The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-07-08
Beth's Garden
BY CLARISSA MACKIE
&c by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.)
(WNU Servicel

A"NO oSANFSSt
nF COURSE the old Mordaunt place
~ had a garden. Beth remembered
coming there years ago with her moth
er, before Uncle Jaffrey died. The
flowers were so marvellous and the gar
dens so NEEDLESS that they appeared
almost unnatural to the young girl and
her mother, who lived in small cot
tage nearby.
her mother found that his beautiful
property had been left to them, but
there was not money enough to keep
it going. Every year Mrs. Mordaunt
divided the tiny income so that there
was just enough to live on carefully.
and nothing was ever left for the
garden. People whispered that there
must have been more money, for Uncle
Jaffrey was very rich, and grew quite
misery in the last year of his life, and
they declared that somewhere about
the old place he had hidden either one
large sum or many smaller ones.
One day a good looking man came
to the door. Mrs. Mordaunt met him
and greeted him pleasantly.
"Mr. Smith, who said he was your
lawyer, suggested that | come and see
you about clearing up your garden
and lawns in return for my board"
he told her frankly. II had pneu-
monia in the late winter and | really
need light outdoor work to keep me
outside-regular farm work is too Wig
orous just now-I am studying medi-
cine at Blank university, and l can
not afford to spend money for vaca-
ton" Then his pleasant voice grew
wistful as he scanned the delightful
old neglected garden. 1T would be
wonderful opportunity for me-" he add
ed, "but you may have other plans"
Mrs Mordaunt did not hesitate. "If
Mr.. Smith sent you here, you are GER
tainly welcome-my daughter and
were just discussing the needs of the
garden" Then she introduced Bruce
Wayne to Beth and went TO the house
to select room for him.
Mother" said Beth, one August
morning, Everything is so beautiful
do come out and witness the cleaning
out of the large fountain. Bruce is
going to do that next"
Bruce whipped off his old hat and
grinned affectionately at the woman
who had been so kind to him for sew
eral months. He had brought deep
wicker chair from the front veranda,
and soon Mrs. Mordaunt was comfort
ably settled and watching these two
young people who worked together so
tremendously. She was wondering
whether her daughter, Beth, cared at
all for the embryo doctor. whose heart
was in his fine eyes, whenever he
glanced at the lovely girl. There was
no doubt that Bruce Wayne had lost
his heart to her gentle Beth, and
sighed little as they worked so hap
PLY together, because she was think
ing about the lack of money and the
years they would have to wait.
Bruce had large hammer and was
prying off the fitted boards of the
"tent-like" protection. "Hurrah," he
shouted when the last section had been
removed and the rusty, stained proper
lions of the fountain were revealed.
"Are you going to paint the foun-
tain, Bruce?" asked Beth's mother.
at should be painted, don't you
think, Mrs. Mordaunt?" And then.
bending over the deep basin he lifted
out dry and rusty steel box. "Why.
what the dickens do you suppose this
can be?" he queried. Buried treas
ure?' He set it at Mrs. Mordaunt's
feet.
"Oh, Bruce, smash it open," begged
Beth. perhaps that is where poor
Uncle Mordaunt hid his money!"
A few blows of the stout hammer
opened the rusty box. Inside of that
was huge rubber pocket which held
the missing wealth of Uncle Mordaunt.
They sent Bruce for Mr.. Smith, and
during his absence. Beth confessed to
her mother that she and Bruce loved
each other and that he had asked
her to marry him. And l want to.
mother darling" sobbed the girl, "even
If we are quite poor at first! You un-
derstand, don't your"
Mrs. MOrdaunt nodded happily, and
then the two men appeared and Mr..
Smith checked up the contents of the
old box. "The missing securities" he
said. You see, there was about a
hundred thousand missing-and here
it isr'
Bruce Wayne looked very glum. Aft
er the lawyer had left, Beth's mother
said to him:
swell, Bruce. aren't you happy over
our good luck?"
"Oh, yes, Mrs. Mordaunt-of course.
Only-you see-well, I'm so poor-and
Beth's a rich girl now"
But, Bruce" said Mrs. Mordaunt,
smiling Understandings "the moneys
really part yours-you found it." And
she went off to the house.
Bruce turned stammeringly to Beth.
Don't you see, DEAR" she said, "if
you hadn't come into my garden we
might never have found that money?
So it is part yours-it's ours"
And SC when Bruce left her garden
Beth had promised to wait for him to
finish his training, and he had prom
ised to start out his professional and