The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1903-08-28
THE HEIRESS OF
LOCUST HILL.
By Mary Grace HaIpine.


IN ETSEY JANE, come here-you
ID remember that your name is
Betsey Jane, don't your
Yes, ma am.
.'See that you don't forget it. And
want you to drop that foolish habit
you have of calling me aunt. l don t
know where you ever picked it up
Mamma told me you was my
aunt"
No matter what your mamma told
you; you are to mind what | tell you
now. Your aunt, indeed! AS though
| ever could be the aunt of a beggar' S
brat like you! Don't you never dare
let me hear that word from your lips
again, Your name is Betsey Jane Null
ligan-do you hear?"
Yes, ma'am."
And your parents were both drunk
ards, and abused you shamefully, and
| took you out of charity. Do you
remember that?'
No, ma am"
You don't, hey? Do you dare tell
me that you don't remember it,"
The child covered beneath the up
lifted hand that had dealt her SO many
crtel blows.
Yes. ma'am," she said, tremblingly.
every good. It's well you've come to
your memory, or you would get some
thing to freshen it. Now listen to me.
There's man coming here tomorrow,
to stay few weeks-a grand, rich
gentleman, ever so much above the
likes of you. He can't bear children,
especially little girls, and you must
mind and keep out of his way all the
time he is here; in the kitchen, up in
the attic, out in the fields, or some
where's. If you happen to meet him.
you mustn't speak or look at him. If
you do I'll put you down into the dark
hole in the cellar, and keep you there
week. Do you understand me?"
Eyes, ma am"
well, then, go down stairs and
scour the knives, and be spry about it.
you're fool to keep her here,
ma" drawled the daughter of the
house, from the sofa, where, in a soiled
wrapper and uncombed hair, she lay
reading novel. For all she favors
the Cartons so much, she has her
mothers look about her mouth and
if Uncle Charles spies her you just see
what will come of it,
81 wish you'd mind your own affairs,
julie" was the tart reply. Where,
for the lands sake, am | to send her?
l was going to have her stay at your
Aunt Nancy's if she hadn't gone to
to fathers; but now that's out of the
question. I don't believe he'll notice
her; since her curls were cut off and
she's worn those coarse dresses, she
don't look like the same child. Now
| want you to do all you can to please
Mr.. Plympton when he comes. Be
very careful what you say before him.
He is very particular in his ideas about
women. You know we are not blood
relations, and he can leave his property
to whoever he likes. But there's no
reason why he shouldn't leave the
greater part of it to us if we play our
cards right. John writes that he is
looking miserably, and that he can't
last a great while"
Mrs. Plympton sat at the head of the
breakfast table the next morning in all
the glory of new cap and dress that
rustled with every motion of it's rest
less wearer. But not all the smiles
that decked her face could smooth the
wrinkles from her brow, or conceal the
hard, cold expression of the sharp,
restless eyes,
do take another cup of coffee. Julia,
my love, pass your uncle the hot toast.
Dear, dear, how natural it does seem
to see you in poor, dear Georges place.
You do look so much like him!"
Here a cambria handkerchief was
raised to the eyes, to which no amount
of effort could bring the slightest
moisture.
Mr.. Plympton had a strong i'm
preston that his late brother had not
lived very happily with his second
wife.
1--WE were never thought to resemble
each other" he remarked, rather
dryly.
Then, as if almost afraid she would
ask him to occupy in all respects the
vacant place of poor, dear George"
he added, hastily:
II did think of going to Locust Hill
ct once; but there is no one there to
to welcome me now, at least not of my
own kin. l suppose old Peter and
Sarah are there still?"
"Oh, yes; but they are growing old.
and cannot, of course, keep it as it
ought to be kept. 1t is a fine place.
and 1t is pity that it should be ruined
for the want of proper care"