Year: 1873

=
Jessie was tiny baby that she would
inherit the fortune of her maiden aunt
for whom she was named, and who
came from the city every summer to
spend month or two in the little cot.
tage, always. bringing pretty presents
to brighten the home of her brothers
widow, and lavishing the tenderest af.
fection upon her niece.


Yet, though Jessie herself had known
OF her aunt's supposed intentions,
neither she nor her mother had evel
made calculations upon fortune de.
pendent upon the death of one fol
whom they felt the warmest affection,
and the idea that others could be in
fuenced by it was a new thought to the
young girl.


She had given to her betrothed,
Charlie Seaton, the first love of her
young heart, believing his love was all
her own. In the six years she had
lived in Merton, child and maiden,
Charlie Seaton had been her devoted
admirer from the first, and had recently
| finished his course of law study and
been admitted to the bar. His fortune,
inherited from his father, was very
small, barely covering his expenditures
for board and clothing but he was en-
ergetic, industrious, and, without bril-
liant talent, clear-headed, intelligent
student, promising to make q capable
lawyer, if not shining light at the
| bar.


| Answering her mothers call, Jessie
nestled down in her favorite seat at hel
feet, saying sadly:


eff Charlie was influenced by any
hope of Aunt Jessie's money, mamma,
it is better to know it nov. had sup
posed we would have to wait for our
wedding day until he had some prac-
tice, and you know have little sum
of my own toward first expenses. We
could live here, and There, l will not
think of it any more until the answer
comes to my letter"


"While you wait, DEAR" said her
mother, "shall tell you what think
is the explanation of your arnt's singu-
lar will? You, who know her only as q
gentle, sad woman of her later years,
can scarcely imagine, ] presume, that

she was once as bright, hopeful, and
sunny-tempered as yourself. / think it
is to save you from her own sorrow
that she has taken from you the power
of giving wealth to mere fortune-hun-
ter. She would have you wooed and
won for yourself alone; and as she has
never positively said you were to be her
heiress she has probably never supposed
Charley biased by that hope. Still,
dear, it is possible"


"Yes, it is possible" said Jessie
slowly, "but tell me about Aunt Jes-
Sic


Your grandfather Markham, Jessie,
was one of the leading merchants of
New York, when your aunt, his only
daughter, was introduced into society.
Your nncle Hoyt was in good practice
as physician, your father doing then
fair business, and already married and
in his own home.


{" 1t was therefore with the name of
| an heiress that Jessie danced through
her first season, careless, light-hearted
girl, very pretty, and accomplished
enough to make pleasing impression
wherever she went. She was but little
over twenty, when she became engaged
to Stanley Horton, the most fascinating
man in all our circle of friends. Not
only handsome and talented, and he
was both, but possessing in remark
able degree the courtly polish and win
ming grace of manners that go so far
toward gaining q woman's heart, the alb
sorbing love that Jessie felt for him
seemed mutual, and congratulations
were the order Of the day, when your
grandfather failed. From a man of
wealth he became actually poor, and
losing energy and hope he came with
Jessie to share our home. Stanley
Horton, the man We all supposed a de-
voted lover, WAS fully aware of the
change in Jessie's prospects, yet he
continued his visits, making no abrupt,
1ngentlemanly desertion of his be-
trothed. Yet we, who watched her
with the jealousy of affection, soon dis
covered change in her. She became
pale and sad, often fearful, till finally
she confded to me that Stanley was evil
IDENTIFY weary of her, and had ceased ito
love her. Even then she attributed the
change to some defect in herself, not
seeing the mercenary motive till later,
when time had taken the glamour from
her eyes and heart. She gave him back
his ring and promises, thus accepting
the condition his unmanly conduct
forced upon her, of herself breaking the
engagement between them. The first
love of her life was the last. She was
your grandfather's comfort until he
died, and then she went to keep house
for Hoyt, who lost his wife and baby
one year after his wedding day. When
he died he left her the house and mon
ey, and she lived there till she died
Still know she loved you, and am
quite sure her will is designed so much
to keep you single as it il TO win the