MARION'S MONEY.

Bruce Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3016, 29 November 1898, Page 4

MARION'S MONEY.

" Has'the postman- come yet ? " asked Marion > t Crops Harflold, naiqeßake of a maideu aunt who had died yaare ago, but whose memory jras very fpesh in the minds lof her "relatives at 'the time 'of' which -f am' writing ■ j had^he not given good cause to be remembered ? Bbc had died worth about £20,000, and ia lira will bad given direction* that a certain sun of this moaay was to be used by Mr. Haiflelc , foe fcfao benefit of his family until her godchild, Marion, W»« eighteen year's of ege. > , Oo th« aoijjvertsary o£ tbat wght«eath bUtli d»y Blurion wag. to .receive a letter from h*i aunt's lawyer, which would stata how tho monoj . was to be disposed of after that tim<*. 'A . ; That tnoruing hail arrived, and Marion's c* , cit&maut about the letter was intense. The postman came at Jftflt, and Mr* Harfiett uivnded to his beautiful daughter tUe loDgtsd-foi , missive, '-' - ''■ '-'■'■ "Oh. dear, it's tba queerest letter," eaic - Marion, . handing it . to . bat father. - " Pleasi read it, papa ; I oau'fc understand it yet." Aiid Mr. Harfltld oocnoiettced t— " Vents ago I was to have been married to t , man wbom 1 thought all truth and honour. J need no£ tell you the whole story. It is suffi oitsnt to tejl you th&t he did not marry me. H< ruinbd my fftrtto "in mankind, and that's Uu , reason that I die unmarried. I would save you my child, frost a fate like mine, therefore I be quealh you the interest of my money so long at you remain unmarried. If at the age of 40 yoi ure ft signed to spiusterbood, the whole prkici pul aud interest is at your disposal. " Whoever would get married at forty ? Au< what's the use of' all the -money at that age ?' exclaimed Marion. " Should you, however, meet one for whoa you cau give up tiiis monoy, on tbe' weddinj day read the olber letter which my lawyer wtl forward you, and'whieh will tell you how I wisi my inonoy disposed of." . ; ' " But, papa, and all of you. no outsider need be told abtmt the. conditions on which '. receive cay money. We &ro all going to eujoj life with it." It koou be^aa to be noticed that whereTei Marion Harfleld ws6, Ihcri-, or very near, wai C«oil Lynica, ti*e son of a neighbouring b&ronet ( to be round. Aui so their engagement was agreed to. Tb< wedding was arranged to take plueu early n .liinniry, aud Mr. Bliss, the lawyer, wai wriUeu to. , He graciously accepted the invitation sen him to be present at the ceremony, and pro . miecrf to bring the fateful letter with him. The wtddirjg aud breakfast weie over. Thi last guest had departed. " Good-bye, money, "cried excited MarioD, a the fwrntly gathered in the drawiug-rootu •* Now, Mr. Biisa, for tbe letter." Mr. Bliss calmly aud deliberately adjustei las glassi 8, untied a package, aud frailly pis»e< a healed envelope to Marion. Shu lore it open, tried to read it, and eude< by passing it U> her husband with a request tx load it aloud. These are the words be read — '• Aud so, my child, if you are reading tbes< lines, yon are married. Someone in the work has made you care enough for him to give uj your fortune, and he, knowing that you have tf do «o, hue proved tha-t it was for yourself alon( tbat bo wooed you. " You are thinking, I suppose, that Aim' Marion was not so wise, after nil, and you hay« told yourself tbat lif«, with even a little, witL ouo y.:u lore and by whom you art) bt lovud ii belter than a solitary rich life. "Well, dear perhaps you are right. Nevertheless my plar las succeeded. I have saved you, my cbild. froiu the tuiseiy which I ur.d to pmiurc. Ii was for my ruoacy, not myself tbutl was wooed, nud I was determined that }ou, tny darling, should be scared this trial. Although when yoi rend these wolds the haod that pouu(-d then: will be odd iv tlestb, yet I nay, God bless you both. Keep the money. If you are reading i his, it has servod its best purpose, and may ht to whom you have eoti usted yourself prove worthy of tLc trutt. My plot will have succeeded. " Mai ion Cross." " God helping me, I will," -answered Cecil, fi-xveutly, and tbt-n, after a momt ut's pause, he exclaimed in a disappointed tone : " You are not poor, tbon, after all, my darling." " I could never be that," answered Marion. " With your love "