Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1895-06-14
THE FAIRY FIDDLER.
AN UNSIGNED WILL.

The doctor opened the creaking wood
EN- gate. 1t was half past 8 on a clear
frosty winter night, and be was five
miles from home, and cold and hungry.
"How is she?" he said to the gaunt,
grim old woman who opened the door.
II don't know. Better see yourself.
I'm no DOCTOR" was the rough reply.
The room was low and mean, but the
woman who lay on the bed struggling
with death had a coquettish air that
FLASHED with her age. Perhaps it came
from the real lace on her nightcap, per-
haps from the valenciennes that encir-
cled her shriveled brown throat, or
maybe the golden fringe, which, too
Young for the shrunl1en face, gave it to
her
"Amaryllis, said the surly woman,
there's the doctor.
The humble country practitioner step
ped forward, and even i'll the dim lamp
light could be seen the flannel cuffs,
hiatus of gray stocking between old
trousers and clumsy boots. frayed linen
twofold collar, silver watch chain and
greasy, ready made tie that betrayed the
small local practice.
"Amaryllis, wake up, wake up. Doc
tors here. God knows you've called
enough for him. !"
The woman on the bed, whose name
seemed jest, opened her heavy, vague
eyes, coughed family and groaned.
SIS it DR.. Watson, Janet?' she asked.
"Of counsel There's none other for
miles," was the testy reply.
DR.. Watson went through the orthodox
farce Of feeling pulse and taking temper
allure, but saw at glance that she was
at the last whirl in her dance of death.
elias she made her will?" he asked
softly.
However, Amaryllis caught the words,
and in a cracked scream of excitement
said:
"That's it. That's it, Doctor I want
to make a will I can't die easy. Janet,
get him pen and ink. %
"It's nonsense, DOCTOR" said Janet.
"Let her die in peace. She need make
no will-she's no kith nor kin but me,
her sister. -
"Put the pillow under my head, both
pillows, called the patient. ''I'm chok-
ing! Yes, that's it. Now, doctor, for
Gods mercy do what ask-Janet will
let me-or can't die easy. -
Janet's face grew black with anger.
"She's not fit to make a will, and
I'm all she has in the world,' said She
"Listen, listen, doctor! I'm in my
mind; I can't die easy. It's short
enough-e3, GOO and the cottage to
Janet, the rest to Charles Hartford, now
on the training ship, the Monarch.
The doctor took out stylographic
pen and picked up from the fender an
old letter, on only one side Of which
there was writing.
"Stop, stopr' said Janet. ''She's mad.
There's no such person. Ask her who
he is. -
"God forgive me" groaned Amaryl-
lis. "I'll die happier if some one knows.
I've been wicked woman"
The doctor sprinkled some eau de
cologne on her head from a curious old
silver bottle that stood on chair by the
bedside and gave her something to drink
out of a medicine bottle. Then with
desperate energy the old woman told
her story, despite the efforts of death to
check her speech.
Father and mother We're cruel, good
people, and Twas blithe young woman
that hated church and psalms and dull
Sunday books, SO when he came, Frank
Hartford, the handsome sailor, he had
my heart for the asking. They would
none of his addresses, for he wasn't. a
God fearing man, they said, SO off we
went with no blessing from parson, but
curse from father. 1t lasted for ten
years we'll enough. had little house
not in cold Norfolk, but here in this
village, and he passed as my brother
when on land, for he was most while at
sea. However, the time came. Twas
older than he by some years and fretted
for his absence-yes, and drank bit
so he grew tired, but didn't break with
me, was afraid to, think-God knows
why Then her face caught him
Mary's, the coast guardsman' daughter.
He kept it from me, but the village Cos
siped. He meant to marry her and cast
me off. How I hated her, poor thing I
huGW Hill w Ci1 CllOuS5ll ltldtlSOIlO uOfII
He'd have married her because he
thought nc other way would do, and I
vowed he should not marry her nor any
but ne, and me he wouldn It. I asked
her to the house, and he courted her be
fore my face and thought me blind
fool
"One night, his birthday, had her
xo c,ss,1,oy, an1 rot do.x,n f,o,,, London
some champagne. She was to stay the
might, home was so far off and the
weather rough. The little fool, the lit
tie ignorant fool, believed that the
chanpagne-never before seen in our
yillage--was only fine cider and drank
her share, and he was boisterous at the
Jest. Then went out on a pretext, say
ing I'd be back in an hour. The next
day she ran away with him. Confound
hefs I never saw him again.
At this point Amaryllis seemed to
break down, bat after doing for few
minutes she continued in faint voice:
''He left her soon enough and went
to sea, leaving her and the baby to shift
as they might. Me he dropped after that
night Wed a fearful quarrel, for hs
guessed that I'd schemed it all. Five
years later he wrote, said he had found
God aud married ricia woman and
wanted to make amends He'd always
kept me well enough, for his father Left
him e3 900 and this eottage-he'd set
tied IL On me- He sent me e5ee for her
and her child and begged me to LOOK
after them. ! did sure enough, for
still hated her. found she was in Lon
don, SO sent her just enough to keep
her going, for wanted her to live the
crnel life, which, as I expected, she had
come 10 lead. Year by year he sent me
money, till last gear, when letter
came to say he was dead. 7 kept nearly
all Of the money, and when, two years
ago, she died, sent no more, but hsld
the child watched, and he's Charles
Hartford on the Monarch. And, doctor,
since I've been i'll and seen the parson 1
feel can't die without doing right, SO
make the will, for love O. Godi''
The doctor began to write.
''Sis0n. - said Janet zzrs,a d4,ri7,o 4hA