Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-06-29
AN UNSIGNED WILL.

miles from home, and cold and hungry.
"How is she?" he said to the gaunt,
grim, old woman who opened the door.
~ don't know. Better see yourself.
Tn no doctor, was the rough reply.
The room was low and mean, hut the
woman who lay on the bed struggling
with death had coquettish air that
clashed 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, OF
maybe the golden fringe, which, toe
young for the sbrunken face, gave it to
her
"Amaryllis," said the surly woman,
there's the doctor"
The humble country practitioner STEP
ped forward, and even in 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.
is it DIR. Watson, Janet?" she asked.
"Of course! 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.
"Has she made her will?" he asked
softly.
However, Amaryllis caught the words,
and in cracked scream of excitement
said:
"That's it. That's it, doctor. I want
to make will. can't die easy. Janet,
get him pen and ink. -
cts 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 tho patient. "I'm chok-
ing Yes, that's it. Now, doctor, for
Gods mercy do what I ask-Janet will
let me-or I can't die easy"
Janet's face grew black with anger.
"She's not fit to make 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, 900 and the cottage to
Janet, the rest to Charles Hartford, now
on the training ship, the Monarch. F."
The doctor took out a stylographic
pen and picked up from the fender an
old letter, on only one side Of which
there was writing.
"Stop, stopp' said Janet. "She's mad
There's no such person. Ask her who
he u.s."
"God forgive me-" groaned Amaryl-
lis. "1'll die happier if some one knows
I've been wicked woman.
The doctor sprinkled some eau dc
cologne on her head from 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 were cruel, good
people, and I was blithe young woman
that hated church and psalms and dull
Sunday books, SO when he came, Frank
Hoyf thn 1,o loS1
my heart for the asking. They would
none Of his addresses, for he wasn't .
God fearing man, they said, SO off we
went with no blessing from parson, but
q curse from father. 1t lasted for ten
years we'll enough. I 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. was
older than he by some years and fretted
for his absence-yes, and drank q bit
80 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's daughter.
He kept it from me, but the village Cos
siped. He meant to marry her and cast
me off. How hated her, poor thingl I
knew him we'll enough, handsome DEVIL
He'd have married her because he
thought no other way would do, and
vowed he should not marry her nor any
but me, and me he wouldn't. I asked
her to the house, and he courted her be-
fore my face and thought me blind
fool.
Zone night, his birthday, had her
to supper and got down from London
some champagne. She was to stay the
night, home was so far off and the
weather rough, The little fool, the lit
tie ignorant fool, believed that the
ohampagne-never before seen in our
village-was only fine cider and drank
her share, and he was boisterous at the
Jest. Then went out on q pretext, say
ing I'd be back in an hour. The next
day she ran away with him. Confound
her! never saw him again. y
At this point Amaryllis seemed to
break down, but after DOING for a few
minutes she continued in faint voice:
HE left her soon enough and went |
to sea, leaving her and the baby to shift |
az they might. Me no dropped after that |
night. We'd fearful quarrel, for he |
guessed that I'd schemed it all. Five
years later he wrote, said he had found |
God and married q rich woman and |
wanted to make amends He'd always
kept me we'll enough, for his father lefl
him es, 900 and this cottage he'd -