Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-22
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The Morning Story
MIR. PRIOR's WILL.
liy Clarfssa Mackie.

window turned instantly and came to
tho bedside.
A pair of blue eyes looked down at
the anxious face OF the sick. old man.
mo. indeed. Mr. Pryor" she said
cheerily, DIR. Fraley says you are
getting along splendidly, and that he
will have YOU out within month.
You Will have 20 do your share,
though she warned playfully, as she
brought him cup OF stearning broth
from the electric plate In the next
room.
lin a month--numph," snortcd Mr.
Prior suspiciously "Out In n month
hey? Out where In the cemetery"
Nonsense reProved the pretty
nurse. as she held the cup TO his lips
NO one would care If | never re-
covered" muttered the sick man after
awhile
Nurse Ainslee flushed. You mustn't
say that" she protested your friends
have besieged the house with inquiries.
and the parlors are filed with flow
crs-''
Send en- to the hospitals" inter-.
'Tha, Will be lovely will attend
TO it at once. And your nieces call
twice a day or telephone their in
quiries-and your SON"
MY som shouted Mr.. Prior sudden
iy, II have no SON"
Hilda Ains!ee soothed him with gen
tie words. and administered com
posing drauEht. Then she sat down
near the bed and picked up a book.
Amos Prior dozed of quietly and
slept for an hour. When he opened
his eyes the nurse was still sitting
there. and he watched her pure profile
with satisfied eyes.
she looks good" he thought. she
is good and gentle and kind. II she
was my daughter" he closed his eyes
again and bitter thoughts crcpt into
his mind
Il did not want to see her hateful
schcming face he said aloud.
What Is IL, Mr.. Prior" asked Nurse
.Ainslcc
Il was talking about the woman NY
son Roger married"
on exclaimed the nurse. "It is
line to take your medicine. sir she
said TO the patient.
Mr. Prior obediently took the med-
cine and lay back on the pillows The
room was lofty one luNuriously fur
nshed and facing the avenue. The late
afternoon sun pierced the lace drap-
cries at the windows and cast intricate
shadows on the Turkish rugs.
did you send for my lawycrT asked
Mr.. Prior
Yes sir" said the nurse. "TIe Will
be here at 5-some one Is coming now.
1t was servant announcing the
arrival OF Mr.. Deeds. the lawyer who
had charge Of Amos Prior's large
properties
MIR. Deeds. a large, fair. silent man.
came presently, and after greeting his
client. sat down At the little table pre-
pared by the nurse and drew out writ
ing materials.
''Mr. Deeds Is TO draw up my will,
nurse" announced the man in the, bed
Please tell Hector ana Mrs. Lane TO
wait oatside-we will need them as
witnesses"
When IIida Ainslie re-entered the
room she found that Mr.. Prior had
completed his brief instructions to the
lawyer, and the silent man was
scratching busily away with fountain
pen
please read the will TO nurse. Mr..
Deeds"
Mr. Deeds turned large. moonlike
eyes on the pretty nurse, and having
hemmed and hawcd in the accepted
legal manner. proceeded To read in a
droninE voice the document setting
forth the last wishes OF Amos Prior.
lie read that after various requests
10 old and faithful servants had been
paid, and all his loving nicccs ana
ncphcws had been generously re-
nembercd, Amos Prior left all of his
property. real and personal, to Inlda
Ainslee, his faithful nurse!
During the reading Amos Prior
Observation-Disclosures face win cxnectant
pleasut'c III his old eyes
"Ah." she protested SHARPLY. when
the lawyer had finished You cannot
you cannot make me the beneficiary
under your WILL refuse 10 take a
pehhy! AR. Prior yuu are unjust to
Your SON
MY son Was unjus, To me. II. mar
'ien an unknown woman-amd | have
-tated In my will my reason for ak
hheritins MN You will have To take
n" money, nurse" he pleaded gym,
gu have hccn kind to ne-like :;
lanHhter. If Roger had married n
Noman Ike YOU things would have
cen different
The nurse Looked AZ him win ;,-
AiInhnt eyes. She forgot her duty for
got that the old man was her naiient
mat ne was not Ia be agitatcd
no" d" YOU know that your sons
Nfe IS not All that | am--and rnorcq"
she questioned You nave refused 70
see her Won are ungencrous n,ir.,
ana narrow minded"
Tut tut nurse" protested Mr.
Mr. Frior's eyclds Huttcred. I'm.
Just am To- h" barted What do WON
.Ainsice?" ''''S
Il know YOUR sons wife. She loves
MN ana would lay down hnr lfo "a,
MIN. Mr.. Prior," said Nurse Ai,.loa
carneS'IE- she Is "a nurse bv pro
Z. fession, aud H." your son has no, m
a. at
Of funds, and sho has worked To- hnt
MIN the food ana medicine thar NJ.
needed Even now he has not left the
hospital" '"e
,hoser-sick ?" gaspcd Mr Prior
sitting mp IN bed ana cy,endi,,.,
wrinkied hands. TELL me
ne ~ almost well now" she soothod
MIN, There. don5t know what tha
noc'"r VIII say hay" agitated Won
But could not bear that vou sh,,,,
speak mat way about him lie Womb
he hearthrckcn T. YOU died ana r.,,t,
held your forgiveness"
,Ninos PRIOR s;ared al her kecn,J
What is my sons wife's nam. n,,,sa u,
ne asked Iuietlp
Her name.her name is Hilda,p an.
Her maiden name" ro-si.,od
,ati"nt "'t
There vas Il long silence. then ,airIy
me the nurses voice. nc, none
az IIilda Ainsiee"
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