Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1895-05-23
CHAPTER VII

| CHAPTER VII
1t seemed good to Wiley Amerson,
| instead of waiting the twelve months
| allowed by law, to pay over to his
brother now the money bequeathed to
| him. Besides, he wished to express
his qualification that so considerable
portion of land belonging to the es-
tate did not pass by the will, and to
offer that his brother, if he chose,
might have the greater share of it.
He was moved to this partly because
he had heard of no complaint on Gull
lens part and no threat, and partly for
another reason which he hugged close
| " within his breast. So one day,
while returning from the plantation
beyond, he stopped at Cullen's place,
and went in. armed wstaAtwenty one
hundred dollar bills. Hannah, who
now at twenty-one was prettier than
ever before, and looked as young as
when she was a girl, received him with
accustomed cordiality, and at once
dispatched a messenger for her hus-
band, who was with the hands in one
of his fields.
"You needn't have been in hurry
to send for Cullen, Hannah. You do
look so well. I declare I wish Julia
could keep young like you ds"
THANK you, brother Wiley. | am,
and almost always keep, very well.
1 often wish Sister Julia could have
some of the health which have more
than enough. How is she to-day?"
"Only $3.50. She doesn't complain
much; but since fathers death she's
taken on more than I think she ought.
I stopped to-day to turn over to Cullen
the money father left him. | thought
I'd just as well do that now as wait. Be
sides, wanted to tell him of some al
lowances was willing to make him. 1
just declare, you look-why, you look
6rst-rate, Hannah"
Cullen will be here presently"
"Yes," he said, with languor indie
ative of town manners. They chatted
on Indifferent themes until Cullen
came. The older brother partially con-
cealed his embarrassment as he looked
upon that picture of health and honest
rural simplicity.
"How do, brother?'' said Cullen, in
his usual way, but without extending
his hand. Not seeming to notice the
omission, Wiley said:
II came out to look after things on
the place up the road before turning it
over to you, as made up my mind to
do. Then l wanted to hand you the
two thousand dollars which l suppose
you know father left you"
Cullen looked at Hannah, and she re-
tired from the room. Then he said:
"You can keep the money, brother.
Except this place and what is on it,
which father had given me before he
died, won't take anything by his will.
AS it seems he saw fit to prefer you so
far above me, you may have all that he
left. He said to me more than once
during his last sickness that he had in
tended to make n will, but that you
had advised against it. don't know
if he had forgotten that he had made
one already. suppose you CO."
I'm sorry, Cullen, but / couldn't
help fathers preferences"
"Of course not. never expected you
even to try to do it. You were too duti-
full a son for such as that"
81 don't understand such talk, Gull
len"
"Then I'll explain. I don't like to
talk to a man in my own house as
plain as I'm going to do now. You've
been hurting me in one way and an
other ever since | was child. | have
let you do it for reasons you couldn't
understand, and wouldn't care for if
you could. But father is away now,
and am thankful that before he died
7 - - -, fpno
tions to which, at least equally with
you, / was entitled How he came to
forget making such a will don't know.
/ don't doubt you do. If I believed
that his wish was for you to have near
all his estate l would submit to your
having it and enjoying it to the fill of
such satisfaction as may be in such
things. But l do not so believe. l
feel entirely convinced that after that
temporary estrangement, which was
your doing, 1t was not his wish; and,
If he hadn't been deluded by you in
some way, he would have made an
equal partition of his property between
us. 1 won't take your two thousand
dollars which your good luck makes
you ready to pay so long before it's
uues anu L nOblIy YOU IidG hOW, SlHCc
none of our family are left but you and
me, shall have nothing to do with
you except this: l have retained Arthnr
Dabney to look after any possible in
terest 1 may have in fathers estate
outside of what his will provided for.
If he finds any such it will be prose-
cuted just the same as"
THAT" Wiley interrupted, will be
entirely unnecessary, my dear brother;
for"
"Oh! the devill Yonder is your
horse"
He turned away as Wiley left the
house.
"Oh! my dear Cullen" said Hannah,
who in another room had heard all; 81
don't think I'd have been so rough
with brother"
"You don't understand him, Hannah;
not at all. He's lost to all honor, let
alone natural affection. Don't say any
more to me now"