Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1926-12-29
Peter, Hammer
and Nails
BY DOROTHY DOUGLAS

| - N L O0AO kStcE, X you u0V :
| AVA home Of your own you would
be pottering about with hammer and
nails every spare moment" Mrs. An
derson gazed happily at her big son
as he bent over the hearth In an effort
| to erase some Of the stains from the
old tiles.
Peter grinned. I'm going to take
out some OF those bricks in the chin
neypiece and make q niche for dads
pipe" he said.
That's a fine idea. You might
make one for my tea cup. Who
knows, you might find a fortune
stuffed away in there"
1T wouldn't be the first time. But
hardly think the old boy that had
this house was In any way eccentric
he seems to have been just q quiet old
bachelor"
However, and because truth Is near
~ always much stranger than fiction,
Peter did find something when prying
out bricks from the chimney.
1t was q fair-sized tin box stuffed to
the very brlm with currency Of large
denominations. Peter did not stop at
once to ascertain the amount for the
note In An envelope was his arst in.
terest.
It read: I'm the event Of my not
making proper will, want to state
that the money enclosed within the
box IL for Mary Ellen Watson. daugh-
ter Of Mary Anne Watson and Con-
way Watson"
There was also note sealed and
marked, "Only for Mary Ellen"
The newspapers. Of COURSE" said
his excited mother.
They found that the money amount
ed to nearly eleven thousand dollars
and lost no time In inserting q para
graph In all the daily papers to the
effect that Mary Ellen Watson would
learn something to her advantage If
she communicated with P. Anderson.
II Ash Grove. Jersey City.
Mary Ellen Watson that afternoon
was reading her evening paper as she
committed homeward from her rather
firing day in the Office of lawyer In
lower Broadway. Her mind was
really bordering on the ACCESSIBILITY
of marrying the lawyer. He certainly
was a persistent wooer. But she
couldn't quite feel that he was the
one man her ideals had always set up.
Then Mary Ellen's casual eyes met
her own name and the interesting
To- hD
casual. She could hardly wait for the
train to pull into the station and she
leaped swiftly out and dashed home.
Mother! Read that? Isn't that
funny? What on earth do you sup
pose 1t means?"
very nice, my dear, but tom what
source I have no idea," Said her
mother.
but right next door? 10 Ash
Grove. 1 can't eat my dinner until
| run over and find out what it's all
about"
Mary Ellen went over to the house
that had always been so secluded from
view that they scarcely realized they
had neighbors. She rang the door
bell and waited, her heart beating in
a very grand manner.
1t beat even more when big Peter
opened the door.
Pm Mary Ellen Watson" said
Mary.
Peters heart beats were not ex-
actly feeble. Mary Ellen on any door
step was beautiful vision, but on his
own-well, it was like sunny bit Of
heaven dropped suddenly down.
Come in, Mary Ellen Watson" he
said quickly, and led her inside.
She Topped swiftly but gracefully
into a chair when she heard the good
news. A few minutes later she had
read the sealed note.
Dear Child" it ran, Il have loved
your mother since before she was
married and have watched over her
welfare, unknown, all these years.
Since the man she married has not
provided anything for you two, am
putting this money away year by year
and will give 1t to you on your twenty
first birthday. have seen you, from
my windows, growing into lovely WON
anhood-just like your mother
There were a few lines more but
Mary Ellen was in her mothers arms.
II married the wrong man." said
Mrs. Watson softly, II knew it the
first year. 1t has been long, long
struggle. l am glad l did not know
Geoffry was so near before he died.
don't think I could have lived to see
his passing on. My darling, l do hope
you will never marry the wrong man.
Il won't" said Mary Ellen and
glanced swiftly up, Il can't now"
And next next door, Mrs. Anderson
winked slyly at her husband and said
to Peter: But, Peter, don't see
what proof you have that that girl is
not in impostor-your father and
both think that some good proof