Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-08-05

EF 1TOm JeuSTSON dua IuS ulSCeb. A uc Aumor of it struck Harold, and he laughed, too.
 "Letthe Humane society erect monu- ment!" exclaimed Jefferson, savagely "I wouldn't pay for a pine shingle to stick over his grave and he strode out
 ..And you, Miss Nancy?' asked the lawyer of the oldest niece.
 .Not a penny" she answered. as she bounced out.
 And so said all of them, until only Har- old was left
 Well, Mr. Harold?" inquired the lawyer, as the young man picked up his hat and started out, his face graver than 1t had ever been before. He turned at the question.
 Tt looks like adding insult to injury" said he; ''but, after all, we didn't have any absolute rights in his old money and he was pretty good fellow to me. Get some decent sort of monument and lake the cost out of my share"
 Harold went directly to his club and sat long time in the smoking-room. buried in thought For the first time he faced the real problem of life, and the natural difficulties accentuated by his absolute unpreI q edness and the noun tain of debts he had acquired.
 There was another complication, too "a woman, of course. Only a few weeks since he had fallen in love with sweet-faced nurse who had cared for him through m illness, and had re- solved to marry and settle down. He had proposed and been accepted. To give her up seemed more to him than all the rest--the loss of luxury, the pros pect of hard work, the sneers of his fellows. But it was inevitable for he could figure no way to support himself, to say nothing of her.
 After several hours of absorbed thought--the longest period of serious thinking he had ever known---he threw away his cigar and walked briskly out. Taking north bound car he made his way to the home of Alice Newton, and a few moments later had laid the whole the engagement.
 What are you going to do2" she asked with a white face.
 "0h, can join the army, I guess, and go to the Philippines ' he replied, grim ly. s.They will feed me and clothe me and shelter me after 8 fashion. That's more than can do for myself
 'tYou will do no such thing" she re- piled, with spirit. You will go to work and use those abilities you have always abused, and make a. place for yourself. And-and--I will walt for you" He started forward eagerly, then re- lapsed into his old cynicism. tIt's no use," he said. i've thought it all over know my limitations better than you can do nothing, and all my associations and acquaintance and habits are hand leap and not help. No, will go my way and eke out some sort of an ex- lstence, and you will go yours-and God bless you"
 He turned quickly to go, but she threw her arms about his neck He gave her passionate embrace and their lips met, but in his eyes there was no hope.
 At the club he found a message from the lawyer to call at his office next day.
 Here is catalogue of monuments I thought you should decide what sort to put over your uncle's grave. I do not care to take the responsibility of making selection. Inasmuch as you are to pay for it, you should make the selectioA.''
 'Oh, it don't matter, ; replied Harold. q am no copnoissieur in grave stones. ?,
 Here persisted theslawyer, opening the catalogue, lis simple stone that can be put up for s150. Perhaps with your means that is all you ought to pay. Here is a very respectable thing for $500. Here is a shaft for $500, and here Is very pretentious obelisk for $1, ,000 ''
 Harold looked carelessly at the pie lures.
 ..Oh, better do it right" said he, grimly. ''The money might as we'll go that way as any other. He never hesi- tated to add cipher to my check when debts got pressing Better give him the s1.o00 shaft and fix up some sort of let tering for 1t, will your" The lawyer bowed. "As you say," he said. Come in a week from to-day, and I will pay you the balance of your in heritance"
 A week later Harold appeared at the lawyers office. The other heirs were there.
 The old lawyer showed signs of great agitation.
 There was a codicil to Mathew Whit mans will" he said. "It was in a sealed envelope to be opened by me after the monument had been placed over his grave. It provides that the family heirs shall have a further leg acy of an amount equal to 400 times the cost of the monument, providing that did not exceed the value of the estate: said further legacy to be divided among the heirs in proportion to the amount they shall have contributed toward the monument"
 There was dense silence for moment. It would require a camera to depict the expression of utter woe depicted on the ! faces of JeffersoR Franklin and tho fe- male heirs--espectally on that of the astute Jefferson