The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1902-05-30
BETWEEN
THE LEAVES
By JENNIE E. SARGENT
Copyright, 1909, by

The good people of Leydenville were
wrought up to fine pitch of right
eous indignation, but If old Henry Ley
den, three days in his grave, could
have heard the comments which fol
lowed the reading of his will he would
probably have chuckled just as he had
done in bygone days when his neigh
bors had discussed his domestic or
business affairs.
The will was marvel of simplicity,
and Judge Barrow declared that no
court OH earth would set it aside.
Nevertheless the women who loved
Lucy Leyden for her gentle disposition
and kindly heart openly grleved. The
men who had admired John VIII
loughby's brave struggle against heavy
odds swore ut the deceased roundly
for q stubborn meddler with fate.
Even Miss Polly Fowler, who had
taught them both at the little red
schoolhouse, had been heard to remark
her own "hraShness" that, while she
didn't wish anybody bad luck, she
shouldn't shed tears if she heard Hen
~ Leyden had met his "come-uppance"
In the next world.
But the fact remained that the dead
man had bequeathed his stock in the
Decatur and Leydenville road to his
nephew, Ben Morris; his stock in the
Leydenville bank to distant home
for cripples QHenry Leyden had been
afflicted from birth with n clubfootI.
and, after few scattered requests to
distant relatives, to Lucy he had left
only the old homestead and all per-
sonal property found thereon at the
time of his death.
This at least assured Lucy and her
mother the same refuge that had been
open to them ten years before, when
George Leyden went the way of prod
igal sons, leaving the two women to
the mercies of his crotchety but
wealthy brother. But the income that
had supported the homestead died with
Its owner, and the question of how 1t
was to be kept up agitated all Leylen-
vile.
Lucy and John Willoughby had been
engaged for four years, but the girls
uncle had stood firmly against the mar
rage. John had a mother and two
sisters dependent upon him. He could
not add to this burden, and the shrewd
banker proposed to adopt no nephew
in-law, however worthy the young man
might be.
The two young people did not at
tempt to veil their disappointment, but
they had more serious matters on
hand. The handsome house, tucked
IN the rapidly growing business sec
tion Of the town, yielded not cent of
income. Mrs. Leyden was one of the
clinging, dependent sort of women. and
Lucy knew that she must face the
problem alone.
John suggested that they sell the
place and, taking a small cottage, live
off the income of safe, conservative
investment of the balance. But Lucy
protested against the sacrlege. She
knew that it was her uncle's wish that
she should continue to occupy the old
house.
Lucy thought they might take room
ers and boarders, but John pictured
the pert young clerks from the freight
offices or the dapper youths from the
Boston stoor" waited upon by his
Lucy, and the plan died a violent
DEATH II was Mrs. Leyden-limp.
phlegmatic Mrs. Leyden-who finally
solved the problem.
you amt thought of the library,
Lucy. You remember how your Uncle
Henry always talked about it. lie had
been years collecting those old books
Lots of them 20 as far back as the
Revolution. and some of the oldest
were printed in England before there
was any America. Don't you remem-
Der how he used to walk up and down
this room and shake his head Mt the
books, saying, Emmy, there's thou
sands In this room, thousands !
know he paid ridiculous prices for
some of them. Maybe there's others
as daffy about old books as he was"
Johns face frightened, and he took
bctla of Icr,s hands In Iii,