The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-07-07
My Guardian
By SADIE OLCOTT


and the rest by stagecoach. Our home
was on the stage road between Denver
and Georgetown. My father was ell
gagged in mining operations of one kind
or another for ten or twelve years. My
mother died at this time.
A short distance from where we lived
an old lady kept house for her son, who
had prospered in having bought mine
which turned out to be very valuable.
His name was Henry Ashurst. As a
little girl l used to look up to him as
something very far above me. When
l was fourteen years old my father
struck a vein Of ore which promised to
produce fortune remember seeing
certain holes that had been dug, but
that was all knew about the mine.
My father died suddenly before his
mine was developed enough to be sure
Of its value. Before passing away he
asked Mrs Ashurst to take care Of
me and appointed Henry Ashurst my
guardian. l was then fifteen. and Hen
ry was twenty-eight.
BY way of consoling me at the time
Of my fathers death they told me that
I was heiress to large fortune in the
mine my father had discovered. was
not consoled by the information. l was
at an age where l could not appreciate
the advantage of wealth. l only knew
that I was alone in the world. At the
same time l Was fortunate in having
home with two such persons as Mrs.
Ashurst and her son. They were both
very kind to me, and l was assured
that l was to remain with them always.
Twas still child In feeling, and my
bearing toward my foster father was
that Of a child. Had he been my real
| father 1 could not have borne myself
any differently toward him. always
kissed him good night before going to
bed and ON meeting him in the morn
ing. He often went either to Denver
or to Georgetown, and sometimes when
he journeyed on horseback went with
him. had my own horse.
I went to school In the east, but not
for long, being homesick for those who
l
and when I returned I don't know
whether they or I were more delighted
at our reunion. Nevertheless, there
was a different feeling between Henry
and me. While was gone from home
1 had changed from a child to a wo-
man. There were no more father and
daughter kisses mornings aAd nights;
no more sitting on his lap while he
told me stories. Besides, when we
went away from home together. Mrs
Ashurst went with us.
1t was rot long after my return from
school that I noticed anxiety on the
faces of Henry and his mother. Some
thing had gone wrong with them. but
they did not tell me what 1t was Never
theless, heard certain things that LED
me to believe that Henry had been In
vesting the money he had made in Ger
tain properties that had turned ouI
worthless, and he and his mother were
impoverished. This information came
to me about the time l reached my
eighteenth birthday, which was the ag'
when I could claim my property ant
release my guardian.
One day Henry Ashurst called m,
into the library. He was sitting at I
desk with papers spread out befor'
him. He placed a chair for me besid
him and began to tell me about m,
property.
| II have now to give an account t
you of my stewardship" he said. "
have been prudent in the management
Of your estate, preferring to leas
rather than that It should be worke
by the owner. There are fourteen di1
ferent lessees. and they are at presen
paying royalties amounting to abou
$4,000. The expenses that you q
owner incur are about $4,000. leavin
you an income Of $4,000"
| AID this Is ali mine; none Of
yours?"
H Certainly. Your father and I wer
good friends, although he was olde
than l. He relied on me to take car
Of the PROPERTY for you and make
pay you"
II did he expect you to do this fc
nothingw
| There was no provision made in tt
viii for compensation of guardian"
You were then we'll of. weren
your"
Yes"
"And you have since met with lnal
cial lossesT'
81 have"
II can't manage this estate" I sal
II must have a husband to manage
for me-"
He WINGED at this and asked me II
had any one in view. I told him tn
had. There Is a man whom dear
love. propose to turn over the ma
agement Of my property to him
once. II can win his love afterwa,
well and good"
He was evidently much disturbed
this, but pulled himself together al
. said that all was ready for the tran
fer, and I had only to name his ST
cessor
: "I desire" rpnlied othat vor oh,