Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-08-25

that return is merely a higher standing
In the community In which they i've
They are, not likely to hide their nsnts
under a bushel Buddington senior
held on to every cent he had and only
arranged for the disposition of bis fnr-
tune after his death because be could
not take it with him
But for this reaso and because II
had absorbed his whole life he was
much concerned as to its going where
he wished to have It go when be could
no longer use it himself
One evening he sent for Tom to come
and e him. Tom was away from
home and had told his wife that he
was going TO a meeting Of household
ers of his ward to select q candidate
for councilman. Bess sent word to
Mr.. Buddington to that effect, giving
the place of the committee meeting.
He telephoned there and vas told that
Tom had Just left for his club Mr..
Buddington had not been aware that
bis nephew was a member Of a club.
He had never considered that he could
afford such a luxury himself and could
not see how Tom with his limited In
come and a family could do so. The
old gentleman did not send to the club
for Tom. but he did send to his home
after II O'Clock for him, to learn that
hts nephew had not yet returned.
When Tom came In at l o'clock IN
the morning and learned that his uncle
had Sent for him he was troubled he
knew the old gentleman's proclivities
well and had not informed him of any
expense that he incurred that his uncle
would consider he should avoid. He
| went to see his uncle the next evening,
but the old man merely said that he
had wanted him to witness an impor-
tant document and, not reaching him
had called in some mi else.
This lulled Toms fears, and he did
not know that the willy old man,
through parties unknown to him OF
put him In possession of the situation
Of affairs in their household. He also
by similar indirect means learned thai
Tom was inclined to take an interest
in Improbable affairs and spent very
little of his time at home But the I'M
Gle made no mention to any n of his
discoveries. He did a Job of thinking
over the matter and came to some con
illusions that would have caused his
nephew to open his eyes had he been
aware of the fact
For awhile after his uncle had sent
for him-not to find hinton was I'M.
easy about going out. But his uneasi.
ness did not last long. His uncle's
was the same that it had been,
and there was no Indication that there
had been any unfavorable turn But
Bess, who had been for a long while
striving to make ends meet, had been
unable to do 50, and the family
financial affairs were ON the ragged
edge. Bess had been i'll on several DC
casions, and a doctors bill to a on
siderable amount had accumulated.
Perhaps If they had applied to Mr..
Buddington he might have helped
them out Perhaps he might have told
them that If they had lived within
their income they would have provided
for the Doctors bills as they occurred
But they did not dare inform the old
man Of their condition He was get
ting feeble and might drop off any
day. II they could worry along till he
had passed away they could pay all
their bills a hundred times over. Sc
they concluded to endure the situation.
creased rather increased than dimin-
ished his personal expenditures, bank
ing on his soon possessing a fortune.
When Mr.. Buddington passed from
earth he did so without warning. He
died so suddenly that his nephew did
not have time to reach him to bid him
goodby and receive his blessing. When
he reached the house where the rich
nan lay he received something that he
did not appreciate as he would have
appreciated a blessing. The house
keeper handed him a note written by
the deceased shortly before his death,
which read as follows:
My Dear Nephew-I nave led you to be-
lieve that at my death you would inherit
I ! have been a lifetime in accumulat-
ing. During h last few years / have
concluded that you are not a safe person
to be intrusted with a fortune. I have
therefore decided to place my estate In
other hands Don't feel hard toward me
for this. I v always been very fond OF
you and am fond of you still. Goodby.
Your affectionate. UNCLE.
Tom staggered under the blow. His
wife, who was with him and read the
letter over his shoulder, took him in
her arms. She was too disappointed
to speak en~couragingly to him, but
spoke no word Of reproach. Sadly
they left the house, the wife looking
the future in the face ~resolutely, the
husband limp as a cloth
When the viii was opened Tom and
his wife were present more out of
curiosity than anything else, though
thew Thought that some mempntO