The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1921-01-06
A FREAK OF
FORTUNE
1920. Western. Newspa per Union)
BY CECILLE

'AS~ AoAI vi LAX luC
line and had become u revered land
mark of Woodville. The house was far
past Its prime n suggested q relic
OF antiquity, but the site redeemed it.
The place occupied the area of a full
square and it's trees and shrubbery had
grown to immense proportions.
Its owner, John Marshall, chung to
the house where he was born. The
town had grown up all around it and
Its residential environment was obso-
lete. In turn his three daughters had
married and gone to new. homes of
their own, but John Marshall stayed
on, with no companion save Edna Will
ton.
She was the daughter of his oldest,
best beloved friend, whose death had
left Edna orphaned. She was eight
years old then. He had practically
adopted her and now at eighteen she
was still the practical genius of the
house. Helen, Alma and Dorothy had
never treated her as an equal, but be-
cause patient. faithful Edna had done
the drudgery work they had tolerated
her. AS to the old man, who had been
saddened at the selishness of his own
daughters, Edna had become a prop
In his maturer years, thinking only of
his comfort and happiness.
And now, at the end of those years,
John Marshall had come into the high
ceilinged, massive old parlor where
Edna sat with her fiance, Barry
Thearle, and said in his quiet way:
Il wonder If you two would mind
If l took up your time telling you Of
some changes"
Edna Immediately moved over to
the side Of the old man and took his
hand in a, loving clasp. Her lover as
sumed an attitude Of respectful atten-
ton.
Il am growing DID," continued Mar
shall, "and I feel that l must make
some provision for those who have a
claim upon me. I have selected some
lots in the new residence quarter Of
the town, and I am going to build
three up-tO-date houses, one for each
of my married daughters. I have spo-
ken to them Of my plans, and you
know, Edna, their ambition to shine
socially will be very much gratifled
by living among the wealthy and fash
iOnable. They have suggested that /
come and live with them as l fancy,
in turn"
"Oh, father!" uttered Edna instead
lily, "you don't mean to say you are
going to leave mel"
- "Why," Marshall answered, 81 shall
always come to the old house, but my
thought has been to consider your fu-
ture as we'll as that Of the others. You
have been a true. patient daughter to
me, and as I know that for over q
year you have deferred simply on my
account your marriage to Barry, whose
worthiness reconciles me to parting
from you, l have no right to be in
the way of your permanent happiness.
I want to see the wedding take place,
and if you and he will accept the old
house as a free gift it shall be yours.
1t is not worth much, but twenty years
from now may be in demand"
The daughters of John Marshall
barely thanked him for his great gen.
crosby amid chatting over the bril-
liant social eminence living in the best
part of the town would bring them.
Edna only warmed the old mans heart
by her sincere affection and gratitude.
ooh! what a start in life you have
given u.s." she told him. "And oh!
how dear the old place is to me-"
So Edna and Barry were married
and the daughters moved into the new
Marshall lives first with one
then the other. but always each day
a pleasant, happy hour at the
old home.
The husband Of Helen mortgaged his
home for all it was worth and
moved to the city. The husband Of
Alma followed his lead, renting out !
the home. The husband of Dorothy |
got his wife to sell their home. With
in three years all the fond hopes and
plans of Marshall were shattered. He
was cast back upon his own resources. |
a lonely man. He had gone beyond his
depth in building the houses and ffnanc- |
ing his greedy sons-in-law. 1t was |
then that the gentle natures of Edna !
and Barry were proven. They made
a jubilee Of the permanent return to
their home Of the old a John Mar
shall knew that he was welcome, cher
ished and truly beloved. A great set
tied happiness and contentment be-
came his portion. n
One evening, after she and her hus-
hand had conversed apart Edna came
to the old man and twined her arms
tenderly about him.
"Dear father" she said, I'VE have
great news for you. The county has
settled upon the property here as the
site for the new courthouse and has
offered thirty thousand dollars for IT."
The aged face frightened. you de-
serve the good fortune that has come
to you," he said.
"You mean to yourself" broke in
Barry promptly. 1--WE have never felt
that we held the property here except
as q loan, a trust. Under no circum-
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