The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-07-04
Lucia Legacy
BY VERNON LEE
1919. By Western Newspaper UaiosJ

When Adam Lysle died he left his
real estate to an old bachelor cousin,
Wallace Purvin, and his personal prop
erty to his orphan niece, Lucia Vale.
II was the day after the funeral that
these legatees were 30 advised by his
lawyer In the living room of the dilapi-
dated old house.
"All his realty, ehr" sneered Purvin.
"There's a lot Of II, isn't there" and
he sourly viewed the scrubby lot with
broken fence and dilapidated out
buildings. And what, may j ask,
comprises the opulent personal hold
lngs of my illustrious relativeT
Lucia was crying, but she looked up
and spoke brokenly: How can you
act so dlsrespectfully to Uncle Adam I!
He thought enough Of both OF us 10
mention us In his Will, and he helped
you get into business and he paid for
what education ! have received"
IT had a right 10 better expecta-
tons. The old spendthrift! There
is no doubt that he had quite a for
tune Ave years ago, for he Dragged
to me about it then. What's become
Of thigh livingT
Hardly" half smiled the young
lawyer. II happen to know that Mr..
Lysle lost very heavily In q specula-
ton. also chance to be aware or
the fact that he lived on the nos
meager fare during the past year"
Lucia knew 1t likewise, only too
well! Many a time she had come e
to the old home to bring life-sustain-
Ing food and nurse the lonely old mar
when he was ailins and Ill. Even
now she could recall his words:
"You are a good girl, Lucia. You are
the only one of all my friends and
relatives who cares for or thinks OF
me-"
well. you can sell this old rattle
trap for what 1t will bring" said Fur
vim Grossly. "And Lucia gets the per-
sonal property? Fortunate legatee!
The young heiress! What will you
ever do with such rich possessions!
BAIL" and the disappointed Purvin
swung from room and house with a
new snort Of irritability. Lucia looked
no TO read I'm the face Of the young
lawyer the profound contempt he felt.
~There isn't much to count on, Miss
Vale" he said respectfully, "but such
ms II is becomes subject to your or
der. The furniture Is old, but 1t VIII
bring something. There Is the COW
and the horse and wagon and a buggy
and the parrot"
Poor Ceasar!" murmured Lucia.
going over to the cage OF the only
house pet Mr.. Lysle had ever cher
lshed. II have tried to feed 1t but II
refuses to eat and sits all day silent
and Respondent looking. / really be-
Iieve Il misses It's master and is
mourning over his death. ] will take
Caesar home with me. AS to the rest
of the personal property, II you will
kindly take charge Of II and sell 1t
for what II will bring, / shall be CRATE
full to YOU"
1t was with emotions Of profound
esteem for the Supplemented Lucia
that Granville Rowley went his way,
and to her his thoughtfulness and CO
operation were as CLEANS OF sunshine
In a dreary routine Of labor. Lucia
was an orphan and lived with an In
valid aunt, acting In the capacity OF
nurse and housekeeper. For this
service she was awarded food and
lodging, but had to do some outside
sewing to keep up her w modest
wardrobe.
Granville called upon her the fol-
lowing week to report as to the dis
posal Of the personal property. The
sale had brought two hundred dollars.
he told Lucia. She at once handed
him half of that sum and asked him
to see that an appropriate headstone
was placed at the grave Of her bene-
factor. A few days later Lucia
learned that Granville had purchased
the house and lot from Purvin for a
merely nominal sum-.
"Purvin made such a ridiculous
sacrifice of the property" Granville
explained to her next time they met.
'that I was tempted to invest my all.
1t isn't the worst house In the world.
A little repairing would improve It
wonderfully. and maybe-and maybe,
II ! could find a wife who would. be
content TO start life In a modest way,
why. we would have our first home
stead ready at hand"
Granville laughed as he said this,
hut regarded Lucia with a half-quiz-
zical, h~a!f-earnest glance and she
blhshed and fiuttered. His visits be-
gan to become regular and at the end
of three months he and Lucia became
engaged.
She met him near her home one
evening. flustered and excited, and
told him that Caesar had escaped
from his cage and asked him to help
her find him. AT the end Of an hour
they traced the truant to his old
home perched on a porch rafter and