The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1899-04-19
TOO q a u n L . u ~
BY S. t.

eathered in the parlor of pretty
house on the outskirts of the town of
Topham Miss Martha Joyce, spinster,
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
1S, 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 meekly folded her hands and sighed
May and Bessie gave voice to consid-
cradle inward indignation.
81 don't care for ourselves" said
Bessie, using the plural that meant
the inseparable twinship; 1--WE are
young and can work, but it is too hard
to have Aunt Matte turned ont of
house and home after all she has done
for Mr.. William Oldfeld."
"Don't blame your uncle, dear"
began Aunt Matte.
1--WE wasn't our uncle" snapped
out May.
''ne did what he promised to do"
continued Aunt Matte.
"And then undid it," said Bessie,
Angrily.
''We are not sure of that, dear"
snow, auntiel He made a will,
leaving you this house and $40. 900
and $40, 900 apiece to Bessie and me-"
said May; "but afterward, if he did
not destroy it, where is it?"
"Yes, where is it?" echoed her sis
ter. eff 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
left five years ago. We have had a
comfortable home for that time"
For the facts of the case were these
William Oldfeld, widower of many
years, possessing large means, had
been attacked late in life with n pain
full, incurable sickness, trying to nurse,
distressing to witness and having an
irritating effect on the nerves of the
sufferer. After enduring the trials OF
dishonest servants and nurses, incom-
petent housekeepers and careless at
tendants for time he had persuaded
his dead wife's maiden sister to give
mp small but fiourishing school, by
which she supported herself and her
brothers orphan girls, and keep house
for him.
In default OF regular salary, he gave
home to the aforesaid nieces, who
supported 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 brother-in-
- law, by reason of pain aud bad temper,
made her slave to his sick whims,
keeping her actively employed a
nurse, as he grew worse and wors 2,
till, during the last year of his life, she
rarely left his room.
Faithfully and patiently she en-
dured the monotony of her life, tn,
caprices of her patients temper, tn,
fatigue of nursing, till death claimed
the invalid and released her. Th,
promised legacy had been left to he
and the girls in will made year he
fore William Oldfield died; but th
lawyer said the document was not in
trusted to his care. Failing to find
in the house, the ladies were notified
that William Oldield, Jr., the nephe,
and heir-at-law of the dead man, woul'
take possession of the entire propert,
Mt once.
It was well known in Topham tina
this heir was by no means the one t.
whom the uncle desired to leave hi
property, as the remainder of his es
tate, after the legacies mentionel 4
passed, by the terms of the last will
to the town to endow hospital.
The young heir-at law had been o
i'll terms with his uncle for years, bein
spendthriit,a u gambler and man AL
dicted to drinking, heartlessly inditfsi
ent to his uncle's suilerings and laugh
ing boisterously when the lawyer pro
posed to him to make some compensn
tion to Miss Matte for her services
''The old maid was fishing for m
uncle's money, of course" he said
''though she is not even a relative
Let her go back to her proper plac
and learn to keep her busy finger
out OF other peoples pies.
So the lawyer, Mr.. O'Byrne, {
kindly heart aud grent legal knowledge
was obliged to give Miss Matte motto
to quit the house she had been prom
ised should be her own. giving vel
as he did so to some opinions of h
own in the matter, not strictly profel
sional.
"You are sure you have searche
faithfully for the will?" he asked.
''Quite sure"
HE certainly had it," said the Law
yer. II drew 1t up myself--ten tho
sand apiece and the house and perso
Il effects and furniture to Miss Ma
fha; the rest Of the estate for the III
- the Vouham hoapfkal Daarf dan