Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-06-14
My Guardian
By SADIE OLCOTT


Colorado. We went part way by rail
and the rest by stagecoach. Our home
was ON the stage road between Denver
and Georgetown. My father was en-
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 AsEurst. AS
little girl l used to look up to him as
something very far above me. When
1 was fourteen years old my father
struck vein of ore which promised to
produce a fortune. 1 remember seeing
certain holes that had been dug, but
that was ell 1 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
gtSrdian. 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
| was heiress to large fortune in the
mine my father had discovered. l was
not consoled by the information. / was
at an age where l could not appreciate
the advantage of weSsh. l only knew
that was alone in the world. At the
same time l was fortunate in having a
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.
/ was still child in feeling, and my
bearing toward my foster father was
that of child. Had he been my real
father l could not have borne myself
any differently toward him. / always
kissed him good night before going Is
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. l had my own horse.
l went to school in the east, but not
for long, being homesick for those who
had taken the place of parents to me,
and when l returned / don't know
whether they or were more delighted
at our reunion. Nevertheless, there
was different feeling between Henry
and me. While I was gone from home
1 had changed from a child to a wo-
man. There were no more father and
daughter kisses mornings and 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 not long after my return from
school that / noticed anxiety On the
faces of Henry and his mother. Some
thing had gone wrong with them, but
they did not tell me what it 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 out
worthless, and he and his mother were
impoverished. This information came
to me about the time I reached my
eighteenth birthday, which was the age
when I could claim my property and
release my guardian.
One day Henry Ashurst called me
into the library. He was sitting at
desk with papers spread out before
him. he placed a chair for me beside
him and began to tell me about my
property.
Il have now to give an account to
you of my stewardship" he said. 'I
have been prudent in the management
of your estate, preferring to lease
rather than that it should be worked
by the owner. There are fourteen diff
ferent lessees, and they are at present
paying royalties amounting to about
$4,000. The expenses that you as
owner incur are about $4,000, leaving
you an income of $4,000"
"And this is all mine; none of ii
yours?'
Certainly. Your father and l were
good friends, although he was older
than |. He relied on me to take care
of the property for you and make it
pay you"
Did he expect you to do this for
HolHluS!
There was no provision made in the
will for compensation of guardian
you were then well off, weren't
your"
yes"
"And you have since met with f1nan-
cial losses?'
81 have"
II can't manage this estate" said
II must have husband to manage 1t
for me-
He WINGED at this and asked me If !
had any one in view. I told him that
l had. There is man whom I dearly
love. l propose to turn over the man.
agement of my property to him at
once. If l can win his love afterward
well and good"
He was evidently much disturbed at
this, but pulled himself together and
said that all was ready for the trans
e.