Year: 1873

When old Hiram Jeffries died, con-
trary to all expectations, there was nc
will to be found That there had been
one was fact testified to by Lawyer
Sharp, who had always transacted the
old gentleman's business. He had pre-
pared the document for him, years be-
fore his sudden death, In favor of his
widowed niece, Marian Moore, Lawyer
Sharp declared. But nowhere was it to
be found Many were the speculations
concerning its disappearance. Some
said the old gentleman had destroyed it
in a fit of anger with his niece on ae-
count of her marriage with the poor
young music master, Albert Moore, six
teen years before. Some said he had
never made will; others, and among
them Lawyer Sharp, believed that some
one had stolen it. Few believed this,
however, for who could have any object
in doing SO? No one was allowed to
live in the house by old Jeffries but Mrs.
Kenton, the housekeeper, who was
greatly attached to Marian, and the
cook, an Irish girl, who took no interest
In the affairs of her strange old master.
Aside from these no one entered the
house but the doctor, the lawyer, and
his sister, Mrs. Tabitha Jeffries, who
visited him occasionally.


But then it was not Miss Tabitha, of
course. She was above such things of
so little importance to herself at least
she strove hard to make the world be-
ieve that such was the case She was
an old maid of about fifty, tall and an
gular, with voice like the north wind,
and terrible temper, added to which
she had very penur1ous disposition,
being almost misery in her business
transactions. She owned and superin-
tended millinery store in the flourish
ing town of Blockville. She appeared
greatly surprised at the Wills disappear
anee, saying that, "Brother Hiram had
always declared his intention of leaving
his property to Marian and, as for her
self, she had no wish to be encumbered
with so much of this earth's goods. :"
But as no will was brought up in Mrs.
Moore's favor, and only Lawyer Sharp's
testimony went to prove that there had
been one, she was allowed to take pos
session of her late brothers estate,
which consisted of a fine house in
Blockville, and beautiful farm near the
suburbs.


Mrs. Tabitha evinced muchreluctance
in accepting her good fortune, and even
went so far as to declare that she would
not take up her abode in the old man
sion until one year after her brothers S
death. She did this for twofold rea-
son: First, she found her business so
lucrative that she wished to continue in
it for some time to come and, as she
could not very well attend to both
places, she determined to gain attention
from her townspeople as one being very
kind and considerate to her niece and
her four children.


Poor Marian Moore she had not
thought much of her Uncle Hiram's
property. She had been her uncle's
pet before she had met the handsome,
dark-eyed musician, and given him her
hand and heart. When the old gentle
man heard of the relation between
them, he took one of his "quiet pas
sions,' and informed Marian that "if
she married that fellow, with such an
outlandish name, she need never expect
to enter his house during his lifetime. !"


This did not trouble Marian much,
however she was willing to endure
much for her young husbands sake.
They had no need of asking help from
the old gentleman for ten happy years,
during which Albert Moore kept his
family in more than comfort. His
was a sad blow to his poor wife. Added
to this, they found themselves without
anything to support themselves on, as
they had lived entirely upon the music
masters labors.


In this extremity Uncle Jeffries came
to their assistance. He did not take
them to his house, however he erected
a pretty cottage in the suburbs to which
he removed ther1, allowing them the in
terests of few thousands a year during
his lifetime.


"Perhaps you'll get something more,
some time" he would say when he Nls-
tied them in their economically kept
you had better 3 rot stay sns where % you are, for
don't suppose I could ever get along