American Fork citizen. [volume] (American Fork, Utah) 1912-1979, 1916-12-09
Old hicks Legacy
sy MABEL 6. MERRILL.

"BCCUuSc he ~ Il tOtal 1allure anu u
blot on the fair name of hardwork-
/ ug family, give and bcquCath to my
ercut-ucphcw, Nicholas Wye, nothing
but the shop in the orchard and the
contents of the same
Nicholas Wye, better known rs Old
| Nick though he was neither Old mol
/ malicious, sat on the orchar! wall and
/ looked thOughtrully ut the little wealth
cr-bluckcncd building which was his
sole share in the gOodly estates be.
| longing to the Wye homestead on the
i IilI Then he looked down at the
/ newspaper in his hand with its black
/ headline. The editor of the Bowen
vile Herald had thought old man
/ Yves will such humorous document
| That he had made front-page story
| about Old Nick and his legacy.
Nick crumplcd the paper and tried
10 cram 1t into his pocket as light
step came down the road. He knew 1t
was Floris Hanson coming home from
/ her labors at the little old schoOlhouse
down the late. Somehow Nick always
/ happened to be around somewhere
when Floris came along, although ne
seldom ventured to speak to her.
To Nict's surprise, Floris stopped
today and spoke to him. She had IA
copy Of the Herald in Ter hand and
her eyes were sparkling Indignantly.
'It's shame Mr.. Wye" she de-
, clarcd. THAT editor ought to be pros
ccutcl and so had your uncle-oh, no,
| forgot lie is dead. Well, anyway,
-we-all know you're not blot and
total failure"
"Wcll, you see, that was Uncle Zeb's
rs o. lOoLing at it, explained Nick
-oodnaturedly. "All the Wye's had
worked like time ana saved every cent
till came along. I've had to hunt and
fish and loaf enough to make up for
all they missed"
When Florls had gone on her way,
he got on the wall and gravely in
spcctcd the shop, the only piece of
property he had ever owned. IL was
n rough, solid little building, its two
rooms well lighted by big WINDOWS,
for Uncle Zeb had used IL for paint
shop. 1t was empty save for Il heap
Of rubbish In one corner.
"Now, If he'd left me little some
thing to begin the world on, how'd he
know but I'd reform?" unused Mich
olas, pulling over the heap. Hello,
what's thls2'
It was substantial key of white
paint. with smaller one of green
resting atop of 1t. Old Nick was II
humorist in his way, and his eyes be-
gan to twinkle as he examined this
hni.
The next afternoon when Floris
this shady orchard corner, the little
building, painted clean white with II
small stripe of dark green for n finish,
locked like the fairy house she had
sometimes seen IN her dreams when
her boarding place in the village was
worse than usual. Nick was inside
painting the WOO lwork. With WON.
ans interest in beauty and cleanll.
ness, Florls stepped along TO the door
and looked In.
"Oh, Mr.. Nicholas" she exclaimed,
you're making it just lovely! Doa't
have thing will you, but the clean
white and green? Why you are an
artist, and you've never let us find II
outw
1t was not long before the fairy
house in the orchard attracted the at.
tention of others beside the school
mistress. He built little piazza and
tiny paint shop out by the wall in
which to Keep his pals and brushes
and other litter. For 1t was plain now
that the old shop was shop no longer.
Through the clean front window curl.
Gus passers-by could see a papered wall
blossoming with half-orened rosebuds
In mist of green leaves.
Every afternoon Nick was waiting to
ask the advice of the school mistress
about this or that. One Gay he took
her into his confidence about his plans
for the future-for 1t developed that
Old Nick had plans for the future at
last. Whatever they were, FlCris en-
''Itu illlo lHtlI Win SuCn eItnuSluSil
that the very next morning the aston.
ished town spled Il green and white
board hanging outside the little new
shop over by the wall. 1t bore the lie.
gend:
NICHOLAS WYE, SIGN PAINTING
AND OTHER FINE WORK.
And In the shop the artist had speci-
mems of his skill TO show to inluirers.
The result was rush of custom which
promised to last.
made seven dollars today" Old
Nick Informed Floris one afternoon
when she looked in at the Cottage"
on her way home. "There'll be work
enough, and I've always been looking
for some job that wasn't too steady to
let me 20 fishing more or less"
I'll go with you,' vowed Florls with
long breath. only think, Nick, of
sun and air ana freedom after five