The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1899-09-02
TOO
cautious S:
rrrAHERE was a sad group Of ladies
gathered in the parlor Of pretty
house on the outskirts of the town

gathered IN the parlor OF pretty
house on the outskirts of the town
of Topham. Miss Martha Joyce,
spinster OF uncertain age, sat in rocking
chair, her sweet face clouded, her tender
heart sore; while her two nieces, May and
Bessie Joyce, twin sisters of Is, blue-eyed
and pretty as rosebuds, sat one on each
side. The three ladies all wore mourning
and bore in their pale faces and heavy eyes
the traces of recent sorrow; but while
Aunt Matte meekly folded her hands and
sighed, May and Bessie gave voice to con-
siderable inward Indignation.
az don't care for ourselves said Bessie,
using the plural that meant the inseparable
twinshp; Eve are young and can work,
but it is too hard to have Aunt Matte
turned ont Of house and nome after all she
had done for Nh. William Odfeld."
"Don't blame your uncle, dear" began
Aunt Matte.
He wasn't our uncle snapped out
May.
lie did what he promised to DO, con-
tnued Aunt Matte
And then undid it, said Bessie,
angrily.
I'VE are not sure Of that, dear"
"Now, auutie! He made a will, leaving
you this house and $4,000, and 5000
apiece to Hess and me" said May; "but
afterwagd, il he did not destroy it, where
l. 1T"
eyes, where is it," echoed her sister.
III it was in the house, surely it would
have been found in the general turning
cut of our household possessions today. "
well dear, it can't he found, and we
must 90 back to our old rooms and try to
Tc-establish the little school left five years
ago. We have had comfortable home
for that time
For the facts of the case were these
William Oldiield, widower of many years,
possessing large means, had been attacked
late in life with painful incurable sick
uess, trying to nurse, distressing to witness
ard having an irritating effect on the
nerves of the sufferer. After enduring the
trials Of dishonest servants and nurses, in
competent housekeepers and careless at
pendants for time he had persuaded his
dead wife's maiden sister to give up a
small bat tlourishing school, by which she
supported herself and her brothers. orphan
girls, and keep house for him.
In default of regular salary, he gave a
home TO the aforesaid nieces, who support
ed themselves by sewing, and promised a
Legacy to Miss Matte, who, however,
hardly expected and never demanded it,.
Yet most assuredly, she had earned it. for
her hrother-in.law, by reason of pain and
bad temper, made her a slave to his sick
Vhims, keeping her actively employed as
nurse, az he grew worse and worse. till
during the last year of his life, she rarely
left his room
Faithfully and patiently she endured the
uionotony OF her life, the caprices of her
patients temper, the fatigue of nursing,
sill death claimed the invalid and released
her. The promised legacy had been left to
her and the girls in a will made year he
fore William Oldield died but the lawyer
said the document was not intrusted to his
care. Failing to find it in the house, the
ladies were notified that William Oldtield,
IT., the nephew and heir-at.law of the dead
rlan, would take possession of the entire
property at once.
1t was we'll known to Topham that this
heir was by no means the one to whom the
uncle desired to leave his property, as the
remainder of his estate, after the legaces
mentioned, passed, by the terms of the last
will, to the town to endow a hospital.
The young heir.at-law had been on i'll