which they were the most obse-
quious
George Preston had not waited for
the publication of John Marchhnre's
will as tho signal for falling in love
with Alice, az several others had done,
in spite Of her beauty The truth is,
he had been in that state as far back as
he could remember. And Alice, az we
may as we'll let the reader know, had
always liked George
But when George Preston asked Mr..
Edward Marchhare's permission to ten
der his hand to Alice, the old gentle
man shook his head.
"Havc you home to offer her 2" he
asked cor means to support her p he
added, before George, IN his confusion,
could find an answer.
Perhaps" he continued, giving the
young man no time to recover himself -
"pcrbaps you think Aice's fortune sufIi-
cient for both. Now, whether she shall
have one or not
"Is question | have never stopped
to ask" broke in George Indignantly.
whether she shall have a fortune
or not" said Mr. Marchbare, disregard
ing the interruption, "dopends on her
not marrying in my lifetime in opposi-
ton TO my wishes and | shall certainly
never wish to see her welded to a man
willing to be dependent for living on
the bounty Of his wife"
"You must mistake me, cried George,
with flushed face, "if you rank me in
that class have strength and en-
ergy"-
'But as yet they are uDtried," said
Alice's guardian, without waiting fol
him to finish. al am willing 10 put
you to the tost, however Return in
three years the possessor Of 81 900
saved from your own earnings, and il
Alice then consents to hear your offer
shall not oppose it,"
Georges face frightened A mucl
seVerer ordeal would not have daunteC
him. And when he took leave Of Alice
though there was no formal plighting o
/ troth between them, he had no misgiv
ing lest the end Of three years shoult
not find her faithfully waiting his return
The allotted time had nearly gone b.