Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-10-06
HER MONEY
BY CAROLYN BEECHER
CHAPTER [


20 one thought of Althea Crosby as a
n woman who had been disappointed IN
L life She was cold and dign1hed, or on
occasion condescendingly approachable. She
was stately in manner and IN dress. 1He
frivolous the ordinary things of life seemed
to pass her by without so much as touching
the hem of her stiff black grosgraln SILKS.
Toll thin. grav-haired, she moved about,
always self-possessed, asking no favors, CIV
inc none No one in the Massachusetts VIII
LACE loved her. some feared her, everyone
respected her. To speak OF Althea CroSoy
and romance is like talking OF the sun anu
eclipse Had one limited of anything APP
preaching sentiment in her even the schooI
children would have giggled back of their
open palms
There had been brother, younger than
She He had married, gone west Shcn a1ter
a year or two had passed away leaving
widow and a baby girl, named Althea after
his sister.
AIthea Crosby had sent the baby silver
mug with her name engraved on 1T and
check for ten dollars then had torgotten
all about the namesacl, whose mother she
had not liked and whose marriages to ner
brother she had opposed. After John Cros-
by's death she had lost track of them en-
tirely.
That was nearly twenty years ago.
Althea Crosby, propped up by many pill
lows, was making her will The gr1zzled law
yer, his horn spectacles resting lar doWn on
his nose, scratched each word she so labor1-
ously uttered upon the paper laid upon the
table beside the bed.
Once or twice he Interrupted her, rather
he started to, but by gesture of her long,
thin hand she cilenced him. At last 1t was
finished and the two servants were called IN
as witnesses. They signed and left the
ROOM Then, and not until then, did Althea
Crosby relax upon her bed.
This is to be given into her own hand
her own hand, unread, mind you," she said,
drawing a small but thick book from under
her pillow Wrap it up-and seal it-youH
find wax in the desk drawer"
The lawyer did as he was hidden, then
stood for a moment beside his client.
"Is there anything more-anything I can
do for you?" he asked. He was kind
hearted man anG Althea seemed so alone.
He had known her all his life, yet he real
lied how really little he did know her. That
strong, capable character living there, state
ly, self-suffcient even to the end. The end
that she knew was very near-might come
at any moment
No, nothing. Good night" He was dis
missed.
Some time that night Althea Crosby passed
away. There was no attendant excitement;
everything had been arranged for, was done
quietly and in order. No black-robed rela-
tives followed the casket to the cemetery, no
one wept over her grave A few neighbors,
the old lawyer. the doctor-these comprised
the funeral corte8e. In the darkened parlor
of the home in which she had lived and
died Althea Crosby's will was read-that is,
such part of it the lawyer had been in
structed to make public.
| There was a small amount of cash for
each of her old servants The house and
$4,000 in gilt-edged bonds-from these
Miss Crosby had derived her income-were
| beuueathed to her neice and namesake
Althea Crosby, providing she obeyed the
| terms of the will. Otherwise the money
would go to build drinking fountains for
dogs and horses in her native town.
where is this niece?" someone asked
| the lawyer.
"In New York. believe. 1t is my duty
to find her"
81 guess she'll do what her aunt wants
her too" another said Just think of
young girl having all that money"
''She gets the house whether she obeys
her aunt's directions or not" the minister's
wife told them. Perhaps she will come
here and live in it. It's a fine old place,
even if it is small. And Miss Crosby al
ways took such pride in it."
The two servants were to remain until
they heard from the lawyer. If young
| Althea Crosby decided to occupy the house
she might keep them.
! The maidstone, ordered months before
was raised over the grave. 1t informed
any who cared to know that Althea Crosby
aged 62, rested beneath it; that she was
the only daughter of Abner and Harriet
Crosby, who rested beside her. There was
room in the plot for one more, but the
son and brother had been buried in the
west
This young Althea may lie there" the
minister said, when someone called this to
his attention. Let US hope it may be
many years before she is called" he added
piously. "She is young, not quite twenty,
L understand"
I The day after the funeral the old lawyer
| left for New York to find Althea Crosby
and acquaint her with her good fortune
Continued Tuesday. Renew your sub.
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instalment of this splendid story.