The daily Alaskan., 1911-06-19
How the Mills
 Wee Saved By ELLEN E MORSE Copyright by American Press Asso-
 Ciati0u. l0Ii.

Mine was a case or NltpttN'A'i """ one of the worst cases Of tbc k.ud on record Stermothers are not an bad by any means but when they are ifs mirbty hard on their sJcpehidren. Bows when they become old enough, can go away and fight thc world for
 themselves. but that's not so easy for girls Nevertheless ! did that very thing
 After mothers death father took into the house Co tuke care of me he said-a woman about his own age He sqv the folly of this plan when it was fco Iafe. There was something about the woman. or perhaps some weak spot in father th0t enabled her to i dominate him And as for me, she made my life one of misery.
 Whom I .vyas seventeen. having stood well in my classes. at school was offered a position as Eoverness iu tae npdvke family. I accepted it to get away from my stcpmothcr | taught ! f5e vouncer children ot the family ! There was son. Harry a year or two older than !, who was a clerk Tor ! his father. manufacturer of paper. The Ondyke family considered them selves very well off when ] went Go live with them. They were dreadfulIy afraid that Harry would fall in love with me. They had no objection to me except that they wished him Go make ] good match. which, being interpret cd. means one with money.
 didn't know it ot Che lime, but my father had considerable property. It was in securities IO which he had in- vested what money he had after manic. When | left home he stIiI had these securities. but they were not l available. He was keeping them for time when the commercial depression ] had passed and the property they rcp- ! resented would resume thC payment of dividends. Therefore either hO was not iu position Co give me any tn- come. or if he was his wife prevented him from doing sd.
 ! I remained in che Opdybe family five years Meanwhile Harry bad be- come his fathers rrb, hand man at the mills. He had permitted himself Co fall in love with mo. but ! knew that although tbe family thought a great deal of me tboy were looking higher for him. consequently ] would not yield Co bls wishes for a be- trotbal
 Several matters of importance Co us an came about at very near the same time. In the first place, Mir Opjyke, who had been carrying a debt on his mills. found himself unable Co provide for it any longer In Che second place. my father dicd and my stopmothcr produced a win leaving an his prop erty to her. Harry told me condden- dauy of the condition of the family affairs and said that now We were on the same GDauclaI basis, We had bet ter join our fortunes. "Wbat a pity. said Co him, sthat my father didn't leave me some Of his property; might have helped your father and you through your difficulties
 ! gave way Co Harry's persuasive efforts and we became engaged. although we kept Che engagement secret Under these conditions Harry took an interest In my personal affairs ! told him a great deal about my step mother and he suggested taking legal steps Go break Che win. But aftortalk- ing the matter over we both agreed that there were no grounds for break ing fiat least none Chat we could prove. My father WIS probably of sound mind at the time he made it and | could not prove that his wife had used undue influence Co induce him Co make it In her favor The only objection could bring up was that my father had told me shortly before his death that my stepmotber had tried to force him into making a will in her favor. but he was firmly resolved to make no will
 made up my mind to have look at the document ! took Harry with . IL'e hN liNN hhN|N W NNt" IN IINA i'M..' filed. and it was shown Co me. It was not in my fathers handwriting, but I was familiar with his signature. and it . seemed to me Co be genuine ! noticed that the witnesses and and the notary were all Of my. stepmother's choosing At least there were none of fathers friends among them, The document had not been executed on a regular form, but on a sheet of ordinary paper. . After examining it thoroughly ! hand ed it to Harry.
 Persons in the paper business are apt to acquire a habit on taking up sheet Of paper of holding it up to the light and ,ookinr at the watermark on it. Harry did this at the same dme rubbing the surface with his thumb and finger. I saw by the eX . nression on bis face that he had made a discovery. Hurried}y looking at the date on which the will was made he turned to me and said
 'Th8t win Is a forgery"
 "How do you kuow27 l exclaimed, catching my breath.
 "Tbe paper was made in our mills