The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-04-18
THE BULK OF
AN ESTATE
BY HELEN APHERSON

t'" was queer Old
"olhah- She had property sufficient TO
Aeep her III comfort. and If she had
an! more no one except herself was
a"aIe oi IT, Tor she lived very plainly
she had one son. whom she treated I'm
such manner as to best prepare him 70
WORK out Tor himself an honorable ca
reer John Barlow was not coddled.
ne was forced TO work for every bit of
pocket money he spent. :
W hen John was eighteen wears old
ne was offered a position In a distant
citS' and 1t was considered advisable
10y his mother and himself that he
should accept it. Mrs Barlow had
lVed so long in her home that she pre-
leired not 10 leave 1t. aud John went
alone to his new field of labor. His
mother, being lonely after his denar-
ture. adopted the child of friend who
dled. Mary Chamberlin. twelve wears
| old.
When Mary became a woman she
showed rare Judgment. and Mrs. Bar
tow consulted with her constantly In
making up her mind in matters OF i'm
portahee. The girl had the Gift of
common sense. which probably is as
rare and aS valuable IA gift as can br
bestowed upon any one.
While John Barlow was passing the
period from eighteen to twenty-six
away from his mother Mary Chamber
| lii was passing from twelve to twenty
IN close connection with that mother.
After Mary had lived with Mrs. Bar
| tow some six or seven years the old
lady was puzzled to know just how
10 leave at her death some S200Oo she
| possessed, The income was about suf-
hcient to give Mary Il living; divided
II would not. John was doing well In
business and did not need IL. But
John was Mrs Bartow's own son. and
she did not like to deprive him Of her
property at her death. especially IL she
left it to one In whom he had no In
terest. She said nothing as to this
to either John or Mary. and 1t is ques-
tionable if either thought about it,
Finally Mrs. Barlow fell ill. John
went home quite often during her Ill.
ness and. was greatly relieved. when
obliged to depart, to leave her under
the care OF Mary Chamberlin, Indeed
he was conscious that II he had been
able to remain with his mother he
could not have nursed her as Mary
did. Though he had regarded Mary as
of practical value to his mother ht
had not before realized what there was
in her
One day John received messag,
that his mother was at the point OF
death. He hurried home. but did no,
arrive in time to find her alive. Mrs
Bartow's death seemed to affect Mar,
more than 1t did John The one hat
been In constant communication will
her for years; the other had been sep
arated from her.
This is hard on you. Mary" sait
John, mot only in depriving you Of on,
to whom you are attached, but in YOU
living"
Mary looked at him as though sh,
had not thought OF this. but made n,
reply
But do not trouble yourself on tha
score" John continued Il will Sc,
that you get on
When Mrs. Bartow's will was open
ed 1t was found TO read Il give anC
bequeath my twenty mortgage bond,
OF the II. L. and T. railroad to MARY
Chamberlin. who has long been &
daughter To me. The residue and fal
more valuable part of my fortune | be
Queath 10 my beloved son. John Bar
tow, hoping that 1t may bring him a,
find IL In bureau drawer In my bed
room"
John congratulated Mary on beln,
left with an income. at the same tim,
manifesting surprise that his mother
had left an estate so large that she
should also have been able TO leav,
him the more valuable part OF hel
property After congratulating Mary
he went to the bureau drawer to pos
sess himself OF his inheritance Whel
he came back Mary was waiting fol
| him. eager to know what he had found
! But John. who did not show by hi:
| expression that he had acquired a for
| tune. said nothing Mary was not th,
girl to ask him questions and refrain
cd. John. however took her hand and
pressed II. as much as TO say DO not
| fear that | covet your Inheritance
am we'll satisfied with what my moth
er has done
The house in which his mother had
| lived belonged TO John. He told Mary
she was free to remain In 1t without
rent if she chose She said tearfully
that she would be too lonely there and
would seek another home, but where
that home would be she did not know
Then John told her that II she would
marry him she would find nome 81
far as he could make II one. She de
INJURED on the ground that he made
the offer out of love for his mother