St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1900-01-27

upon your marrying within q year,
and meanwhile he leaves YOU uncondi-
tionally a thousand pounds. This,
suppose. you will have at once?"
| Yes"
| "And if you do not marry, or mar.
ry me within the year, Wylie takes it
alla"
| "Yes. that's it."
"And YOU intend to let him have it ."
Il suppose so.''
| Not if I know it, you won't, my
dear boy"
! Il don't care who has it if don't
have you
And with her pretty brows knit she
initiated Frank by silently gazing in
| to the fire.
In few minutes the frown
changed into smile as she clapped
her hands.
why, what couple Of sillies we
are!" she exclaimed.
| "You are quite sure you have told
me the exact contents of the will?"
| Certainly"
"You are quite sure?"
81 am quite sure"
"Now, supposing you marry anyone
but me?''
Il am not going to marry anyone
but you.''
Now. Frank. be good: we are only
supposing. 1 say, supposing you mar
ry according to the will, you have the
property Immediately after the we'd
dingo"
"Yes"
"You are sure?'
Quite sure"
There is nothing in the will which
would prevent you marrying me at
some future time?"
"No. certainly not. But what arc
you driving at?'
"You would not have to give the
property up if you Cid 500"
mo. but if you think"
"Silence. sir! We will circumvent
Mr.. Wylie's plots. and, nevertheless, be
married within the year.
''Why. Edie. how is that possible?
/ am afraid it will be useless to con-
test the will. and / am not even heir
| at-law."
I'VE won't contest the will. Can't
you think of any other way?:"
NO, 1 cannot"
'Well, listen to me, like a good boy.
and don't interrupt till i have finished.
You will be married next week. Now.
sir! not a word!" as Frank seemed
restive. 81 know a very nice lady that
/ can safely trust you with without
my feeling jealous. / have known her
long time. and feel sure that she will
make a good wife. And a whisper in
your ear, Frank. she can't live three
months. poor thing!"
"Why, Edie." exclaimed Frank, as
he also smiled, do you mean your old
nurse?"
"Yes, poor old Martha. know she
will do anything l ask. and see what
a good thing it will be for her to end
her days in greater comfort than she
has ever known. On nv recommended
tion I am sure she will have you. and
I will see her tomorrow and ar
range it."
"What girl you are. Edie. l am sure
/ should never have thought of such a
thing. But we won't have the cere-
mony at church"
NO. it shall be at the registry.
should like to see Mr.. Wylie's face when
he hears of it, and that pretty mink,
Julia, how disappointed she will be. I
feel sure he made up his mind that you
would marry his daughter"
"Yes, and that. no doubt, is what my
uncle wished. The two estates would
make 4 very nice property. he thought.
But say. Edie. suppose Martha takes
a new lease of life, and goes on for 20
years"
1T is impossible. Why. the poor old
soul is more than so now, and DIR. Benz
son told me she could not see this win
ter out But she does not know it. ard
promise me, Frank, that You will be
good to her and DO all you can to pro-
long her life"
81 will, Edic. faithfully"
Mr.. Wylie returned from the funeral
very well satisfied with himself. He felt
assured from what he knew of Franks
character that he would never marry
anyone. but Edith Burtenshaw. ard
looked upon his succeeding 10 the prop
erty as certainty.
Very much chagrined was he, there.
fore. when he heard. two days later,
from his daughter Julia the rumor that
Frank was about to marry old Martha.
He read and reread the will. but was
bound to confess that he could do moth
ing. He saw that he had been outwitted
and sorrowfully declared to himself
that it was time he retired from prac-
tice, as it proved that he was no longer
capable OF drawing will.
And when it became generally known
(and ii never took very long for any
thing TO be known at Hilton) his life
was made burden by the many iron
ical congratulations he received. so
shat at last he hated to leave his house.
Meanwhile Frank and Martha had
married and took up their abode at the
Grange. 1t was certainly very soon
after his unc.e'S death, but under the
circumstances it was not thought aG-
visable to postpone the ceremony. and
the inhabitants of Hilton very readily
condcned this breach of etiquette.
They were married in November, and
Martha died the following spring. l.-
merted as much as was possible by her
husband and very much by Edith. who
would insist upon at least one years
interval before she went through the
wedding ceremony at the church.
This was SO great an affair that the
with lists of presents. oc-
cupied one whole page of the Hilton OBJ
server, but the name of Wylie does not
appear among those present, either at
the wedding or a: the reception after |
ward.-Short Stories.
He Confessed.
"Are you really coal baron?" she
Il