Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-08-30

tiated" I said 20 myself with some
amusement as / settled myself comiorla
bly, in my brougham. Il think shaH
refuse my consent-whatever may De i.S
value. That girl is a capital nurse much
90 good 10 be monopollzed by any one
man"
About ten days later. on my next Visit
I was more .pleared than surprised 10 pe
introduced 70 sister Anna In the cnarac-
ter q Mrs. Powers future niece. altnoush
did ningle some selfish regrets with my
congratulations.
ooh " said sister Anna. laughing, Il
am not going TO desert my post YET
awhile. 1t IS only 20 be an engagement
Tor a long time 10 come. and must not
be spoken Of. / think l can promise not
to let any thought Of the future Interfere
with my work in the present. Dr. Moran.
will uut Lawrence out OF my head When
once 1 enter a sick-room."
Il am afraid Il has 20 be long en-
eagcment." said Mrs. Power. They can
not think of marrying until Lawrence Is
a manager. and even then II would De
wiser TO wait until he has saved some
thing. You know mine Is but life
income. 80 that beyond some plate or an
outfit OF table-linen | can do nothing 10
help"
sister anna made It clear that she did
not mind waiting. Then the converse
ton drifted TO the subject OF former
talk about artificial hearts made OF lbiia-
rubber which were warranted. accord
ing 10 Sister Anna, never to ache"
"Come. Anna; you cannot know much
about heartaches, at any rate
Indeed. l had many one the time or
nv uncle's death" she answered. Il DO
not know what l should have done had
not been compelled 10 rouse myself
and work"
"Did your uncle know you would have
10 work.? asked Mrs. Power.
mo; he thought that he had provided
for me In fact, / am sure that he did
so. but the will could never be found,
so everything went TO his brother"
His brother? But why did not YOU
his niece, come in for your shareT
Don't you see, although / called him
uncle. l was only his wife's niece ana
In reality no relation whatever. Ny
aunt was living when l lrst came 20
them. so long ago that l can scarcely
remember it; but she died soon after,
and then my uncle and l took care or
each other. The old house was plea
SAINT place: It did not look like farm
house. for there were trees about II, and
an old orchard and garden. took care
Of the garden. L wanted to manage the
dairy. too, but uncle said the work
would be too heavy for me-we had
good many coWs-sO there was regu-
lar dairymaid, who never allowed me 70
interfere. / found 1t hard TO get cream
, for uncle's tea sometimes; and had 70
steal 1t when I wanted to make hot
/ cake" she added, laughing.
How dd you employ yourselfT' asked
/ Mrs. Power
! ooh. I had the house 20 attend TO. and
the poultry-yard, as well as the garden
And then I used 10 read a good deal
uncle had quite a collection OF books. He
/ had been buying them ali his life, chiefly
| secondhand ones. We used to get cata-
! log1les Of secondhand books from the
| London dealers, and send for those we
/ fancied most. Il was Ike putting into
! lottery. 1 believe some Of the books
were valuable. There was an old copy
of Master Humphreys CloeF,' with
| plctures I'm It, that used 70 delight me
| when [ was a child; pictures OF Nell. and
Ouilp. and Dick Swiveller. 1 used 20
/ think how nice It would be II uncle and
could 90 wandering about tn world Ike
Nell end her grandfather; having farm
10 come back 10 when we are tired, OF
course"
The words "his wifes niece had some
/ how seemed familiar 10 me. but u was
| not until the allusion 20 Master Hum
phrey's Clock" had supplied another link
| in the chain that there flashed into my
| mind the remembrance of the viii bidder
in the old copy at home: Michael Darcy
VIII with its beQuest TO my wife , niece
Anastas,a French" l could hardly keel
the excitement out Of my voice, as HnE
! after link In the chain OF evidence va
supplied. in answer TO my questions.
found that her real name was Anastasl'.
now cut down 10 Anna. French; that
ber uncle's name was Michael Oar y, ans
his farm was known as Carrignalea- II
reoly 10 my query as 10 her reasons fol
beileving that her uncle had made a VII
in her favor she said:
"After my poor uncle got the paraliti'
stroke OF which he died, he made seyera
attempts 70 speak; and as far as We coul'
understand. his words were always abou
money. and about having made 1t al
RIGHT for Annie" Besides, our cd ser
want always declared that about weel
before his illness he had called her an
another woman, who was accidentally j
The house. into the sitting-poom, am
made them witness a paper. which p
said was will. When they had finishe
singing. he said. half to himself: NOW
NV mind is at rest about Annie.
.Why did he not get the Will properl.
drawn up BY a SOLICITOR
"He was fond Of reading law-books, an
knew something about law himself. II
bad sometimes male wills for othe
neople. and had never heard that ther
was anything wrong about them.
and the will could not be found
"The will could not be found. W
hunted everywhere for II In vain. an
then Patrick Darcy said he did not b
! feve II had ever existed, and that oil
Nargaret had invented the whole stor.
Tba other woman had left the neighbol
hood by that time. Patrick Darcy onere
"a Give me some money, but ! refused
,ake Gift from him. | knew one
the nurses I'm the sisterhood here
Marshport she had been nursing a LAD
In our neighborhood the winter befor
so 7 wrote 10 her, and she got ne take
as a probationer. l was there Tor 81
months and then / went TO London
he trained. | intended 70 revoiutionli
the whole art OF nursing. but now La
renee has spoiled all my plans.
There was no doubt that this was u
he,ress Of the will in my possession; u
!; question was, Did the three thousar
: rounds exist or had the heir-at-law MAJ
away with it2
what kind OF man is this Pairi'
Darcy?" / asked.
"a hard man. Very close about none
, He is a good deal younger tha9 II
5 uncle"
! rs he marrled?''
no, he never married; MS enc io
"a to save money. / don't know what W
become OF It when he dies, for he n
, no one OF his own"
This was satisfactory; and | took n
leave as soon as l could. feeling lit
ashamed OF my apparently motivele
J curiosity. which, ! could see. surpris
: nv old friend somewhat.