Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-11-06

And so the funeral party and the others
sat round old Carmel's table and waited
for Mr.. Cameron to begin. The lawyer
did not keep them waiting. He smiled
rather dryly, took glass of sherry and
drew forth the paper from its official blue
envelope.
Never was there, in Mrs. Peter Batters-
by's opinion, more horrid and disgrace
full last will and testament.
Certainly her husband was to receive
fourth part of the proceeds of the sale of
the deceased's goods, but what was mere
fourth?
The other three-fourths were left, of all
things, to the Moxford union, "to help
them to train up more girls like Joan
Smith" Those were the very words.
To the three girls Of Mr.. and Mrs Peter
the three largest mirrors in the establish
ment of SO were bequeathed, without COM
ment. Mr.. Walter Battersby was not even
mentioned, nor was Mrs. Peter.
Mr.. Cameron received 4100, and so did
the deceased's old friend, Mr.. Craven.
Lastly Joan was mentioned She was
to have years wages, all the furniture of
her own bedroom and the large scrapbook
for which she had SO often piled scissors
and paste and which contained curious
items of newspaper intelligence during the
last 80 years.
"There, gentlemen and ladies, that is
all, said Mr.. Cameron, "and now you
must excuse me. leave you with my CO.
trustee, Mr.. Craven"
Zone moment, SIR" interposed Mr..
Peter, to whom his wife had whispered
much. "Whats become of all his money
in the bank? He must have had thou
sands )"
"The balance to his credit on May 81"
answered Mr.. Cameron, referring to a
note, twas just e5 IS. 10d After the
funeral expenses are paid"-
"What's he done with itP" cried Mrs.
Peter, redder of face than ever.
II cannot tell you, madam. Good morn
ingr' said the lawyer, who then wisely left
them to fight the matter out among them
selves. But before he went he, with his
own hands, carried to Joan in her kitchen
the unwieldy old scrapbook and told her
that it was her property as well as the
furniture of her room.
"Come, cheer up, my girl!' he said at
parting "Your master was fond of you,
and he would rather see you bright than
downcast. And remember that I am your
friend, if you should happen to want one. !"
Joan thanked Mr. Cameron, and then,
having reverently kissed the old book, put
it on one side.
Mrs. Peter, before she parted, thought
we'll to trespass in the kitchen and say
some cruel things to Joan. But somehow
the girl did not mind them very much
now.
Then Seth looked in again and said she
was to come up to his mother that even
ing. If she didn't, he should fetch her
And to make sure of having her he carried
off the big scrapbook.
Mrs. Peter Battersby did something else
before she left SO.
Together with her disappointed son and
darling Walter, she climbed the stairs to
Joan's little attic and took hammer with
her.
"It's the very kind of spiteful thing he'd
be likely to do" she said, "but I'll not
stand it, robbing his own flesh and blood
for workhouse brat"
Mr. Peter left her to her own devices
He, Mr.. Craven and the three vexed-in-
deed insulted-girls went away together.
Then Mrs. Peter studiously searched
Joan's attic from wall to wall. She turn
ed out the girls one tin box, looked in the
drawer of the washstand, ripped up the
paillasse outrageously and threw the straw
all about and treated the bolster with equal
brutality.
There was also handsome old oak ward
robe that would have graced even a royal
bedchamber. This was for Joan's three
or four poor frocks.
It was quite laughable to see how moth
er and son tapped and probed this antique
piece of furniture. They even knocked off
the head of lion in relief at the top of it
to see if there was secret cavity behind
the head
But the wardrobe taught them no more
than the paillasse and the bolster.
"Well, Il IN off to the Hen and Chickens, ="
said Walter Battersby at length. "I've had
enough of this. /"
So, too, had Mrs. Peter, for there was
not an article in the room that she had not
thoroughly tested
The sun was still above the cemetery hill
when Seth called at SO in his workaday
CRIME and his workaday grease.
cart ready, my lassP" he inquired OF
Joan.
The girl began to make excuses.
cts not right, Seth, to leave the house
with no one in it, He wouldn't have liked
it," she said
"It's not right, Joan, to make promise
and not keep 1t, retorted Seth. "Come,
now, I'm not going to leave you to NOPE
your eyes out. Do you mean to make me
carry your
She was persuaded with difficulty.
Then it was revelation Of character to
see how she locked one door after another
and pocketed the different keys
"Anybody 'ud think the things were all
yours, Joan, said Seth admiringly.
cts the same to me as If they were, y
she answered, with the tone of fresh tears.
But Seth hurried her off before she could
break down again and soon had her in
the little red brick cottage he shared with
his mother.
Old Mrs. Peter had in her younger days
been a servant herself. She had true
woman's sympathy for Joan and discern,
ment enough to know that her son might
do far worse than marry such girl.
It was as comfortable a meal as any IN
Moxford, with the cat purring on the
hearth all the time.
Afterward the talk turned solidly upon
old Carmel and his singular requests to
Joan.
"The money and the furniture'll be use
full enough to you, child" said old Mrs.
Perry, "but the idea of leaving you thing
like thatp' pointing to the scrapbook.
II used to be so fond Of It,, stammered
Joan. "The times we've sat together, him
FASTING and me cutting what he had
marked"
She rose and lifted the big book on thu
table, united its strings and opened 1t.
"Why, what's thisp" exclaimed Seth al
bank note for a100 appeared.
Joan turred pale as she took 1t up. Il
was Endorsed on the back, "Pay to Joan
Smith, and 40 one else.