Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-12-15

miss BIGGS had always said that
Wl she did not like surprises, for
| they were mostly unpleasant" but
| this one was decidedly not of that cat
egory. 1t had come by the eight
| o'clock mail the previous morning,
and Miss Biggs was still in a state OF
| the greatest amazement. 1t was only
when reading the plainly typewriter
| lines that she felt that she was not
| dreaming.
She took up the letter again, al
| though she now almost knew ii by
/ heart. There, after a number of legal
! phrases, was the gist of it all.
(Which estate, after all lawful debts
are paid, consists of n mortgage OF
$4,000 on n property in the neighbor-
ing village of Bendor. The said mort
gage is overdue, and foreclosure was
! about TO have been made by the late
Mr.. Biggs."
Yes, there it was, and there was the
| signature in his own handwriting, of
! Lawyer John Penny.
Four thousand dollars, and left her
| by a cousin with whom she had not
been on friendly terms for years.
WHY, 1t seemed a fortunel Miss
Biggs' glance went around the room.
The colors in the carpet had all faded
| to a dull gray, but she could have
new one row. Some of the chairs were
going through in the seat; they should
be recaned. And she would buy a new
| lounge like the one in Dawson's fur
niture shop, covered with maroon
leather. But, best of all, she could
have n headstone put to her fathers
grave.
She was still absorbed in her con-
templated expenditures when knock
came at the door. Miss Biggs hurried,
| " thrust the letter into the pocket of
| her gown before admitting her visitor,
who proved to be Mrs. Sprague. Her
plump countenance was flushed from
rapid walking.
"La, Susan!" she exclaimed in
| high-pitched voice; 81 met Deacon
| Gosset a few minutes ago, and he
told me that he'd just got back from
| Plainv1le, where he heard that your
cousin Hiram had died and left you
all his money-so l just ran right
over" and she sank into a rocking
| chair.
"Do tell me-" she went on, as Miss
| Biggs closed the door, and sat down
opposite her, "if it is true"
Miss Biggs replied stiffiy that it was
| Martha Sprague's loud voice and love
of news had always annoyed her.
''Well, to be sure" exclaimed Mrs,
Sprague. "What luck! TO them that
hath shall be given as the Scripture
saws. When did you hear about it?"
1T received lawyers letter yester-
day." replied Miss Biggs, coldly.
ia, to think of Hiram Biggs leav7
| ing you his money when you were not
| friends for so long. This is strange
world" And Mrs. sprague shook her
head thoughtfully.
Miss Biggs made no reply to this
| profound statement. She sat stiff and
upright, her eyes fixed in cold polite
ness on her visitors face. Hiram was
counted pretty rich," said Mrs.
Sprague, tentatively.
She had burning wish to know the
amount OF money which Miss Biggs
| had inherited, but she did not dare to.
psk plainly.
| 'I believe So" assented Miss Biggs.
indiferently. Mrs. Sprague rocked
| back and forth 1t was plain that Miss
Biggs was not going to give her any
| Information on the subject of her
| legacy, so after n few desultory re.
| marks, she rose reluctantly to go. AS
she reached the door, she turned sud
denly.
80, Susan" she said, her black eyes
swapping spitefully; guess whom Dea-.
con Gosset saw in Planville. Sallie
| Mayhew. Don't you remember herr
But, la, ] forgot, of course you do,
and she laughed mcaningly. you
/ know" she went on, everyone won
dered where she and Jim went. Well,
il seems they went out west, where
Jim made money. They came back to
this state about ten years ago, and
Jim bought quite fine place not far
from Plainville. But he lost most
everything just before he died year
apo. Deacon Gosset said that Sallie
looks so poor and miserable. And she IS
got lot Of children, so you didn't
miss much by not getting jim and
with another laugh Mrs. Sprague went
away.
Miss Biggs had arisen with her Wis
itor, and listened to her with apparent
nnconccrn, n dull red which had crcpt
into her cheeks being the only sign
that Mrs. Sprague's words aroused any
interest.
But when the latter had gone, she
threw herself into chair, and buried
her face in her hands. tumult OF
feeling took possession of her, aroused
by the memories which those names
had stirred up. She had not heard
them for so long, and no one but Mar
tha Sprague would have dared!
II was all so long ago-2O years
that the pain and shame oft had grown
dim. And he was deadl Yet was it so
long ago? 1t seemed but yesterday
that he was with her talking of their
coming marriage. She had loved him
so. and had been 50 proud of him..
though she had not said much about
II; II had never been her way TO talk
n great deal. Then came that dreadful
day when they told her that he had
gone away and married Sallie, with her
yellow hair and pink cheeks. That aw-
ful day-she could remember the.
shame and agony Of IT yeti And now
he was dead--had been dead n year.
There was no feeling Of anger in her
heart toward him; there never had
been much. She had known that he
was weak-and Sallic had led him on.
But for hcr-how she hated her! II
| rave her rleaeurr .H """"n N"s.
Sprague's words about her looking
poor and miserable.
| She WIS pInd TINT she was aulTcrinp..