The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1911-03-31
rHoMAsINE COUNTED THE MONEY.

dOMA6lNG UNI TIN MONGxs
gathered to pay her the last respects.
After the funeral they sat in the front
room, which she had used as q parlor,
and listened In silence to the reading
Of the brief will.
The lawyer, MI. Rhodes, polished his
eyeglasses and adjusted them to his
long nose. "Ahem!" he said loudly.
"Of curse you all participated in the
generous distribution Of Mrs. Morgan's
household furniture some twenty odd
years ago? =.
Cali tie furniture in these two rooms
is bequeathed to Mrs. Deacon Flint
In remembrance of her never failing
kindness-all the furniture with the
following exceptions: Bedstead and
mattresses, mahogany bureau to match,
light cherry .s.and, work table, morris
chair and wi Ter rocker-to be divided
among my for ~nieces-Jane Morris,
Ann Sauircs, Fanny Ray and Thomas.
inc Wells-and my two nephews-
George GilesaHd Luke Howe-in what
ever my esteemed friend Hen
nv Rhodes may deem wiser Once
more the lawyer challenged them to
dispute the justice of this will.
"Your aunt also wishes that several
personal belongings shall be divided
among you in the same way. There
is a marble clock, a pair Of vases, brass
andirons, a china lamp, a looking
glass and-her parrot-the stuffed par
rot! You all recollect that this faith
full bird was the companion of your
aunt for many lonely years and that
she ~c-t:enacd it highly"
Thomasine was the only n who
v~Ouchsafed an acknowledgment of this
tribute to the defunct bird. She never
had liked parrots-she thought them
noisy, screaming pests-but because
poor Aunt Lucia was dead and had
thought to mention her dead pet in the
will Thomasine smiled and said they
had all heard that the parrot was de-
voted to Aunt Lucia.
tThe clothes and little personal be-
longings were distributed among her
close friends before she died." went on
the lawyer, referring to the will. "Your
aunt has left q sum of money sufficient
to cover all necessary expenses, and
If there is a little surplus it is to go
for the care of her burial plot. That's
ALL"
II thought there was some money"
remarked George Giles, rubbing a sun
burned. hand over his head in q puz-
zled. manner. He was a prosperous
farmer, and he had promised himself a
little pleasure trip with any legacy
he might receive from Aunt Lucia.
"Here are copies Of the will" said
the lawyer .tersely, handing around
duplicates of the document "You may
keep these. You will note that Mrs.
Morgan especially emphasizes the fact
that each article and all it contains is
to go to the one who takeseit away.
She also suggests that the distribution
be made by choice, the oldest one hav-
ing first choice. This, I think. would
be very proper"
every WELL" said Ann Squires eager.
". She was the frstborn among
them. The others signifed assent with
more or less satisfaction according tc
age. Thomasine: Wells felt very help
less somehow. She would have liked
70 choose the mahogany work table. II
was very pretty. with glass knobs on
the drawers, but It was very likely
that one Of the others would want
| that.
Thomasine was quite poor. She had
been apprenticed to a dressmakes
when she was fifteen, and now she
sewed at home In the few rooms she
hired I'm a small town fifty miles from,
Little River. The other heirs were well
to do farmer folk who had had many
opportunities to visit Amt Lucia and
shower attentions up0n her declining
years. Poor fncnnastne Ind hid 1