The searchlight., 1912-12-27
A FIREBRAND
How II Was Thrown BE-
tween Two Girls
By EMMA ALDRlCh


who are so dead set in their ways that
they are liable to overreach lhe'n
selves. He was SO anxious 10 gel ron
that he wouldn't marry lest the eA
penSe of a family would prevent MS
accomplishing his object When he
had accumulated fortune ne found
himself without d chick or a child I'D
the world to pass it OD to Then IL
was a splendid property, consisting 81
houses and lands He couldn't ENJOY
II himself. He was too Old III he had
n son he might be Interested during
his last days teaching the boy bow to
take care of it and at his death see
pass into the possession Of his own
flesh and blood.
But. not having a SOD or a child at
all. he set himself TO make such pro
vision as would insure the passage OF
his estate to one of his nieces II he
had had n nephew he would have left
Il to him But he hadn't a nephew.
and of his two nieces, one, the dauSh
ter OF his sister Anna, was but twelve,
the other. the daughter Of his sistel
Elizabeth. thirteen. Had he not been
80 wrapped up in his fortune as
whole and desirous OF having II 20 rs
a whole to descendant he woull
have left half of IL 10 one niece and
half to the other But his object was
to provide for it remaining undivided
rather than to make any person or per
sons happy. Indeed. he didn't wish to
make any one happy IL was his de
light to make persons miserable. Not
exactly that either: he loved Ia Se'
them at odds He would sell the same
thing to or buy it from two different
persons, then set them TO quarretlng
over which should have the preference.
while he looked on without taking ANY
part in the wranpling.
Like most persons who wish to tudl
rectly retain the management OF th"iI
property after death. MuIdridgr made
a viii with that intent lie ,eft h>
estate IN the hands OF trustee Till uI>
niece. Alice Mortimer. and her ynuug"f
cousin. Sadie liruwn. should na,'
passed twenty wears Of age Ou the
lhtterS twentieth birthday AT ~ Ocl""k
noon th" trustee was To annuun"" ~
presence OF both girls that the one frsI
married should inherit the whole Of tbs
estate His main object was To do al
he cnissa toward having posthumou'
granddaughter. and he further tied ~
the estate ~ that IL should 90 to the
first son born To the niece who should
win IL
And 81 IL came about that Misses
Alice Mortimer and Sadie Brown grew
W neither OF them knowing that wheI
Sadie shuuiu reach her twentieth birth
day they would he called upon 10 hur
~ Tor u husband or lose a fortune d
may be- supposed that had they beef
informed OF the terms OF their uncle
will each would nave provided "A maj
for the occasion But Il is questionabl
II this Is 80 Miss Mortimer wis ~
incorrIgibIe dirt. and IL Is doubtful 1
even the contingent possession u
wealth would enable her To make "a
her mind between several men she ha,
dangling about neT Miss Brown WI
demure little body. and since " woul
be necessary for her To intimate {
some man that she would like him {
marry her IL is quite likely that sh
would lose the inheritance
Muldridge died n year before thi
birthday OF Sadie Brown ON whic
hung half million dollars. His tru
tee. John Andrews. who by the tern
of the will was TO be We'll paid out ,
the estate for keeping the secret, su
ceeded admirably In holding his tongt
and a few days before Miss Brown
birthday notified the parties interests
that a bequest OF their uncle. Mart
Muldridge. in which they were CO
cerned would be made known TO ther
They were To come TO the trustees G
dee half an hour before noon tn
there might be no slip In complain
with the law
The cousins had not been near neig
bors aud scarcely knew each oths
Both arrived at the trustees OH
promptly AT ll:30 O'Clock and greet
e0c0 Otnef III Nf1enuiN mhnfeI ]
deed. they had reason to be pleas
with the situation. as they supposed
To be. for IL was TO be inferred th
each was TO come in for a nice sha
OF Uncle Martins estate. They sat ch,
ting ill the clocks began 10 strike
when the trustee entered from his p
vate office with the Muldridge will
his hand and. untying the red Ia
about II. read them the documeI
When be had finished be- said to theI
Young ladies'. you have heard q
pr0visions of the will II either Of y
marries II will be TO your interest
request the clergyman who marries y
10 carefully note the hour, minute a
second and make aflldavtt to that I
Ssct before a notary or such person
y authorized To take acknowied
0enn"
The two girls eat gaptne n the tr,
- for q few moments: then Miss Nj
timer began to CULVER with excitemel
While her cousin took on . bewilder
6ok. II was an abominable situsti
oue any man 10 bring about betwe