The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-09-04
XIV. q
Continued.

But if you do really attribute to me
any superiority or authority I en-
treat of you to rise and-dear me, I
am not used to having ladies kneel-
ing to me, but this with a spas
modic attempt at his old smile -
quite the contrary. We have had
a bad time all around-there's no
doubt of that-and of late weeks"
he added, with a deep sigh, the
worst of all"
Good heavens! what has hap
pened afresh?" cried Sophy, starting
to her feet. You are in mourning,
and Aunt Maria is in mourning too.
It is surely not my dear Roberto"
mo, no; thank God! it is not he,"
said the canon earnestly; "but we
have lost an old friend-a friend
who was dear to all of US and to
whom you, Sophy, were especially
dear"
Sophy put back her hair from her
eyes-a familiar gesture, which
brought her back to the canon's
mind more than anything had yet
done, for she was greatly changed.
The expression of her face was that
of bewilderment. For the moment
so little of reciprocity there is
sometimes even in devoted love
she was unable to recognize the
loss of which he spoke. Then, in a
trembling voice and with a faint
flush, she murmured, 1T is not, /
trust, gosd MI. Mayors"
Eyes, he has gone from this world
to a better; but this would have
been a better world to him had things
turned out differently as regards
yourself, Sophy. I was blind to it,
but Aunt Maria was not; he sent to
her when he was dying and told her
all about it. His last words were
a blessing upon you; the dream Of
his heart was that you should escape
your unhappy fate; and his prayer
has been answered"
SIS my husband dead?" inquired
Sophy, in trembling tones.
lCS, oOu I dSh oUOuI IL JuoI ySC,
you shall know all in time. You are
no longer a bond slave; yes"-her
eyes had turned to little Willie with
yearning thankfulness-"and your
child is safe; %henceforth she will be
yours without fear"
Once more Sophy fell OF her knees,
but this time not to the canon. There
r times when even to the tenderest
hearts the loss of u dear ones is a
source Of happy release and a cause
for thankfulness. A melancholy graf
itude, indeed; but this was a cas-
of a woman who recognized
heavens mercy in the blow that had
cut off her husband in the midst Of
his sins.
"And the past" said Sophy, SOL
EMMY, taking the child's hand in
hers; some reparation for even the
past "a now be made. We have
thought a good deal about godpapa
and how he has been treated, have
we not, Willie?"
The child, sitting up very high in
her little bed, well proped by pill
lows, nodded adhesion. II have
left godpapa all my money!" she
said.
Good heavens! What does the
dear child mean" inquired the can
on, with a distressed look.
1T is quite true" said Sophy
gravely; my darling and I are both
Of one mind in the the matter. Her
chief anxiety when DR.. Newton came
to see her, was to know whether she
would live to be twenty-one, because
I told her that she would then be
able to repay you all that you had
been robbed Of"
And if l was to die in the mean
time" said little Willie, Il should
like to leave it all to him"
Il don't suppose your good hus-
band, Henny," said Sophy, smiling,
would think very much OF the val
idity of the will of a child of six; but
at all events it shows the intention
Of the testator.'"
With that she produced from her
desk the document in question, writ
ten in a large, round hand.
There was no undue influence"
said Sophy, though I admit that I
sometimes steadied her wrist; not
that we can't WRITE" she added with
maternal pride, "but because we
were so very weak at the time. In
deed it vas when we thought that
we should never get we'll and strong
again that we did it."
The sat with this juvenile
testament spread out before him as
reverently IS though it had been an
original MS. of Milton. The two
women stood looking over his Shout
der. making pretense to read it, but
their eyes were too full of tears.
"This is the last will and tesla
ment of me, Wilhelmina Adair, spin
ster," it ran, in due legal form, and
]bequeathed "all my worldly goods,
of whatever kind, to William Aldred,
my godpapa."
"And where on earth did Willie
get all this legal knowledge?" in
quired the legatee.
"Jeannette had a sixpenny book
OF general utility" explained Sophy,
among the contents of which was
the form of a will. She and 1 were
the witnesses. but you will please
to observe that the signature is Will
lies own"
II did all that by myself" re-
marked the testator, with compla-
cency: mamma did not guide my