Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1908-07-31

stumped off ponderously TO the barn.
en-" leaving Patty to repeat her story
with much irrelevant and some mag
mary detail, to Mistress Spotswood
over the turning of the sage cheese IL
the dairy.
That evening the farmer, with a
mug Of home-brewed at his elbow, and
a church-warden in his hand to aid
him, spelled aloud slowly to his wife
the quaint and curly words OF the
strangely discovered paper from the
cupboard in the wall. They neither of
them understood the half Of 1t; but
their very genuine shrewdness enabled
them, nevertheless, to arrive at a pref
ty clear idea of Its general purport.
The document was undoubtedly q will
the last testament Of the former own
er of the house and farm, old John
Phippen. In 1t he bequeathed every.
thing to his son, or, in case Of his
death, to his sons lawful daughter,
Patty, and to other Of his lawful chill.
dren, should there be any.
This be terrible bad" said Farmer
Spotswood to his wife, as he balanced
the paper on his knee. 1T be an un.
common queer thing, too"
"Well, and what's the meanln' of
itT
The farmer was a cautious man, and
he cogitated well and long before he
made reply: Pears that we shall
have to hand over the farm to Patty
old Phippen's grandfather. 'Cordln'
to this the whole place belongs to her,
and us shall have to turn out and let
her have It,"
III do naught aw the kind 30 long
as ha' breath, an you'll be fool II
you do" said Mistress Spotswood, EN-.
phatically.
us must do Zummat about it."
1--WE ha' lived here sebenteen yer
come Michaelmas, and 1 beant a-goin'
to turn out for no serviR wench at my
time O. life"
"Twere main unlucky the maid
found un," said the farmer. He turn.
ed the document over and over, and
unsuccessfully sought to find a fresh
and less dlsturbant wording by trying
1t upside down.
This comes Of gallivantin' of to
junkets," said his wife, virtuously.
Twill be long while afore the Lord
ketches at fairs agen, leavfn' the
maids a-routin' thes house out to find
what the Lord meant to be preserved
in secret"
VERY true, very true" said Farmer
Spotswood, greatly impressed. "'Twere
evidently meant by Providence that
this here paper should be lost-'twere
meant to be done away WI, In sort
of manner Of speakin'."
mo doubt OF, Lijah. No doubt at
all O. that"
The farmer folded up the paper with
great elaboration. II for one beant
goin' agen it." he said. 1.-THE maid
werdna' meant to ha' her gramfer's
money, that's sartain, and faint at
that We should seek to alter It." He
paused in thought, 'Heave up THO end
of the log, Keziah."
The roaring Of the bough, the snap-
ping Of myriad sparks, drowned the
cracking of the paper as the farmer
thrust the will into the heart Of the
fire with the toe of his boot. 1t burst
Into vivid life; the flame danced and
leaped as though trying to escape and
run; 1t licked the crumbling white
bark as If in wild endeavor to lift the
written secret away from destruction
on its flying fame-tips. He watched
the flames devour 1t, rehectlngly.
otis wonderful to think why Provi-
dence should ha' seen fit to deal so
hardly WI the maid" he said.
Patty be good wench, too" said
his wife, with a tremor Of compunc-
ton.
"Ay, she be that" echoed Farmer
SpotswoOd. "'Tls sort of a pIty that
the Lord should ha' seen At to chasten
her goa. Mind you, do tell her she
can ha' a goose agg for her breakfast.
Keziah. "-Philadelphla Telegraph.