Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1900-12-06
SHEPH HERDSTOWN W. VA, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1900

vitation to visit her; but it had never
come, and she had ceased to hope for
it. She had not even heard from
Miss Allen for months, and this fact
alone had caused her good deal OF
bitterness, though she would not have
liked to confess it.
Come, Efie, don't stand there and
fret it won't help matters any, said
Aunt Hepsy. There's the bread to
knead, and that big basket Of ironing
waiting for US. And I'd ike to have
the heavy blankets looked over and
packed away to-day, if it's so We can
get round to EN-"
Effe sighed heavily, and began to
roll up the sleeves of her calico dress,
thinking the while that it was in do
ing such homely tasks as kneading
bread, churning, ironing and putting
away winter blankets that her life
was to be spent.
There goes Herman off on Jerry,
presently remarked Aunt Hepsy, as
the sound of horses hoofs was heard
on the hard road. why, where can
he be going? He said he wanted to
finish that strip Of plowing to-day"
Efie glanced out Of the window and
saw her brother riding away, Leo
bounding along close at the horses
heels.
Going on some errand more i'm
portant than the plowing, l suppose,
she replied, indiferently, and re-
sumed her work.
By noon the churniDg was done,
the bread lay on the pantry shelves
in delicious-looking brown loaves, the
ironing was well under way, and Aunt
Hepsy had looked over and put away
the blankets.
"We've got sight of work out of
the way this morning" she said, as
she sat down to rest for a moment in
the old wooden rocker. "And | feel
so beat out that if you don't mind, Eff
fe, I'll run over after dinner and sit
awhile with old Miss Hope. She's
always glad of company"
Efie had no objection at all to this
plan; in fact. she was pleased at the
idea of being left alone, free to in
dulge her gloomy mood undisturbed.
The aunt and niece sat down to
dinner alone, for Herman had not re-
turned.
81 can't think what's come to the
boy to stay away over dinner" Aunt
Hepsy observed, anxiously. 1T isn't
a bit like him to go away without let
ting us know anything about it. }"
There's no need to worry, said
Efie, little impatiently. Hell be
along after a while, suppose. "
Aunt Hepsy departed, as soon as
the dishes were washed and put away,
and EAie went to work to finish the
ironing. But she had ironed only a
few pieces when she heard some one
calling to her from the front gate,
and, running out, saw Farmer Hilton,
near neighbor, in his light wagon.
Here's letter l got out of the Of
fee for you, Efie," he said. "But l
couldn't get down, for these colts
won't stand"
"a letter for me- Efie, repeated,
in surprise, for her correspondents
were very few, and the receipt Of a
letter was a rare occurrence.
She stood looking at it doubtfully
as the farmer drove away, and turned
it over several times before she opened
it.
The envelope bore in one corner the
stamp of lawyers firm in the city,
and she did not know the handwriting
of the superscription.
When she opened it, at last, she
found it was to inform her that old
Miss Allen had recently died, and
had left her the sum Of $500, which
was subject to her order in city
bank.
Efe read the letter over three
times before she felt sure that she was
not dreaming, and then, forgetting
her misery about the Faulkners' gar
den party-forgetting, indeed, except
the joyful fact of her legacy-she sat
down on the kitchen doorstep and
abandoned herself to thoughts of the
delightful future in store her.
She had laid out all her plans, and
in imagination had entered on the IN
toxication of life in the city, when
the clatter Of horses hoofs on the
road reused her from her rose-colored
reverie, and she looked up to see her
brother pausing at the gate.
He carried a brown paper parcel