Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1895-06-06
AN UNSIGNED WILL.

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The doctor opened the creaking wood
en- gate. It was half past ON clear
frosty winter night, and he 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
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, or
maybe the golden fringe, which, too
young for the shrunken face, gave it to
her
"Amaryllis, said the surly woman,
"here'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 DR.. Watson, Janet?" she asked
"Of coursei There's none other for
miles, - was the testy reply.
DR.. Watson went through the orthodox
farce of feeling pulse and taking temper
ature, 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
Its 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-
ingl Yes, that's it. Now, doctor, for
Gods mercy do what I 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, 900 and the cottage to
Janet, the rest to Charles Hartford, now
on the training ship, the Monarch. I"
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 Is. y
"God forgive me.' groaned Amary1-
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 a chair by the
bedside and gave her something to drink
out of 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 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
God fearing man, they said, SO off we
went with no blessing from parson, but
a curse from father. 1t lasted for ten
years well 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. was
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' 8 daughter
He kept it from me, but the village gos-
siped. He meant to marry her and cast
me off. How hated her, poor thing I
knew him well enough, handsome devil !
He'd have married her because he
thought no other way would do, and I
vowed he should not marry her nor any
but me, and me he wouldn t. / asked
her to the house, and he courted her be-
fore my face and thought me a blind
fool
lone 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
rhampagne-never before seen in our
village-was only fine cider and drank
her share, and he was boisterous at the
jest. Then I went out on pretext, say
ing I'd be back in an hour. The next
day she ran away with him Confound
her! never saw him again.
At this point Amaryllis seemed to
break down, but after doing for few
minutes she continued in q 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. 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 a rich woman and
wanted to make amends He'd always
Kept me well enough. for his father left
him e3. 600 and this cottage-he'd set