Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-01-07
CHAPTER v.
Mrs. Monette,s Property.

When the lawyer who had stayed on
after old Mrs. F~arindale's funeral to re-
veal the fact of her heirship to Harriet
had left the house he went away mar
Yelling at the woman's lack OF exulta-
ton.
On his way home he stopped for
dinner with the Warrens and comment
ed on it to them.
THE girl don't know what a pile she
has come into. Everything old Farm
dale touched turned to money. He was
well off when he left the east and he
never invested a dollar after he got
here that didn't bring back ten. His
estate amt worth a dime under nalf a
million"
"My!" Mrs. Warren gasped ecstati-
cally.
"No, ma'am, not a dime less. When
I told her this morning that she had
come into everything the old couple
left she just burst into tears and said
they had always been too good to her.
And when / told her she was worth
big money she just smiled and said she
supposed she could buy a diamond ring
and a sealskin cape if she wanted to.
She's got no conception of riches"
II guess" said Mrs. Warren apollo
getically, 1--WE have to be educated up
to good luck before we can enjoy it.
l don't. think young Mrs. Monette is
one of the grasping sort. The Farm
dales weren't. They had money and
they enjoyed it, but they didn't gloat
over it."
Mrs. Monette wasn't any real kin
of theirs, I believer"
None in the world. They came to-
gether by the merest chance. Mrs.
Farindale told me all about it once.
before her daughter Sadie died. l
CHANGED to speak of how fond the girls
were of each other and she said, Yes.
Harry was everything in the world to
her Sadie and the Lord surely had sent
her to them
"Then she told me about the way
they had found her. Seems the Farm
dales had got as far as the Grand Cen
trail depot at New York city bag and
baggage, bound for the west, having
along, as help, or maid, a Swedish
girl that had been with them for years.
1t was within half an hour of train
time when the girls sweetheart rush
ed into the station and raised such a
storm about her leaving him to go out
west that then and there she took
French leave of the Farindales and
went away with him.
Mrs. Fariudale told me .nac the old
gentleman was fairly prancing about
in rage wae1 d little slim-wals;e,!, big
eyed girl, with a thin 81. .hel in her
hand, stepped UP to him and ;eid him
she would like 70 take the girls place
if he wanted somebody to go along
with the young lady. She had been
sitting on a bench in the waiting oom.
"Of course he did. He said lie liked
the girls looks and Sadie said: Take
her. so they did, but there was no time
for asking questions then. The train
starter was bawling out their train. SO
he just told her to load UP with the
hand luggage and follow them.
Later on she told them she was a
widow and that her name was Monette.
Seems like neither side ever repented
of the bargain. She was like a daugh-
ter to them after Sadie died. But /
don't believe she ever thought about
their being rich"
WELL said the lawyer, sit was a
lucky day for her that she happened to
be in the way when that Swedish girl
went back on them. 1t amt often peo-
pie come into a pile SO easy. It won't
be long. I guess, before ome deadbeat
worms his way into her affections and
makes ducks and brakes Of old Farm
dale's savings. She'll be fair game for
adventures If she stays on at the
gulch by herself"
It was these pessimistic prophecies
of the lawyers that had SEN Mrs. War
rem over that intervening stretch Of ten
miles to spend the day with Mrs. Mon
cite and to speak her mind straight
OUT
I've given her something to think
about" the comfortable old body said
that night to her husband, land / don't
believe she'll be ~pigheaded about the
matter. She's too far away from Us.
II I can get her to. take Rayburn's
house across the street it would be real
handy. Then Lawyer Martin win be
close within caIl-and-who knows7"
Mrs. Warren and her husband looked
at each other and laughed Lawyer
Martin was good-looking. i~mpecunious
and unmarried. Mrs.. Warren was an
incorrigible matchmaker.
But It was not Of her lawyer that the
- 1880