Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1916-07-01
SeessKittredge
Case
A Story of a Queer
Old Man.
By cLARISSA MAcKIE

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That Colonel Kittredge 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 a cent to any
public institution And when he gave
to an individual he would conceal 1t In
some worthless article and leave the
beneficiary to find 1t 1t was known
that three different persons to whom
ne gave money in this way did not hit
upon the donation for a long time after
1t had been made. How many gifts
were never discovered at all nobody
knows.
But the queerest thing the colonel
ever did was to disown his daughter
Anna when she married her cousin,
DANIEL k1ttredge. She had been en-
gagged to Kittredge for a long while be
rore her marriage, and neither she nor
any one else ever heard her father saw
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 it last as long as possi-
bic, for 1t might be long time before
they got any more
Anna thought her father was Joking
She had always been his pet, and she
mad no doubt notwithstaniiHg these
words that she could always get from
MIN all the money she wanted What
was her surprise on her return from
her wedding trip to find his house va
cant and locked He had gone away
and did not return for months. When
no h.
with her.
Those most charitably disposed to-
ward Colonel Kittredge said that he
was crackbrained, some even declar ring
that he was crazy, and 1T was reported
that former Kittredge had been sent
to bedlam
When Mrs. Daniel Kittredge became
assured that there was no hope of her
regaintng her former influence over her
rather she accepted the situation and
made the best OF it. Her husband
proved unsuccessful, and 1t is possible
tnat the colonel, with his keen vision
Tor practical things, had discerned some
deficiency In his makeup, and this had
been the cause of his strange action
toward the couple.
Daniel Kittredge died not long aftSr
his marriage, leaving Anna a widow
with one child, a daughter. Anita.
pretty child and great consolation "a
her mother. Mrs. Kittredge was ohaic.
eo TO get on as best she could and with.
out any assistance from her father.
The only thing the colonel ever d,d
that was not queer was to die.
Inc day after the funeral the beirs
saInereo In the lawyers Office and lis
tened to the reading of the win.
reading he looked around at five uus-
zled faces.
Then they burst into a chorus of vim.
orous protest, all save little Anita XII.
tredge, who was very white and rem.
bling
The other Kittredges had money hu+
Anita's widowed mother, the coionel,.
d1s1nher1ted daughter, was Door ana IN
III health. -
On his death bed the colonel had sent
for his daughter.
Forgive me, child" he had whisper.
ed with his last breath. Don't mis-.
me- i have not forgotten
you and little Anita. and you win be
provided for. Those other Kittredree
VINO are waiting like vulturesHforIfye
-me-Anna," and with the words. he
had died.
NOW, Anita, sole representative of
ner mother and nearest of kin to the
colonel, listened to the words of the
VIII which resolved itself into several
requests.
TO my cousin, Amos Kittredge-
'equeath all the books he has borrowed
rom my library and failed to return."
To my Cousin Pauline Clark, what |
'ver article of furniture, picture or /
'T1c-a-erac she may choose from INV |
lome."
And the following requests were the
anne, each one was to choose some
keepsake of the dead man. and each
me was to receive the sum of 500 i'm /
ash
The residue of the estate was to he
old and the proceeds diverted to yart-
Us charitable organizations
After every effort had been made tn
reak the win, the indignant heirs
greed to meet at the colonePs late
ONE and choose some keepsake.
Il shall select the Khorassan rug in
be drawing room," thought Pauline
lark IT'S worth $5O0O-and that
in be something"
win borrow a few more books and
eep those. too" he thought greedily,
Though he was a rich man
And l." thought another. will
hoose a piece of the Kiftredge gold |
late-it is valuable" l.
Anita Kittredre went nm +he ,,o+h g., |