The Pascagoula democrat-star., 1901-04-26

Uu0V AuuU huu Woo uCdus AuCIC was |
no suggestion as to what was to be.
come OF Aunt AIMS fortune; still
could feel the question as I read the
letter. or course there was nothing
to do but wait, and as several months
went BY without any news in regard
to it, gradually forgot it. One day
Will came home to dinner, and instead
OF following his customary habits OF
reading the paper until he was called,
he came out into the dining room
where l was arranging the table.
"Well, Annie, you are to get the for.
tune" he said, and, although he tried
hard to conceal it, l could see quite a
little excitement in his eye. He held
an open letter in his hand. 1t was my
letter, l knew. He had always as.
sumed the privilege of opening my let.
ters. 1nevcrliked it. Ialways quite |
enjoy the little thrill that one gets in
opening letter. Thrills are not
numerous IN our work.a.day world,
and / priced the few we had. II fthe
contents are unknown, there is quite
delightful mystery about it. Any
time you may open letter to find
that fortune awaits you-it is a sort
OF lottery that is not in the least
wicked, and there is something in
every human being that enjoys lot.
terry, even when the conscience is
pricking. And now my fortune had
come, and had not opened the letter.
l felt the least bit piQued. 1t was all
my fault, too, for II had ever utter.
ed word Of objection l know that
viii would not have done 1t; but l
was afraid that he might not under.
stand, and might think that it was be.
cause did not care to have him read
my letters. SO l let 1t 70. But this time
it was such delightfully."- mysterious
letter, with a lawyers firm in the up.
per left.hand corner, that l should
really have enjoyed opening it myself.
He not only opened it, bat he read it
aloud to me in an undertone, that the
hired girl could not hear. 1t stated
briefly that Aunt Ann had died with.
out a will, and left her money to her
heirs. Then followed long list OF
questions about aunts and uncles and
cousins.
answered it Immediately. | as.
sured them that was an heir, and
stated my knowledge as to the where.
abouts Of the other heirs. Will sug.
gested and criticised very freely, and
then we waited impatiently for the
returns. But it was many days be.
fore an answer came, AMI then the
audacity OF it fairly took my breath
away, for it asked II l would not sign
off my claim.
"Sign of my claim" l exclaimed in
surrprse. "What do they mean? or
course won't" And hastened to
inform them to that effect. II there
was any OF Aunt AIMS fortune wait.
ing for me l proposed to have it. We
were not in need, to be sure. but there
were several things that l very much
wanted that our present income did
not warrant.
On the strength OF the coming for
tune / began making preparations for
some OF these things. First, should
visit the Worlds Fair, and l promised
our daughter piano. There would
surely be enough left to reconstruct
the house, and l was considering the
shade Of paint. Will said that l had
! better not count my chickens before
they were hatched, but then he never
would believe how rich Aunt Ann
was.
The time heightened into weeks,
and had come TO meet Will at the
door each day with an interrogation
point in my eye. One day early II
March Will was threatened with an
other attack OF the grip, and HI
thought II best to stay at home.
heard the whistle for the Eastern mai
when it came in, and shortly afte
that sent our little girl for the mail
We both watched down the street 70
her return, although we both tried tt
, conceal our curiosity. When sh'
finally came she rushed into the hal
!. like a whirlwind, waving q letter II
her hand and calling
! "lt's come, mamma; It's Gomez
e | remember a. the time that fell
' rather surprised at the child's realiza
i Lion OF our anxiety, But suppose w
q had showed it more than We meant to
' took the letter, but my finger
' trem bled go could scarcely hold II.
I, LET me open IT," VIII suggested
but l had my chance, and I held !
o drm. Ny heart stopped beating,
b cannot tell for how long, but ! kno,
that 1t seemed several minutes that
i was tearing the end of from that er
t velope. l was fearful all the tim
that might tear some valuable p,