The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-05-21

| kotner dfyly, took glass OF eherry anu
drew forth the paper from lis 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 procseds Of ths sale Of
the deceaseds goods, but what was mere
fourthp
| The other three-fourths were left, Of all
things, to the Moxford union, ito 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 bequsathed, without COM
ment. Mr. Walter Battersby was not even
mentioned, nor WAS Mrs. Peter.
Mr. Cameron received e100, and SO did
the deoeased'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 so years.
"There, gentlemen and ladies, that is
all, said Mr.. Cameron, land 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 bankP He must have had thou
sands"
| "The balance to his credit on May 81"
answered Mr.. Cameron, referring to a
| note, twas just 25 S. 10d. After the
| funeral expenses are paid
whats he done with it?' cried Mrs
Peter, redder of face than ever.
II cannot tell you, madam. Good morn
| ingp' 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 we'll as the
furniture Of her room.
Come, cheer up, my girlr' he said at
parting Your master was fond of you,
and he would rather see you bright than
downcast And remember that am your
friend, If you should happen to want one.
Joan thanked Mr. Cameron, and then,
having revercntly kissed the old book, put
1t on one side
Mrs. Peter, before she parted, thought
well to treGpass 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 mothers that even
ing. II she didn't he should fetch her.
And to make sure of having her no 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
''Its 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 vcxed-in-
deed insultcd-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 outrageousy and threw the straw
all about and treated the bolster with equal
brutality
Tnere was also handsome old oak ward
robe that would have graced oven royal
bedchambcr. This was for Joans three
or four poor frocks.
TWAS 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 moro
than the paillasse and the bolster.
well, Pm 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.
Tho sun was still above the cemetery hill
when Seth called at 50 in his workaday
CRIME and his workaday grease.
Art ready, my lass?" he inquired of
Joan.
The girl began to make excuses.
It's not right, Seth, to leave the house
with 10 ono in It, He wouldn't have liked
it, she said.
"It's not right, Joan, to make promise
and not keep it, retorted Seth. Come,
now, I'm not going to leave you to NOPE
yum % olt III yOu IlCtiLl W lllttht Ilc |
carry your
She was persuaded with difficulty
Then it was revelation of character to
see how sho locked one door after another
and pocketed the different keys
Anybody 'ud think the things were all
yours, JOAN, said Seth admirlngly
Its the same to me as If they were,"
she answered, with the tone of fresh tears
But Seth hurried her of 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 n 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
1t was as comfortable q meal as any in
Moxford, with the cat purring on the
hearth all the time
Aftorward tho talk turned solidly upon
old Carmel and his singular requests to
Joan.
THE money and the furniturcll be USE
full enough to you, child, " said old Mrs
Perry, "but the idea of leaving you II thing
like that!" pointing to the scrapbook.
II used to be so fond Of it," stnmmercd {
joan 1.-THE times we've sat together, him |
FASTING and me cutting what he had
She rose and lifted the big book on the
table, united its strings and opened it,
why, what's this?" exclaimed seth US ,
A bank note for Gi00 appeared. (
joan turned pale as she took 1t up. 1t '
was Endorsed on the back, PAY to Joan ,
Smith, and no ono olse.' I
Ere they had finished looking through ,
he book they found 81 other notes of ex-
,ctly the ZANE kind.
"They arc certainly yours, my girl"
'aid Mr.. Cameron, when Joan called on S
lin In tho morning, land l shall have Z
,rent pleasure in telling Mrs. Peter Bat q
ersby what has become Of the money to r
Ter brother-in-law's credit at the bank" t
s Journal a
Shake into Your Shoes
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