Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 65, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 March 1912 — A House of Surprises [ARTICLE]

A House of Surprises

By MARTHA ENDICOTT EATON

Daniel Rodell was dead, and no heir could be found. He had left a picturesque old house and a few hundred dolars in a bank. People thought there might be some money hidden in the house, as Daniel had been called a miser. The village lawyer closed the house and advertised in the papers for relatives of one Daniel Rodell Weeks lengthened into months, and nothing was heard from any kith or kin. Then John Black, the lawyer, sent advertisements to the New York papers, and one day there came a letter from a young woman who said her mother was a niece of Daniel Rodell. Mr. Black replied and asked her to come to Barstead and in a few days a young lady alighted from a train at the little station. She was stylishly garbed, and “had a way with her," so Jed, the village hackman, said. He obeyed at Once when she requested him to drive to Mr. Black’s office. She had brought papers with her to prove her kinship. “Well,” said Mr. Black, “1 suppose the house is yours, unless other heirs are heard from, I have heard him say he had a sister out west and a nephew somewhere.” They went and looked the house over. Miss Strong was well pleased with it and the dear old furniture, as she called it; the fireplace, too, delighted her. “But," she said, "I can’t live here. I am a journalist in New York, and can’t leave now. I shall have to wait until my summer vacation.” One cold wintry day an old lady, rather poorly clad, called on Mr. Rodell's sister. She had come from the west and spent nearly all her money, thinking she would like to end her days in her grandfather’s house, for such it was before Daniel inherited it. So John Black telegraphed Miss Strong. “Lady claiming to be Rodell’s sister come to live in bouse. What shall I dor The answer came. “If proven, let her by all means. “FRANCES STRONG.” Mr. Black was in a quandary. How could anyone live without money? Other heirs might spring up. He did not dare to touch the money in the bank. He wrote to Miss Strong, and asked her what he should do. Miss strong send him a check for SSO, saying: "She is my great-aunt I can't let her starve.” So the old lady took possession. She had only one trunk. She looked like a Dresden china shepherdess. He had a happy thought. An old lady lived in the, village who was threatened with the “poor farm.” Now, thought Black, she can go and live with Mrs. Jones and work a little for her room and board. Mrs. Jones consented, and the old woman,, whose name was Tabitha Snow, agreed to go if she could,.furnish her room with her own furniture. Frances had to be consulted again. “She telegraphed: “Yes, if clean.” All was satisfactory and Mrs. Jones and Tabitha-, with the help of Jed, who was a map-of-all work as well as hackman—cleared out. a pleasant room at the hack of the house. The room had been used by Mr. Rodell as a sort of Storeroom; as they were moving a small chest of drawers, such as spools of silk or cotton are kept in in shops, Mrs. Jones knocked a drawer out; such a rattling and jangling noise it made when it fell! It was full of dimes, loosely thrown in; a scrap of paper bad fallen with them. She picked it up and read: t “These dimes belong to the finder! “DANIEL RODELL.” Being generous, she thought she would divide with Jed and Tabitha. There were 200 dimes. Mrs. Jones kept a hundred and gave Tabitha and Jed 50 apiece. When Tabitha was settled, the two had happy afternoons together. Now and then Mrs. Jones had a cheery letter from Frances, who was glad to have found an aunt. She sent them papers and magazines, So the winter passed pleasantly. Then one day quite early in the spring Frances ran up to spend a week-end with her aunt, >' All day long Sunday she poked around trying to find a will which Mr. Black was sure had been made years before. At last in an old desk in her uncle’s room she found it. Rhe sent for Mr. Black. He came hurrying in just at dusk. the lamps were lighted he read the preliminary sentences, and then got down to business.. *fThe house 1 live in I give and bequeath to my niece, Frances Strong, and my nephew, John Rodell, who is somewhere in the west The money in the bank to my sister, Elizabeth Jones, now in Montana. Around the house in various places (having not much faith fa banks) I have put sums of money with slips at paper telling for «grhom each sum is Intended. (Signed and sealed) “DANIEL RODELL.” They ail listened 4n silence when he read. When be finished Frances exclaimed: “Well! I#ke that the house mine and John Rodell’s.” c “And I shall have to go,” said Aunt Elisabeth, “and so shall I.” echoed Tabitha. < ’ ”No, you won’t,” answered Frances, “half the house Is mine, and tt W cousin. John Rodell—whom I have not seen tar ten years—is part owner.

1 think I shall need a chaperone so that’s settled,” giving the Dresden shepherdess a kiss. “Where is this John Rodell?” inquired Mr. Black. “Out west somewhere on a ranch.” “Is he your own cousin f’ “No, my mother’s; I am Daniel RodelFs grandniece, you know.” Everything went on smoothly with the old ladies. Curiosity made them look in odd places to see if there were more money hidden. Finally under the eaves of the attic they found a tin box such as valuable papers are sometimes kept in, but there was no key. Again Mr. Black was sent for. it took them days to find a key to fit Mr. Black opened the box, so everything should be covered by law. Tabitha was as Interested as if she was an heir. The box contained S6OO, the paper read “to buy a horse and turnout for my niece.” “Mr. Rodell was an enigma, I always thought,” remarked Mr. Black, “but he must have enjoyed planning the little surprises.” Dame Fortune dipped her fingers iq the pie; and dropped ihore gold into Frances’ fingers. She went into Uncle Daniel’s room one day to.direct the cleaning of a closet and put his clothes away for the summer. She tossed old an old shoe; it went down with a thud. She tossed out the mate, which seemed stuffed with papers. She told Tabitha to take out the rest of the things and proceded to examine the shoes. One was filled with silver half dollars. The other contained stocks and bonds which were for John Rodell if he married Frances Strong; so a little paper tucked in the shoe stated. The silver was Frances’ without any proviso. If John Rodell did not comply with this request, a home for indigent bachelors was to be started with the money realized by selling the stocks. Frances flew to the barn, harnessed her horse and drove to Mr. Black’s office. She tossed the papers on the table and gave him the slip to read. Mr. Black gave a prolonged whistle as he read. I Frances’ eyes flashed Are. “Such an Indignity!" she said. “1 won’t stand it! Mr. John Rodell will never marry Frances, so the bachelors are sure of a home!” scorn fully. The office boy stuck his head in the door. “Mr. John Rodell to see you, sir!” Frances and Mr. Black both started Frances jumped up. “Good morning, Mr. Black,” she whispered, and rushed past Mr. Rodell. who had'followed closely on the boy’s footsteps. Mr; Black saw a tall, finely formed, straight-limbed man, bronzed of face, with kind blue_eyes and brown hair. “Well. Mr. 'Slack, here 1 am. Your many personals have at last reached me.” 1 •; ~ ' • 7 As he talked Mr. Black thought, and determined to assist little Dan Cupid who masqueraded as Uncle Daniel—so he told Mr. Rodell that Uncle Daniel had left half his house to him, and half to Frances Strong. “Miss Strong Is living in her part for the summer with her great-aunt, who n your aunt.” Then John and he went up to look at John’s part. John was pleased; it looked fairly comfortable, so be said he guessed he’d have it cleaned up a bit and stay awhile. While John was in one of the shops, Mr. Black came to Frances and told her he had thought best not to say anything to Mr. Rodell about the bonds. “Thank you!” said Frances. “It would have made it so awkward for us both.’Now we can be good friends.” Which in truth they became. The summer passed merrily and Frances went back to New York in September, promising to come back at Thanksgiving. which she did, but the other half of the house was silent, for John bad gone back to his ranch. Summer came again, and with it Frances. The two old ladies were delighted to see her. The long, lovely days passed slowly. Frances seemed rather sober. She missed her comrade' of the year before. —lnAunt Elizabeth said: “1 do wish John were here. I long for a whiff of his cigar.” The words were hardly out of her mouth, before Jed drove up with some trunks and, out of the “ark” as Frances called it, stepped John. After he had greeted his aunt and Tabitha he inquired for Frances. “Why, she was here when you drove up,” said Tabitha. John found her ta the kitchen. Poor Frances, where now wa* her dignity? y John said: “Frances, dear.” Frances turned and then—well, never mind, John was made very happy. They went out together, and told Aunt Elizabeth, who kissed and hugged them both. > “But,” said Frances that evening, “how can I marry my cousin?*’ * . “I am only a second cousin, and only a half at that, as your mother was only my half-cousin.” On the morning of the wedding day Mr. Black presented John with the stocks which were to be his if he married Franres " “Poor old bachelors!* he said with a chuckle. • ■*'' '?.• * ,<5