The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-06-23
A Matrimonial
Coincidence
' TFIN HTsS
BY RICHARD MARkEY

alone in the world | resolved to rem
my house, spend few months abroad
and on my return move into bachelor
quarters During the preliminary weed
ing out of useless denominations | tool
from box of old papers bundle thai
astonished me. 1t contained document,
relating to an estate of which l hat
never heard. They consisted of deeds
to houses and lands, also stocks, bond.
and other property.
could not have been more surprised
II an angel had come down from heav
en- and lit on my shoulder. How had
these papers come into my possession
had no remembrance of having plac.
ed anything In the box for several
years. On examining some of them
found the estate to be held In trust for
q minor, John Carter Greatrix I had
never heard Of such person. On fur
Their examination / came to the con-
clusion that the estate In question must
have remained unavailable by any one
from the time these papers had been
placed In my box. What should do
In the matter? If / advertised them
and could give no satisfactory reason
for possessing them might be accused
Of having stolen them. / had engaged
my passage on an ocean liner and re-
solved to proceed on my journey, which
would give me plenty of time to think
over the best course to pursue. l sailed
the next day.
During my trip / met in Berlin an
American, Miss Eleanor Thurlow, who
was there with her mother studying
music with a view to teaching it on her
return. She finished her course about
the time met her. and as her mother
and she spent the summer In Switzer-
land was enabled to see great deal
Of them, for I stayed where they stay
ed, and on our return | engaged pas
sage on the same steamer. Before en-
barking we were engaged.
During the voyage thought at inter
walls about the estate of young John
Carter Greatrix, wondering If he had
come into possession of it and trying
to decide what should do about max
ing known that / had the papers. Now
that another was the partner of my
Joys and sorrows I felt my response
bility more keenly. / debated whether
/ should confide In Eleanor Thurlow:
but, having known me only very
Of me- No, / would wait till she knew
me better. / told her that had
little property and was engaged in a
business in which I was doing well.
On the whole, we could live comforta-
bly,. She maintained a reserve with
reference to her own affairs: but, as
she was expecting to teach music,
concluded she was possessed of little
or nothing. We parted as soon as we
reached America to go to our respec-
tive homes, which were days journey
apart.
Meanwhile had resolved to refer the |
matter of the papers to my lawyer and |
be guided by his advice. In relating |
the circumstance to him l had no soon
er mentioned the name of the minor |
for whom the estate was held than he
jumped to his feet excitedly and, run
ming to his partners. exclaimed:
~The papers In the Greatrix estate
are found ~
Years before the firm had settled
case for me out Of court and handed
me the papers concerning it, which /
tossed unopened in a box at home.
Later was given another bundle con-
tanning the papers In this same case
and, supposing them to be additional
tossed them into the same
box. One of those bundles contained
the Greatrix papers, given me by mis-
take.
Immediately on my return to my
rooms wrote my fiancee, unburden-
ing myself to her Of the annoyance /
had suffered. She replied, congrautlat- [
ing me warmly upon so quick and salts
factory q solution.
A few days later l was told by my
attorney that during the period the pa !
,ers were missing the estate had suf-
cred greatly. John Carter Greatrix
lied before coming of age, and the :.
,roperty had passed to three persons : :
Who were next of kin. "One of these !
he said, desires to thank you
or your return of the papers that has
nabled us to divide the property and /
will meet you here tomorrow for that O
purpose. II promised to be there" I
The next morning on my arrival at c
he Office / was shown into a private c
DOM, where | found the attorney at
is desk.
Il understand" he said. that you :
re about to be married to client of =
nine" !
"Of yoursr exclaimed, surprised. n
Yes Miss Thurlow." &
Miss Thurloww
And now, he added, 81 will introduce a
ou to the person who wishes to thank Il
GU for ending the tieup of the Great b
* estate. Come In here. He flung II
pen door leading into another room. p
lady stood with her back to us, and
hen she turned there was-Eleanor y
hurlow. =,
stood stupefied. -
Miss Thurlow." said the lawyer, Sin
srits one-third of the Greatrix estate
I'D will now, through your finding the
apers. come into a property worth
r n.