The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1906-02-03

VI Sdiudule SloCh Us well, COC8 I08S
fairly took Aunt Comforts breath
away. She and DIR. Sol and wife, with
Phinney, were the only ones present
when David's room was searched, and
a tin deed box containing these valu-
ables was opened.
In this box was an envelope also.
and in it scrap of paper upon which
was scrawled, IF ever you sell ono
foot of land, will return to you in
body or spirit" With this was copy
of bargain signed by Martin Fris-
bic, and agreeing to pay David $685.
600 for mill, land and power, therein
specified, within one year from date,
or forfeit the $4,000 already paid, and
in David's bed was also found that
amount in bills.
DR.. Sol was appointed administrator
by Squire Phinney, the hired man and
wife were paid and dismissed, and the
house locked. This, the business end
of David's life. like his fearless funeral,
was mere matter of routine, and yet
there were other and far-reaching out
comes Of public interest. First and
foremost was the question of inherit-
ance. Angie, of course, the sole heir,
would inherit in due time, and after
legal preliminaries had been adjusted,
and provided no other claimant APP
peared. Upon this, however, there was
divergence of opinion. Many still
believed AMI yet alive. some insisted
that he must he (and that il was known
to David), and few We're positive that
his ghostly presence had been the
cause Of Davids first case of fits" as
n return on Halloween had been OF the
final scare.
1t was hut justice, as all agreed. and
yet it was a mystery as dark and un-
canny as the hackmatack swamp where
David was found. For three months
many had considered his premises
haunted, now this number was in
creased; and out of those who still.
! secuted the idea Of any ghostly connec-
| ton, there were few who would have
! visited either mill or the big empty
| house after dark.
| But the Mizzy falls kept on rumbing,
| tho autumn winds swept the dead
leaves into every nook and Granny of
| the premises. the leafless elms moancd,
| the loose boards of the old house
creaked by night. and if Amzi's ghost
came not. ii seemed that David would
be like to come.
A foolish will had wrought its worse
than finite woe. a mean and miserly
| hypocritc had continued it, and dead.
| hnd--like a serpent-left his trail and
impress upon Greenvale.
When the outcome OF David's death,
scarcely realized as yet by Aunt Com
fort, was conveyed by her to Angie.
1t was told with bated breath and as
II ghost might be listening 1t was
all so sudden, and so quite overwhelm-
ing also, Angie was stunned. All her
life long she had felt grievous wrong
had been done her father, and she had
been left to suffer for It, At times
she had felt such bitter hatred OF her
uncle that his very name and sight of
his pinchcd face was obnoxious. At his
funeral she would not look upon him,
and when the earth to earth and dust
to dust" finale came, only its solemnity
impressed her.
| We do not even admit some thoughts
and feelings, and when those who have
wronged us most pass down into their
final restins-place, our lips must also
remain sealed, and when Angie turned
away from her uncle's grave. she would
not say. II am glad" and could not
say. II am sorry"
| Nathan ,1;l Tho f,o% t1,rI
inherit his estate undo the sense of
wrong. II was not his will and wish
that this was to be, he had not thought
OF her, or justice to her in life, and
only the laws mandate now said so.
and that left a faint on the heritage.
He had WlOnsrd her father in the long
ago. and had driven him from home.
had kept what was hers :" right, and,
In spite of public opinion. willingly saw
her dependent upon charity and her
own effort to earn Il trific. and now, in
passing, had left her to sifle her natu-
raj feelings as best she could But there
was one spot of silver beneath tho
cloud, and that the face of Aunt COm-
fort and the chance to reward her, was
some compensation for all her self
| dcnials. 1t was the first and about
the only impulse that came to Angie
when the tragic shock had passed
away, and that night when the two sat
beside their little round table recount-
Ing all that had been said and done in
the past few days. this chance was
Angles only sense of gratitude She
had weeks before come to realize that
, any change in her own life would and
must be impossible while Aunt Com
fort lived. and Martins sclf-evident
hopes seemed doomed to fail. To care
for the good old soul. who had been
home and mother since childhood, she
must, or forever despise herself, and al
though this legacy would remove the
narrow and cramping poverty that had
been theirs always, the obligation re-
manned, and with Angie such q debt
was sacred
With Aunt Comfort il was other
wise, as might be expected, and when
the evening had grown late and the
fire had burned low, her resume of the
situation may well be quoted.
1--WE alters b'licved the Lord nd see
justice done us ALL" she said, land |
b'lieye He has. He amt like to bring
AMI back to life, but maybe He's gin
David his just desarts. | don't exact
ly believe in sperits, yet it looks ez if
the hantin' o. conscience had made
David see one the night he was tool,