Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1911-08-19
HE KEPT HIS WORD

of affinities, so each followed a line
of life Independent of the other.
Neither his stolid silent endurance,
nor his wifes calm. proud, statuesque
carriage gave any clue to the mystery.
They were no longer seen together in
public, though they still formed one
household. Each referred to the other
in most courteous phrase, and the pub
lie was left to wonder till its curiosity
was occupied with some other point of
interest
Fond of children, his was a child
less home, and now for many years
since the death of his wife, he had oc-
cupied his well-appointed house
reclue. but apparently content with
what life brought him, or too philo-
sophical to appear otherwise. With no
brothers nor sisters he was the last
of his line except for distant cousins
of whom he knew nothing.
And now he was dying unattended
except for the nurse at his bedside, and
the servants in the house.
He was dying and he knew it, yet
he did not repine. He realized MS
loneliness and was not suited with It.
He reused himself to the task before
him. He had always overcome all OBJ
stacles In his path, and he felt equal
to the conflict now. His will had al
ways been law; it should still be SO.
He wanted his name to continue after
his departure, and desired some one TO
pay Tic outward lOIHlS VI 1oSpSCL ~
his memory and these two things he
determined to arrange before yielding
| to the grim visitor Death.
Calling his man of business, the old
man gave him some very definite in
structions. He was to see that his viii
| was prepared ready to sign at the
proper moment. Every detail of need
| full legal arrangement was carefully
| looked out for. Financial matters were
exactly transacted. A marriage license
was procured. The minister was be-
| spoken to hold himself in readiness
/ for the emergency. Even his funeral
| ceremonies were thought of, and
everything was ready for both mar
riage and death.
After all was done, the desired bride
was to be notified. Mortimer Hadley
| anticipated no refusal. His will had
| never been thwarted; it would no-
be now. He had chosen lady with
whom he had been acquainted for
| many years. She was an old-tinle
friend of his wife. OF good New Eng
land family, she had never hesn
blessed with riches and had been self
| supporting during all these years of
| unmarried life. He felt quite sure that
the prospect of ease and comfort in her
declining years would tempt her to
agree to his proposal to marry him
his death bed. Sentiment of any kind
did not enter into his thought of the
transaction. which he looked upon as
simply a business agreement. The
only condition he should demand would
be her residence in his home for a
year. and that she should wear mourn
ing during that time. At the end of
that period she should be free to do as
she liked, though he secretly hoped
she would by that time become at
tached to the house and decide to re-
main there. Surely no woman in her
senses would refuse such an offer. and
he should die content. knowing al
things would go on as he desired
Now the intended bride had 8 VIII
of her own. also. but. fortunately she
had a sense of hunor which had car
ried her over many hard spots in her
life, and when the matter was pre-
sented to her the queerness OF it Il
appealed to her, and with whimsi-
cal smile, she consented to the plan.
Il don't believe he will die tonight
though she commented. land we shaH
laugh over this in the future. as, a
great joke He is a very sick man.
was the response. only his strong VIII
is carrying him through You must
be prepared for the worst
She presented herself at his bedside