The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1894-12-01

oihCcEc duU HEpOcTlllcSl 10 mOuru 1Ol
his taking off. She went out into the
world the next day and began life
over again, queen of two hands.
Richard Lester, lawyer and poll
~tician, and a rising man. although nc
longer young. sat alone in his private
Office n afternoon, when the door
opened to admit his confidential clerk,
who said:
"a lady to see you, sir" and at the
same time he laid a ch~eap-lonking
card upon the lawyers desk. It read;
MRS. Maurice Dunbar, fashionable
dressmaking, Rose Terrace"
"Why, Claude" exclaimed Mr.. Les
ter, this is the party for whom we ad-
vertised."
"Same party. sir" responded the
clerk. with commendable brevity.
We'll, this is remarkable. But, by
the way, Claude, it was a man, not a
woman, we wanted. What does she
look like?"
widow, sir"
"Show her in"
The next moment a slight figure
dressed in cheap black was ushered
into the room. The lawyer rose to
meet her. He asked. brusqaely:
Are you the widow of Maryice Dun
bar??"
Yes, sir"
Her voice had a peculiar resonance,
acquired through much pain>-the
clear, low sweetness of her hospital
tones attuned to the ear of suffering.
There was nothing suppliant in them
of alms-taking quality, but a woman
illness that touched the tough heart of
the lawyer into sympathetic vibration.
He looked at her with interest, and
excused himself for asking her to
throw aside her long Grape veil. He
found himself staring at a pale, deli
cate face. around which masses of
red-brown hair were heavily crimped.
Her eyes looked into his with the
truthfulness of a child.
Pardon me-" he stammered; then
resuming his coolest exterior demand
ed her credentials.
She showed an aptitude for business
in the promptness with which she pro-
duced her Identification, the account
of her husbands death and other data
Of Importance No point was left I'M
covered. She had come prepared to
to Maurice Dunbar by his uncle, Maui
rice Dunbar, who had lived for the
past twenty years in an inland town
of British North America.
He was not on good terms with any
member of his family excepting
Maurice, who had visited him some
years previous, and in whose favor the
will had been made at hat time.
Had you ever heard your late hus-
band speak of this uncle?" the lawyer
asked, among other questions.
Il have heard him speak of a rela-
tive from whom he had expectations"
answered the widow, guardedly, and
he once said that he would be benefit
ed by his death. and that he had the
same name"
The name is a common one, but l
shall probably have other applicants
who will See the advertisement. and
must not make any mistake. The con-
ditions of the bequest are unusual.
Have you any children?"
"No-thank God" answered the
widow, quickly. She felt that she had
reason to be thankful in escaping that
perpetuation of moral obliquity.
in the case of there being children
the money would belong rightfully to
them. The will makes this provision,
but adds further that if there are no
children the widow shall be the next
heir. In the event of death or rema1.
rage, the whole sum reverts to chari-
ty, one particular institution being
named as beneficiary"
Il shall not marry again." asserted
the widow.
Don't be too certain of that" re-
sponded the lawyer, 'ycu are still
young and at" attractive, he was
going to say. but finally concluded,
lat your age it is not an impossibility.
/ will see you again tomorrow. Good
by, madam" and he escorted her to
the door, which he closed after her.
Within a month the money had been
paid to her. and the widow of Maurice
Dunbar, who had put on her first black
in order to appear decorous at the law
yer's Office, moved into a handsome
new house, and began climbing to her
new ideals upon the fateful fragments
of her dead past. She hardly recog-
nized herself in her new role of a sue
cessful woman who had money enough
and to spare. There was no ~frivolity
in her outlay. Her home was a pic
ture of comfort. She looked up a poor
woman who had once assisted her in
her dressunaldpg eHleFprfse4, HndE
her an elaborate pr3er der m6dHk
mourusngShe nadssg1sdtk the waste
placesof many q Hfe5Mith her4oompsss
sionate help, and in making others
happy found her own greatest happi-
ness.
One man came to her for help and
comfort who needed the sunshine of
life and could find it only in her pres
ence. This was Richard Lester, the
successful lawyer. He had met his
fate when he first saw Myra Dunbar
and heard the tones of her womanly
voice, and 10Y he was pleading with
her to marry him, to cast her fortune
into the lap of charity and to receive
tenfold from him. She was afraid to
tempt fate again and put him off. but
he had compelled her to acknowledge
that this love was no imposture, but