The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-03-12

l care for your money. l assure you
I have never given it thought.
perhaps not" responded Aunt
Martha, "but money comes handy
sometimes, and one wants to think
twice before throwing away such o
chance as this.
81 would not change my mind if I
were to think q thousand times" said
Ruth. 81 am just old-fashioned
enough to believe that there are other
things more necessary to ones happi-
ness than money!
every we'll, you'll do rs you choose
about it, of course" said Aunt Mar
tina, frigidly, "but l think my opin-
ion worth considering, notwithstand-
ing"
Cousin Hugh came. Ruth liked him,
but-ho wasn't Rodney Dare! Mil
lions of money wouldn't have tempted
her to marry him if she had had no
lover.
II suppose you haven't changed
your mind about matters and things?"
said Aunt Martha one day, the week
before Ruth went home.
"Not in the least" replied Ruth.
you're q foolish GIRL" said Aunt
Martha.
Maybe, but I think not, responded
Ruth.
When she got home she told Rod
ney all about Aunt Martha's plans.
"Do you think was foolish?" she
asked, smiling into his face.
81 think you're noble, true-hearted
little woman," he answered, and kissed
her. 81 hope you'll never regret CIV
ing up your share Of your aunt's for
tune for man with but one arm to
protect you with. I feel unworthy Of
such q sacrifice"
"There was no sacrifice about it,"
said Ruth. 81 don't care for the for
tune, and 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 Martha's old lawyer and one or
two of her intimate friends, to listen
to the reading of her will.
In it shs bequeathed to Hugh
Trevor "the property now in her pos
session, to which she had just title
aud claim" with the exception of the
old family Bible That went to Ruth.
II have brought my legacy home
with me-" she told her mother on her
return, as she deposited 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.
Its as much as [ expected" on.
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 tho 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 somewhat bulky document.
The other was an envelope on which
her name was written.
"Here's letter from Aunt Martha"
she said, and opened it.
AS she read it tender light came
into her face. Then look of surprise
and bewilderment.
"I-I 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.
ut 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 aud other
property in its vicinity, to the value
of a good many thousands of dollars,I
should say"
ut can't bew cried Ruth, excited
ly. "And yet it must be So Read
her letter, Rodney-read it aloud, and
maybe it'll seem clearer to me:'
Rodney read:
Ny DEAR NIECE RUTH: do not think I
have very long to live, therefore, shall so
arrange matters now that there need be lit
tie trouble in disposing OF what leave be-
hind when am dead. When you told me
y 4