Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-09-02
WHAT SHE
Hmm, H-m-m-m, Hem"

ehASot, tAa@ Ind1 organ SnOulQ stand IN
need of all this clearing. Not he. He
was executor TO the estate of Million
aire Dinwaddle, and so was a man OF
importance in the village. He had fin
ished the reading Of the will-the most
extraordinary will perhaps. that NOR
tai millionaire eve drew u~p-beaueath-
ing the estate of fourteen hundred
thousand dollars. in equal shares. to
the seven manageable widows OF that
little village named after him-pin-
waddle-
Executor Wristbalm wrinkled up his
forehead and peered over his spectaeles
at the dumbfounded audience OF auon-
dam expectant heirs. There vas m
thing diabolical in the humor that
glowed for n instant over his face.
as he witnessed the effect.
There was a poor wretch of a
nephew, who had been running into
debt with thorough recklessness in ex-
pectation of the demise of his old
bachelor uncle; and there was Mrs.
Crump. with a face CHASTITY white from
ehagrin, for all through her married
life had she not been twaddling about
her expectations"
1t was sorrowfully sickish to behold
poor Mrs. Winnow. a niece from out
of-town, who had been invited to be
present at the reading. and who had
come with her son, a youth of 16, with
a patch on his knee.
But passing by these no longer sig
nifieant persons. let us turn TO the
seven astonished, dunb-founded wild
ows-marriageable; for a conditional
clause in the will keeps before us this
word, manageable.
That the old bachelor should have
bequeathed his fourteen hundred thou
sand to the seven widows in whom he
had had no sort of interest during life
might have raised a suspicion of some
kind of soul-trying condition.
The condition was that each should
come into possession oil ner two nun
bred thousand In six months. and
should continue in possession of same
as long as she should remain unmar-
ried; and in the event of the marriage
of one, her share should be equally di-
vided among the rest.
The seven widows walked out of the
house. Before 9 o'clock that evening
there were seven miserable men in
Dinwaddle. Six received peremptory
orders to quit attentions.
The seventh, a young man with a
ford face, bright eyes and side whisk-
ers, called on Mrs. Marway. the seventh
widow, with a face brighter, il any
thing, than usual.
Let me congratulate you" he ex-
claimed, holding out his ham |. q
haven't heard the result, but n either
case. whether much or little. or aoae at
all mas IdiftH W gOus sui 10 my lONC tht
same-still-2
He turned pale.
What does this meant" he asked.
"Gilbert-'
She hesitated.
"WelI?"
81 fear that an obstacle has arisen TO
u union
What obstacle could a~rise?"
1.-TWO hundred thousand dollars have
been bequeathed to me, on condition
that | should not"
Again she hesitated.
Marry"
yes"
He grew paler. He stood looking at
her, as she averted her eyes. Presently
he spoke. His voice quivered.
And you. choosing between the
5000, 900 and me, prefer the 5000, O0o?"
at is such a fortune. and | have 50
| long desired such a thing"
Gilbert Owen opened his eyes upon
her, and then, turning away, left her
| without a word.
The six other widows saw him both
| enter the house and come out. They
were on pins and needles to know
whether he had been retained or dis
| missed. They watched for days and
| weeks, to learn whether his visit was
repeated, and they grew sick at heart at
| not seeing him go back to the house Of
the Widow Marway. Their hope died
out. The last week of the "a had ar
| rived. Sunday passed; Monday, Tues
day-and Wednesday dawned, blight
and clear.
Gilbert Owen was at work at his shop
door, in the open air, alone. He had
lost about 20 pounds In the 23h weeks.
But he was whistQing at his work ard