Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1899-05-24
TO o @ A U 10 U =
BY s. T.


There was q sad group of LADIES'
gathered in the parlor of pretty
house on the outskirts of the town Of
Topham. Miss Martha Joyce, spiuster,
of uncertain age, sat in low rocking
chair her sweet face clouded, her ten
der heart sore; while her two nieces,
May and Bessie Joyce, twin sisters of
Is, blue-eyed and pretty as rosebuds,
sat one 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 Mat
tie emeekly folded her hands aud sighed
May and Bessie gave voice to consid-
cradle inward Indignation.
''I don't care for ourselves, said
Bessie, using the plural that meant
the iuseparable twinship; I'VE are
young and can work, but it is too hard
to have Aunt Matte turned out OF
house and home after all she has done
for Mr.. William Oldheld.
Don't blame your uncle, dear, !"
began Aunt Matte.
''We wasn't our uncle, snapped
out May.
''He did what he promised to do, !"
continued Aunt Matte.
"And then undid it," said Bessie,
augrily.
s'We are not sure of that, dear"
s'Now, auntiel He made will,
leaving You this house and SO, 00)
and $40, 900 apiece to Bessie and me, :"
said May; "but afterward, if he did
not destroy it, where is it?'
eyes, where is it?" echoed her sis
ter. 'If it was in the house, surely it
would have been found in the general
turning out of our household posses
sions today"
"Well, dear, it can't be found, and
we must go back to our old rooms and
try to re-establish the little school I
left five years ago. We have had a
comfortable home for that time
For. the facts of the case were these:
William Oldield, a widower of many
years, possessing large means, had
been attacked late in life with pain
full, incurable sickness, trying to nurse,
distressing to witness and having au
irritating effect on the nerves of the
sufferer. After enduring the trials of
dishonest servants and nurses. iucom-
petent housekeepers and careless at
tendants for time he had persuaded
his dead wife's maiden sister to give
up small but fourishing school, by
which she supported herself and her
brothers orphan girls, and keep house
for him.
In default of re yular salary, he gave
home to the aforesaid nieces, who
supported themselves by sewing, and
promised legacy to Miss Matte, who,
however, hardly expected and never
demanded il. Yet, most assuredly,
she had earned it, for her brother-in
law, by reason Of pain aud bad temper,
made her slave to his sick whims,
keeping her actively employed as
nurse, as he, grew worse and worse,
till, during the last year of his life, she
rarely left his room.
Faithfully and patiently she en-
duredr the .monotouy of her life, the
caprices of her patients temper, the
fatigue of nursing, till death claimed
the invalid and released her. The
promised legacy had been left to her
and the girls in will made year be-
fore William Oltlfield died; but the
lawyer said the document was not in
trusted to his care calling TO find it
in the house, the ladies were notified
that William Oldfeld, Jr., the nephew
and, heir-at-law of the dead man, would
take possession of the entire property
at once.
1t was well known in Topham that
this heir WAS by no means the one to
whom the uncle desired to leave his
property, as the remainder OF his es-
tate, after the legacies mentioned,
passed, by the terms of the last will,
to the town TO endow hospital.
The young heir-at law lad been on
i'll terms with his uncle for years, being
spendthrift.a gambler and man adj
dicted to drinking, heartlessly indiffer-
ent to his uncle's sufferings and laugh
ing boisterously when the lawyer pro-
posed to him to make some compensa-
tion to Miss Matte for her services.
''The old maid was fishing for my
uncle's money, of course" he said,
"though she is not even relative.
Let her go back to her proper place
and learn to keep her busy fingers
out of other peoples pies"
So the lawyer, Mr.. O'Byrne, of
kindly heart and great legal knowledge,
was obliged to give Miss Matte notice
to quit the house she had been prom
ised should be her own, giving vent
as he did so to some opinions of his
own il the matter, not strictly profess
sional.
'You are sure YOU have searched
faithfully for the will?" he asked.
'tQuite sure.
s'He certainly had it," said the law
yer. 'I drew it mp myself-ten thou
sand apiece and the house and person
al effects and furniture to Mis- Mar
tina; the rest Of the estate for the use
of the Topham hospital. Dearl dear!
why won't clients put such papers in
proper keeping instead of clinging to
them as if they were life-preservers?
1 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 at,mournfully conversing,
astrauge event occurred. A shock
headed boy rang the bell and hanoed
in note, which ran in this wise:
Miss Martha joyce: [ do not
u IL z l.. L.