The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1899-09-02

some compensation to Miss Matte for her
services.
"The old maid was fishing for uncle's
money, Of course" he said, Though she is
not even a relative. Let her go back to
her proper place and learn to keep her
busy fingers out Of other peoples pies. f"
So the lawyer, Mr.. O'Bryne, of kindly
heart and great legal knowledge, was
obliged to give Miss Matte notice to quit
the house she had been promised should be
her own, giving vent as he did so to some
opinions of his own in the matter, not
strictly professional
"You are sure you have searched faith
fully for the wil?' he asked
'Quite sure.
"He certainly had it, said the lawyer
Il drew it up myself-ten thousand apiece
and the house and personal effects and fur
niture to Miss Martha; the rest of the
estate for the use of the Topham hospital.
Dear dear Why won't clients put away
such papers in proper keeping instead of
cinging to them as if they were lfe-pre-
servers? | am very sorry, Miss Matte.
have represented matters to the heir, but
he fails to see them in proper light
So the ladies packed their trunks and
gathered in the little parlor to spend their
last evening, preparatory to an early start
in the morning. And while they sat,
mourntully conversing, a strange ever t
occurred. A shock-headed boy rang the
bell and handed in a note, which ran in
this wise:
Miss MARTHA JoYCE:-I do not know
that the disease of which my uncle died
was contagious, but | have a horror of i'll
ness in any shape or form. | therefore beg
of you, before you leave his house, to burn
the bedstead and bedding he used, that
may not find it when take possession
'A ours, very truly,
CIVILIAN OLDFIELD."
"Well,' cried Bessie, eff impudence
can reach sublimer height than that l am
mistaken
Burn the hedstead! That splendid
black walnut bedstead that matches the
chamber suit said Matte. ct really
seems pity"
''Let him do it himself, said May; ''we
are not his servants"
81 tell you what Tll do, dears," said
gentle aunt Matte: 81 have had every
thing washed out but the tickings, III
just empty the mattresses and have those
washed, too. But really cannot reconcile
it to my conscience to burn up things that
are perfectly harmless"
sob, Aunt Matte, give the bedding to
old Peggy! She will be delighted. The
blankets are soft and the sheets all clean.
The young sinner only wants them out of
his way"
So old Peggy, an aged woman, pensioner
to all the charitable folks in Topham, was
sent for and told of this stroke of good
fortune.
eve will 90 with you," Bessie said,
land help you carry them"
The four women assembled one flight of
stairs to the room where William Oldfield
died. Everything was in order there, and
over the mattresses was spread white
Marseiles quilt that Bess put with the
TEST OF the bedding, while Aunt Matte
and May dragged the mattresses to the
floor.
"They are all stuffed with hair, Peggy"
Aunt Matte said. 81 ordered them my
self
eyes, marin, said the old woman feel
ing them carefully and nodding her head
"I'm thinking I'll sell the hair. Husk
stutling will do for my old bones and l
can buy some flour and coal, likely, with
the price of the hair"
Gust as you please" said Aunt Matte
tying the mattresses securely with a stout
cord. "Now, girls, are you ready? Han
nah will help Peggy with this bundle, and
we will carry the sheets, blankets and
spreads"
So when William Oldfeld took posses
sion the next day he found the bedstead
bare and note from Bessie tied to it, re-
specially declining to make bonfire Of
the furniture and stating the fact that the
bedding had been given away for charitss
able USE
''If he doesn't like it he is welcome to
dislike it, that young lady said, gracious
ly, as she signed the dainty epistle in her
finest handwriting.
The heir said bad word, looked up the
room and occupied another apartment
where there had been no COMPOUNDED
sickness" as he said, and there reigned in
the house where Aunt Matte had kept
dainty neatness the confusion OF young
bachelors household, the disorder follow
ing frequent late suppers, when the city
friends of young Oldfeld came down to
"make a night Of it and help him spend
the old mans money
Quiet Topham was scandalized and
sighed over the days when the dissipated
nephew was far-away disgrace for mild
gossip, but there seemed to be no help for
the trouble.
The funeral had been over nearly three
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