The Opelousas courier., 1898-04-23
RUTH'S LEGACY.
BY ERES f. REXFORD.

Ruth. 81 an just old-fashioned
enough to believe that there are other
things more necessary to ones happi-
ness than money =
every well, you'll do as you choose
about it, of course" saiGI Aunt Mar
tina, frigidly, "but I think my opin,
ion worth considering, notwjt' stand
ing" ar
Cousin Hugh came. Ruth liked him,
but-he wasn't Rodney Dare! Mil
lions of money wouldn't have tempted
her to marry him if she lad had no
lover.
II suppose you haven't changed
your mind about matters and things?'
said Aunt Martha n day, the week
before Ruth went home.
"Not in the least" replied Ruth.
"You're o foolish GIRL said Aunt
Martha.
"Maybe, but 1 think not" responded
Ruth.
When she got home she told Rod
ney all about Aunt Martha's plans.
"Do you think I was foolish?" she
dShcu, SlullluS lHtO HIS IdCe.
"Ithink you're a noble, true-hearted
little woman" he answered, and kissed
her. 81 hope you'll neve regret Civ
ing up your share of your annt's for
tune for a man with but one arm to
protect you with. I feel unworthy of
such a sacrifice"
"There was no sacrifice about it,"
said Ruth. 81 don't care for the for
tune, and 1 do care for you"
Six months later a telegram came
saying that Aunt Martha was dead.
Would Ruth come to the funeral?
Ruth went, and after the funeral
she and Cousin Hugh sat down in the
old-fashioned parlor together, with
Aunt Martba's old lawyer and one or
two of her intimate friends, to listen
to the reading OF her will.
In it she bequeathed to Hugh
Trevor ''the property now in her pos
session, to which she had just title
and claim" with the exception of the
old family Bible. That went to Ruth.
81 have brought my legacy home
with me-" she told her mother on her
return, as she deposited a package,
wrapped in thick brown paper and Sc
curely tied up, on the parlor table. On
the wrapper was written: Ruth
Trevor, to be given her, unopened,
after my DEATH" in Aunt Martha's
prim penmanship.
"You don't mean to say that you
were left nothing but that?' cried
Mrs. Trevor.
cts as much as I expected an
swered Ruth.
That evening Rodney Dare came in.
Suddenly Ruth bethought her Of
the package, which had not been
opened.
81 must show you my legacy" she
said, bringing the package. "Cut the
strings, Rodney, please"
He did so, and Ruth took the old,
worn Bible from its wrappings. AS
she did so, some papers slipped from
between its pages and fell to the floor.
She stopped and gathered them up.
One was a somewhat bulky document.
The other was All envelope on which
her name was written.
"Here's a letter from Aunt Martha"
she said, and opened it.
AS she read it a tender light came
into her face. Then a look of surprise
and bewilderment.
I'll don't understand" she said,
looking from Rodney to her mother.
"She says something about deeds.
What does she mean by that, I won
der?"
Rodney took the large document
from Ruth's lap and unfolded it and
glanced over the half-written, half
printed page.
eft means that you're a wealthy
little woman in spite of yourself,
Ruth. Your Aunt Martha had half
her property decided to you before she
died. That which she spoke of in her
will was the other half of it, which
had not been decided away, and you, Of
course, supposed that represented all.
She leaves you her old home and other
property in its vicinity, to the value
Of a good many thousands of dollars,I
should say.
cit can't bel" cried Ruth, excited
ly. "And yet it must be SO. Read
her letter, Rodney-read it aloud, and
maybe it'll e clearer to me-"
Rodney read:
MY DEAR NIECE RUTH: l do not think l
have very long to live, therefore, 1 shall 50
arrange matters now that there need be lit
tie trouble in disposing Of what l leave be-
hind when I am dead. When you told me
you could not fall in with my plan about a
marriage with Hugh I was indignant. If 1
had died then, you would have got little
from me If I could have had my way about
it. But by and by I began to think it over,
and I came to believe that you were rig ht
and l was wrong. / calculated from the
head, you from the heart. and the heart is
to be trusted most in such meters, 1 think.
l admire you for your honesty to your wom-
anhood and your loyalty to your one-armed
lover. You did just right, my dear niece
just highland to prove to you that l bear
you'no ili-wiil for not falling in with an old
woman's foolish plans. l shall have half my
property decided to you at once. SO that, at
any time after my death, which l have reason
to believe may happen at any time and sud
take possession. God bless you. lear Ruth,
and make you very happy with the man you
have chosen. He ought to be proud of so
Ioyal-hearted a wife as you will make him.
Sometimes think kindly OF the woman who
never got much happin4 IS out of life, and
may this legacy bring you more enjoyment
than it has ever brought me.
"Dear Aunt Martha!' said Ruth,
softly, with tears rolling swiftly down
her cheeks. 81 wish she could know
how much / thank her for her legacy
land her letter. Do you know, Rod
IT, n> ,,1 l.-x T--I.~ M