Newark post., 1914-02-25
COUSIN MARY'S GARDEN
BY COSTELLA C. WASHBURN

ltlt us any tnlnS, SlSleu hIs. III
more fetfully, as she reached tc
push the half empty cup of sage tea
among the bottles, cups and tum'
blers on the chair near, and sank
back upon the untidy couch.
NO." said Mr.. Elmore, as he
looked thoughtfully about the room,
from the grimy windows to the
dusty, Uttered table, to the piano
top that looked as if it were never
opened, to little sister Nettie, bend
ing over her novel, and back to the
unhappy face Of his wife. "No,
our home hasn t held much attrac-
ton for Cousin Mary late years. -
A bit of red crept into Mrs. Ell
more's cheeks. "Well," she COM
planned, Il can't help it if things
don't look as they used to. Nettie
doesn t like housework, and | can t
work when m sick all the time.
Just as soon as | stand on my feet
I'm afraid | shall get worse. "
"Do you think you'll be able to
walk over to the Gilmore house to-
morrow afternoon 20 asked Mr.. FL
more, with an odd look in his eyes.
"Lawyer Barber told me today
that the will is to be read then. "
"You know | cannot,' snapped
Mrs. Elmore. 81 have not walked
as far as that for two years. How
incOnsiderate you are, Edward. "
Mr.. Elmore sighed and turned to
the door. Nettie,'' he said, can t
you straighten things up a little ?"
"Oh, it's no use picking things
up" remarked Nettie without rails
ing her head Nobody ever
comes.
Mr.. Elmore passed through the
kitchen, where the unwashed dishes
and the remains Of the uninviting
breakfast were still upon the table,
and sat down in the back doorway,
resting his chin in his hand. 81
guess there ism t much for me to
say to the women folks" he mused
as he looked about. "That tumble
down front fence, that muddy
pool with its tin cans and old shoes
and those loosening clapboards
don t look as if | amounted to much
myself. But somehow [ haven t
seemed to care how things looked
outside since the inside of the house
got so different from what it used
to be. | wonder if Helen ism t ever
going to get well. If she'd only
come out here and hear the birds
sing and watch things grow, | know
it would do her good"
When Mr., Elmore came in to
dinner the next day he was sur
prised to find his wife and Nettie
dressed to go out. why, Helen,
what does this mean? Where are
you going?' he asked
''Oh, I'm going to hear Cousin
Mary's will read," she replied in
resi- gned tone, as she slipped her
ginger tea. Il know it will make
me worse, but it is my duty to go.
Don't forget to take the camphor
bottle along, Nettie | shall feel
so faint when Lawyer Barber reads
how Cousin Mary has left all her
money to those rich cousins out
West. Seems as if she might have
left us little something.
But when the will was read, Mrs. |
Elmore quite forgot to faint. To
have done so would have been to
miss that most unexpected clause
in the will.
"To my dear cousin, Helen Ell
more, it ran, Il give and be-
queath my Boston fern, my Mexi-
can Gala, my tea roses and geran-
iums, all my house plants of every
description, and all my flower
seeds.
"To my dear cousin, Edward
| give and bequeath my
white lilac, my crimson rhododen-
dron, my magnolia stellata, my In ;
dian currant, my orange azalea, my !
naked Towering Jessamine, and my {
Scotch pinks, each to be taken up !
in due season and transplanted to ,
his own garden. +
"To Nettie Elmore | give and be-
lueat my baby rambler, American
Beauty and moss roses, all my seven
varieties of lilies, my tulips, hya- |
cinths and all other bulbs. T
"To Edward, Helen and Nettie Q
jointly | give and bequeath the sum S
If eighteen hundred dollars, the S
said sum to be paid them upon I
heir solemn promise to properly L
prepare their grounds and house to S
receive said flowers, and to care i
Tor them as long as they shall live. v
make this beuueSt, not only be- Y