The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-11-21
Nephew and Niece.

IcopyrIghi. isT. ~ c. H. autcnns.

copyright 1907. By C. H. sutcnneI
Old Peter Rhinehart. bachelor. was a
very rich man and a very queer man.
lie had two brothers and sister and
three or four nephews and nleces. bur
for the last thirty years OF his life not
one OF them was permitted 10 step foot
across his threshold. when he reached
the age OF seventy and his health had
begun TO fail all his relatives aud
friends besought him 20 change his
way Of living. There was fear that
he would die alone and unattended.
The old man refused 10 make any
change whatever. What was feared
came to paes within a year. After the
old man had not been seen for two
days the house was broken into, aud
be was found dead.
Old Petor had made his VIII sir
months before. lie had given to char
fly, and he had been generous with all
bis relatives. but the bulk OF bis for.
tune had been left to certain nephew
and niece. John Rhinehart was TWEEN
ty-four years old and a son OF the old
mans brother Mary Davis was TWEEN
~ and a daughter OF bis sister. lie
had not seen either one OF them a
dozen times in HIS life Though rea-
lives. they cordially disllked each 9th.
er. They met but seldom and always
quarreled when they did meet. Mel.
Their was liked by the other relatives.
at the time OF the old mans death
both were engaged to be married 10
Others.
Had old Peter studied for years be
could not have wrought out worse
plan than be put in practice. The
money was left to this pair on condl-
ton that they marry. II they did not
marry, It was to be divided up among
the others; If they did, the one who
survived the other took all.
At first both nephew and niece de-
clared that they would not accept the
legacy under the terms. They douted
the idea. and they talked Of going to
law. After a BIT they took different
view OF the case. The spirit Of avarice
predominated in both. and In their
eelfshness they concluded to obey the
provision. 1t was stipulated that they
must live together for at least five
years unless death interviewed and the
legacy was to be paid In five annual
installments. Their engagements to
others were broken, and they were
married. They became man and wife,
but lived together as two strangers.
The feeling for each other was one Of
bltterest hatred.
one day three months after marriage
they went riding together in a boat on
q mill pond The husband hoped that
Ebffie accident would happen and the
xife be drowned While lie was plan
Ming to accidentally" lose an oar and
81 swept over the dam she produced a
pistol and threatened 70 shoot him i
anything went wrong. A month later
be- got word that she had asked for
poison At the drug atore, and he charg-
I'd her with an inteAtion Of killing him
ana thereafter was suspicious Of bis
food. 1t was shown after his death
that he bought d live ratflesnake and
iet ii loosG In the orchard. II was
shown thar size removed ladder TO
rive him d fall from the roof 0f the
house. she went rowing alone 10 find
fhnt tlic oars had been tempered With,
ma but for d boy she would have been
swept over the dam and drowned. He
found that d gun be was cleaning and
scarelessy handling was loaded instead