Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-08-19


Anson Holbrook, bent on mission of
reconciliation, was numbered among
the passengers.
Through what would seem to be
some special Intervention of Provi-
dence, though perhaps it was but the
natural course of things, Horace Hol-
brooks life was prolonged through
the four days required for Anson's
journey, and he was given strength
enough after his arrival to make the
desired disposition of ali his posses
sions which could not be taken with
him into the world beyond,
His last will and testament was a
verbal one and was far from intricate.
He had not prospered during the last
few years, and after the meeting be-
tween the brothers, which was not an
ELUSIVE one, owing to the swift-coming
death OF the younger, Horace made it
plain in few words that the only leg
acy he had it in his power to bequeath
to any one was his wife, and he unre-
servedly and Internationally turned
her over to his brother Anson to do
with her as he thought best. In view
of all that had passed she was not
particularly welcome acquisition, but
as Horace, having expressed his last
wish on earth, breathed a sigh Of con-
tentment and so contentedly died, he
had no one to demonstrate with against
the summary disposal of such an un-
desirable piece of property, except the
widow herself, and us common hu-
manity forbade his addressing his OBJ
jections to her he accepted the charge
with the best grace possible.
Perhaps if Julia Holbrook had pos
sessed tho spirit aud independence
with which she had been endowed
when her affection for her dead hus-
band led her to marry him in the face
of all difficulties, she would have re-
sented this sudden transfer from one
Holbrook TO another with more bitter.
ness than did Anson, but the trials
that she had undergone had been
many and severe, and the first days of
her widowhood found her in state of
indecision and despondency surpris-
ingly at variance with her former self
reliant character.
She resigned herself into the keep
ing OF her former enemy without n
murmur of dissatisfaction and the
day after the funeral she started un-
der his guardianship for Wintersot.
The very sight of the old home seemed
to bring back touch Of her lost en-
ergy.
81 don't want to burden you any
longer than 1 can help" she said, ner-
yously, TO Anson the evening of their
arrival in Winterset. "rhere are
many things that l can do, and as soon
as have had little rest I'll look
around for position and relieve you
of all responsibility concerning me-"
Again Anson Holbrook's many-sided
disposition had n fierce conflict within
itself and again his better nature con-
quered.
"Pd rather you wouldn't think of
such things yet" he said, kindly.
"Hhere's plenty of time to talk about
that after a while. And if we do come
to the conclusion that you can't be
satisfied unless You are pay ing your
own way think can find something
for you to do in my store, if you don't
mind going in with Inc. I've been
thinking of getting bookkeeper and
accountant fer several weeks and so
far as know you will fill the bill. At
any rate, you can think the matter
over"
She rebelled against the idea at
first, but times were hard and ut its
best Winterset was not q place where
lucrative positions went begging, so
from sheer force of necessity she nc
cepted the proposition. The position
of hookkeeper and confidential clerk
to Anson Holbrook was not difficult
one to fill, so fur as the actual duties
themselves were concerned. His SIS
ter-in-law put more conscientious
thought into her work than employees
arc generally given tho credit OF
doing, and the grocery and general
merchandise trade was looked after
with q scrupulous care that would
have made the concern the happiest,
most prosperous business house in
Winterset had it not been hampered
by that one irremeliabe drawback,
Anson's unreliable temper.
For six months she pat up with his
whims and caprices, meeting all his
carping aud unjust criticism with an
accomplishing meekness which he
wilfully misconstrucd as a studied dis
regard of his wishes, and then came
the threatened eruption of years. Both
were on their mettle, and it was a
wordy warfare on either side. She de-
clared herself unable longer to endure
his intolerable bocrishness, and he
met her accusations with counter
charge OF non. compliance with his
dictates as her employer.
81 ought to have known better than
to como here" sho said at length,
shutting down her desk with bang
and beginning to tie on her viel with
fingers all a-quiver with the angry pas
sion that surged through her. "I've
done my best and I've served you
faithfully, and you can't deny it. But