The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1905-02-04

Naomi shrank back. Poor child, sh'
had but few friends, and stern ole
Squire Mardingham had been good Il
her in his bluff way.
Mr.. Peckham read out the preamble
Of the will in his sharp, high pitched
voice. Mr.. Lennox nodded approva
the while, and the room was fillec
with an atmosphere Of breathless
| silence as he neared the important
words, for which all listened so in,
tently.
Il Godfrey Mardingham, do give
and bequeath the whole Of my fortune
and estate, real and personal. for the
founding, erection and endowment OF
an asylum for fools, idiots and insane
that my name may be remembered
and honored after my bones have turn
ed to dust" the lawyer read out,
Slowly and impressively.
Mrs. Foxley fell back in her chair,
uttering hysterical, gasplng sound;
there was a sudden babel of voices,
bursting into discord.
"Oh! oh! ohp' shrieked Mrs. Fox
ley. mot to remember me, that nj
ways did SO much for him."
Fools and idiots, indeed He was
one himself" cried Mr.. Foxley, grow
ing purple in the face.
Il always knew he was an old
blockhead," cried Mr.. Lennox, Jump
ing around the room as If he had the
st. Vitas dance.
An unregenerate sinner!' groaned
the pious young man; think how the
sweet utterances Of Nehemiah Nosey
would have been completely thrown
away on himv'
"Old foolv' cried Mrs Foxley, sud-
denly emerging from the tide Of her
Mysteries. "Oh, Foxley, Foxley, you
always told me he hadn't any brains,
but never gave credence to you"
The maiden lady tossed her head in
the air.
Il wish now 1 hadn't worked those
slippers for him." said she: IAN un
grateful, unprincipled, hoary repro
bate who"
But Noaml Bruce rose IN among
them, slender and pale, yet instinct
with womanly dignity.
"Hush!' she calculated, uplifting
her slender finger. How dare Won
speak so Of the dead? Uncle Geoffrey
was good and generous to all Of Won,
as he was to me. What right have
you to expect aught else? His money
was his own to do as he pleased with,
and for one, shall not sit mutely by
and hear his name decried."
There was an instant of astonishpd
silence, and then Mr.. Peckham, Of the
firm of Peckham & Marble, jumped
brtskly up. tore the bandage awav
from his mouth and chin, pulled off
the red wig, false beard and goggles.
and rising to his full height, confront
ed the astonished audience-old Geof.
frey Mardingham's self, alive and
WE'LL
wen met, ye hypocrites," he said
slowly and distinctly, Il can scarcely
express my gratitude for this oppor-
tunity, which has given me such a
clear insight into the characters of ev-
cry one Of you. l am not dead and
buried; no, nor likely to be at pres.
ent, but l have learned a lesson for
he future. Come here to me, Naomi
he said, his face softening as he held
tut his hand. You, who were the
'nly one to defend the dead old man
hall be his adopted child for the
present, his heiress for the future. Al
or the rest of you, l only want tn
ave my house cleared of your odious
There was no gainsaying his stern
Vords and sneering lips. One by one
he expectant relations, now, alas! 50
Voefully disappointed, sneaked out Of
ne room and house-Mr. and Mrs
'oxIey, the lawyer, the old maid, and
he degenerate" youth, together with ]
he lesser satellites
For they had no more hopes from
Feotfrey Mardingham's will and the 8
tile Naomi Bruce was now an t
eiress!-Indianapolis Sun. I