Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-10-17
CHAPTER l.

and 1 cannot undefStsann MsW my grand
fstber could have thought of anything 80
foalishl"
Mildred, my dear, those are rather
strong words TO use, aren't they? Think
how generous the old gentleman has been
10 rs! He must have had some good
reason for acting as he did, and. after all
there is nothing strange in his putting
YOU under the care of guardisn, since
YOU are only Is, AVID a poor, useless
old woman"
"Auntie, how dare you! As if you
were not the wisest, and the cleverest,
and the dearest"
"Well, we'll, child, it is sweet of you to
say so, but You know he never saw me,
and-Ach. Won gre spelling my nice new
cap. that you took such trouble to make
for met Sit down, dear, and let US talk
the matter over quietly. You see, | did
very we'll as az guardian for YOU. whilst
you we're Just "a poor little orphan girl,
my brothers only child, too without
penny in the world and with no thought
in life but TO study those appalling les
sous ot NoTns, and TO be THE Joy and
sunshine of your old Aunt Freda; but
,low vcal have become all mt once grown
up. an important young lady, and yoET
grandfatjheris heiress. He was quite
right my dear, to pro@ide you with n
guardian. a wise and good man, to look
after vour interest and manage all y@ur
business for you, for what do / know OF
sach things 2"
a l,.wyer could have done all that
equally well for me- and | should Ne1v
soon have been able TO manage nay nj
fairs myself. But, after all. it Is not
that that i am complaining of. ! should
moi so Nely much mind having my money
controlled by stranger. but what il lie
should also aspire to control me -
"Ah! THAT would be unpleasant, of
,cUurse-for him; but let us hope he may
be wiser, land really, EIildFcd, l think YOU
are looking too much at the dark side
of this matter. Bring me the copy of the
will dear, and let us look Through 1t
again"
Hildred Elbefeld got up from where
she was sitting, beside the gT4S'4haired,
eweet-leoking little woman. in her rev
black dress, and fetched a long envelope
from the esc~itoire at the opposite side, of
the room. She drew a large. oraeixlirg
document from it as she sat DOWN again,
opened lit, and began to read aloud from
the beginning.
But her aunt put her hands mp ITO lIaer
cars and stopped her before she had gone
far in The bewildering maze Cd learned
legal phrases.
"Ach! spare me, child! My head be-
gins to turn!" she cried piteousy. @Sllip
all the nonsense, and just translate into
sane words the part that concerns us
Iildred laughed, turned over two of
the neatlywritten pages. and began
again at the third, where it STATED that
the deceased, David Masters, of Hamp-
shire, England, had belueathed the bulk
of his handsome fortune to ans cflaugh-
ter's only child, Hildrei Elbefeld, subject
to this condition-tha she shoEald, for six
months OF every year until her marriage,
reside III the same place If not actually
under the same roof. with his esteemed
friend, Griffith Mundy, whom he con
stitutcd her guardian. And if she should
not fulfill these conditions. or should
marry against the wishes OF the said
Griffith Mundy, the money should be
forfeit to him and to his heirs forever.
a codicil ito the will provided for a hand
some annuity to Freda Elbefeid of ORES
den, III recognition of her care cd Hildred
since her parents death.
And am quite sure, my dear" said
soft.hearted Miss Freda, that the man
who has been so generous 10 me. Il
stranger, for doing only what SO plainly
wRs my duty, can mean nothing but
kindness TO YOU, his own grandchld."
The grandchild, let me remind you,
aul1tie, whom he has persistently ignored
ever srnae her birth" put in Hildred
Butt, my dear, who knows if that has
not been q little bit our own fault. after
any asked her aunt: cor rather mine
alone, for you were too young To think
Tor yourself? You see, your mother
see'aed quite to have broken from her
own people when she married my brother,
and gathered vaguely that they eo0sid-
cred She had married beneath her; so
eaFesay there WIS pride mixed with the
love that made IRE keep you all to myself
when yo1r parents died and perhaps I
nave been wrong not to try to bring you
III touch with your mothers family
You We're not wrong, auntie, OF. If
you were, | am grateful to YOU for IT,
No one else would have been half so good
10 ne as you have been, and if my
grandfather were not so very old-not to
speak OF being dead-I should say ii was
IKE ms impudence TO come forward after
ail these years and dictate to me in this
fashion"
Mss Freda threw up her hands in hor-
ror
Ach! my dearest child" she cried.
W hat are you saying? Irlpudence' and
dictate when the poor old gentleman
4aN been SO generous and left you rich
for lifc"
Subject to conditions, auntie-you
'oFget the conditions!"
No, no! | remember we'll But what
Is It, after all. that we should make
slen a trouble of it? For one-balf the
year You will be still your own mistress,
and rich enough to travel or lead what
ever lie you choose"
les. for six monthsl" Hildred echoed,
win little grimace; "and for the other
si& | must put pride in my pocket and
submit TO all the whims and fads of a
'He'ome old man whom l have never
Ny dear. don't think you need make
:, question of pride exactly, and MIR
sl0hay may have no fads, as you call
1'en. You see. we don't even know as