WEALTH WITHOUT WINGS. 29

 

“Ah!”

“Yes, truly. Ugh! It makes the chills creep
over me as I think of it. Last evening I received
regular notification of my appointment as executor
to Elder’s estate, and to-day thought it only right
to call‘upon the widow, and see if any present ser-
vice were needed by the family. Such a scene as I
encountered! Mrs. Elder was just at the point of
death, and expired a few moments after my entrance.
Besides a single domestic and a child, I was the only
witness of her last extremity.”

‘¢ Shocking !”

“You may well say shocking, Edward, unpre-
pared as I was for such an occurrence. My nerves
are quivering yet.”

“hen the widow is dead also ?”’

“Yes; both have gone to their long home.”

“ How many childen are left ?”’

“Only one—a little ‘girl, not, I should think,
above four years of age.”

“ Some near relative will, I presume, take charge
of her.”

“Tn dying, the mother declared that she had no
friend to whom she could leave the child. On me,
therefore, devolves the care of seeing to its main-
tenance.”

‘No friend. Poor child! and of sotender an age!”

“She is young, certainly, to be left alone in the
world.”

Jasper uttered these words, but felt nothing of the
sad meaning they involved.

“ What disposition will you make of her ?” asked
Claire.

3*