The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1907-09-17
Continued.

|
any superiority or authority en-
treat of you to rise and-dear me,
am not used to having ladies kneel-
| ing to me, but this with spas
modic attempt at his old smile -
quite the contrary. We have had
bad time all around--there's no
doubt of that-and of late weeks, 2
he added, with 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.
1t is surely not my dear Robert?"
NO, no; thank God! it is not he, 2
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 faint
flush, she murmured, ut is not, I
trust, good Mr.. MAYORS"
Eyes, he has gone from this world
to better; but this would have
been 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 we're
blessing upon you; the dream of
his heart was that you should escape
your unhappy fate; and his prayer
has been answered"
rs my husband dead?" inquired
Sophy, in trembling tones.
Eyes; don't ask about it just yet;
you shall know all in time. You are
no longer a bond slave; yes'-her
Oy % Lct0 III ACQ " 11IG1O w 1ll1C WILL
yearning thankfulness-"and your
child is safe; henceforth she will be
yours without fear"
Once more Sophy fell on her knees,
but this time not to the canon. There
are times when even to the tenderest
hearts the loss of our dear ones is a
source of happy release and a cause
for thankfulness. A melancholy graf
itude, indeed; but this was a case
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 ohild's hand in
hers; some reparatfon for even the
past can now be made. We have
thought 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 meant" inquired the can
on, with distressed look.
1T is quite true" said Sophy
gravely; my darling and l 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 10 he I,ooo,.
| / told her that she would then be
able to repay you all that you had
been robbed Of
"And if was to die in the mean
time" said little Willie, Il should
like to leave it all to him.
II don't suppose your good hus-
Mnd, Henny," said Sophy, smiling,
would think very much of the val
idity of the will of 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 large, round hand.
There was no undue influence, >
said Sophy, though l admit that
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 was when we thought thai
we should never get well and strong
again that we did it."
The canon sat with this juvenile
testament spread out before him a!
reverently as though it had been al
original MS. of. Milton. The two
women stood looking over his shout
der, making pretense to read it, bu
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, anC
bequeathed "ali my worldly goods
of whatever kind, to William Aldred
my godpapa."
And where on earth did Willi'
get all this legal knowledge?" in
CURED the legatee.
Jeanette had sixpenny bool
of general utility" explained Sophy
"among the contents of which wa
the form Of will. She and wer,
the witnesses, but you will pleas
to observe that the signature is VIII
lies own"
II did all that by myself" re
marked the testator. with compla
cency: mamma did not guide m,
fingers"