Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1916-06-22
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Case : :
A Story Of a Queer
Old Man.
By CLARIssA MACKIE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
That Colonel Kittred@e WAS a queer
old man WAS evident from the many
queer things he did. In the first place,
being rich and consequently constantly
called on to give money for various
purposes, he never gave IL cent to any
public institution. And when he gave
To all individual he would conceal it in
some worthless article and leave the
beneficiary to find it,, 1t was known
that three different persons to whom
he gave money in this way did not hit
upon Tho. donation for Il long time after
it had liccn made. How many gifts
were never discovered ut all nobody
knows.
But the quecrest thing the colonel
ever did WAS to ,iisown his daughter
Anna when she married her cousin.
Daniel llittrcdge. She had been en-
gagged tn Kittre(ge for Il long while he
fore her marriage. and neither she nor
any one else ever heard her father say
anything against the Young man or
make the slightest objection to his
daughter marrying him. At the we'd
ding he gave the couple $1,000 telling
them to make ii last as long as posi-
Bile, for it might lie II long time before
they got amy more.
Anna thought her father was Joking.
She had always been his, pet. and she
had no doubt notwithstanding these
words that she could always get from
him all tho money she wanted. What
was her surprise on her return from
her wedding trip To find his house va
can't and locked. He had gone away
and did moi rctrrm for months When
he did he would have nothing to do
with her.
Those most charitahy disposed to
ward Colonel Nittrcdge said that lie
was clmclhraincd. some even dcclarin.:
that he WAS crazy. and it w:s reported
that II former Kt1ret!gc had been sent
| to bedlam.
When Mrs. Daniel IIittrc,.c became
assured that there WAS no hope of lcl
\ regaining her former influence over he,
| father she accepted the situation and
made the hest of it. Her husband
1 proved unsuccessful. and it l., possible
that the colonel. With his keen visiu,
| for practical things. had disrrrnrd some
deficiency in his makeup and this ha,
been the cause OF his strange actor
| toward the couple.
Daniel kitired=e died not long aftel
his marriage. leaving Anna IL widow
with enc Cl.iil. Il daughter. Anita, q
pretty child and n gscat consolation I,
her mother. Mrs. Ki,trcdge was ohliy
ed to get on n, best She could and wifi
ont amy assistance f,oln her father.
The only thing the colonel ever dit
that was not queer was to die.
The day after the funeral the heirs
gathered IN tic lawyers office and lis
tcard io the reading of the Will
When Mr.. Drayton had concluded hi
reading he looked around ut five pllz
2Iel faces.
Then they. burst into Il chorus of Wig
orotl,' Protest all save little Anita Kit
trcl9e. VI llo WAS Very White and tre,n
bling.
The other l,ittred@es had money. bll
Antics widowed mother The colonel
diinlerited daughter. was poor and il
i'll health.
ON hi; death bed The colonel had sen
for his daughter
FORGIVE me, child" he had whisper
ed with his last breath. Don't mis-
understand me. | have not forgotte
You aud little Anita. ami yol. will b
provided for. Those other Kittredge
who are waiting lie vnilnrcs forYiv
Ile. Anni. and with the words h
had died.
Now. .lnita. sc!r representative q
her n:o;!is.l' and nearest of kip To til
colonel, listened to the words OF tia
will which resolved itself into severe
requests
IT" my cousin Amos Kittredge.
belncall, all the annks he has bo,rowc
from my library ard failed To return.
40 my t'oasin Pauline Clark whn
ever article OF firnitlirc. picture i
brica-brac she may choose from m
home"
And the following bequcsts were I'll
same. each one was to choose son
Keepsake of the dead man. and cnc
one WAS TO receive The sum of 800
cash
The residue of the estate was TO !
sold and the proceeds diverted to val
Gus charitable organizations.
After every effort had been made
break the Will the indignant hci
| agreed 10 meet ut the coloncl's In
II home and choose some Keepsake
\ 81 shall select the Khorass;m rug
the drawing room" thought Paulil
II Clark Its worth $oo,oOO---and til.
will be something
III ".lnd L." thought Amos INittredg
will borrow Il few more books M
@ keel, those. too" he thought greedil
although he was n rich man.
..And L." thought another. Wv
e choose n piece of the Kttredgc go
plnte-i it is valuable
Anita Kittredgc went up the path
i house; she was a slender girl in Ii
d early twcnties. She was boolskeeper
stationery store in town and su
ported las:s!s ara, mother IN humll
= comfort
II MI. Drayton. the lawyer. met h
with cordial smile.
"The vulturcs are gathered. Mi
Anita" he said whimsically. 9Th
le are appraising the household goods
III Anita shiveled.
Ii