Mary Foote Arnold

“ The sun was already high in the heavens, and no shadow Sphinx rested on the green turf. Ann had not expected to find it; she understood now why the artist had worked on the picture in the afternoon instead of in the morning. She knelt in front of the Sphinx picture and examined it critically, noting each detail of the curious figure, and tracing the ribbon-like band to the edge of the stone. Here she came upon the tiny arrows pointing outward. Surely, since the picture was an exact copy of the shadow and brook, with the exception of these arrows, might not they mean something of importance? ”

“ Caroline read:—
Dear Sister-in-law:—The time has come when I cannot reasonably expect to live much longer, therefore I have made such disposal of my estate as will enable me to die with a clear conscience and a peaceful heart.
I have made two wills, both of which are held in trust by Cyrus Clifford, whom I selected as executor, because I am convinced that he is too cowardly to be otherwise than upright, he being a prominent Methodist, and afraid to follow those impulses natural to all men. ”

“ There are, doubtless, some needy persons in this neighborhood, but I have no means of finding out who they are; it pleases me to think that some such person will find this, perhaps by his own ingenuity in following up the clues I have prepared. I know it is possible that a dishonest person may find it and appropriate the whole of the contents to himself, but I have faith in the integrity of the average human being, and take the risk. ”

“ For there, outlined on the dark green earth, was a gigantic Sphinx, made by the shadows of an irregular cluster of trees and bushes; more than that, Silver Brook emerged from the shadow at the top of the great head, ran downward jon the east side, doubled on itself, wavered across the field, and was lost to view in the northeast corner, which corresponded exactly to the upper right-hand corner of the stone. Ann compared the shadow Sphinx with the stone one, giving way to little bursts of joy as the points of interest proved similar to one another. ”

“ Ann beamed on him affectionately, and, leaning over, deposited a kiss on the tip of his ear. "If anything could make me discouraged it would be that you can't have the Hill Farm when you've wanted it so long. It's queer, and I know you'll laugh at me, but I have a feeling that we'll manage it yet, some way. It doesn't do any harm to hope we'll get it, does it?"
"Wishing is first cousin to hoping, you know," laughed her father, "and if wishes were horses, beggars might ride."
Mrs. Seabrook now appeared in the doorway holding an empty bucket. ”

“ I, Ellen Weathersby, being of sound mind and memory, do will and bequeath my entire estate to that one of my three nieces, named, respectively, Caroline Weathersby, Ellen Ann Weathersby, and Mary Weathersby, daughters of my brother, the late William Weathersby, who shall find the proofs of said estate during the year following the date of my death. Said proofs are in a small iron box, and consist of deeds to my real estate, bonds, mortgages, certificates of stock in various mining and manufacturing concerns, the family jewels, and a sum of gold. ”

“ It did seem as if the man were not quite sane, so determined was he to work on afternoons when the sun shone fiercest. In vain did Mrs. Merriweather, with whom he boarded, urge him with motherly kindness to take the cool of the morning for his work, reminding him that he was far from strong, and to run such risks was simply tempting Providence. ”

“ Seabrook looked up. Ann's eyes were dancing, her cheeks were flushed, her breathing hurried; she looked anything but tired.
"You do act so queerly, Ann. Very well, I'll do it if you won't." She lifted the bucket, then set it down suddenly.
"It's as heavy as lead! Don't tell me that's all blackberries! Ann Seabrook, what's in this bucket—rocks?"
"Look and see for yourself, mother," and Ann danced into the next room and collapsed jojdully into a chair beside her father. Mrs. Seabrook followed, bringing the can, which she had dislodged from the bucket of berries. Then Ann told her story. ”

“ A woman who is not ashamed to use her hands in any honest employment will retain the respect of all right-thinking people. To this end, I once advised you to keep a cow, suggesting that Caroline should do the milking, and thus enable you to add to your narrow income by the sale of the milk. ”

“ The hiding place of the box will be marked by a sign. That sign is a circle within a circle.
The key is with Cyrus Clifford, though he does not know the whereabouts of the box it unlocks. No man should be trusted too far.
It is only proper to state that I have deposited a sum of money with an attorney named Otis (who appears honest, though there is no telling—at least, he does not smoke cigarettes) , with which he is to pay all insurance and taxes due on my houses and lands, in advance for one year, beginning with the date of my death. ”

“ Instead of devoting six hours a day to her music, Caroline now practised by fits and starts, and Ellen Ann read Greek only as a diversion. As for me, though my body sometimes lagged, my spirits never did.
The necessity for secrecy about the occupation in which we spent our days sometimes made it awkward for us when the young people of the neighborhood became over-curious. For that reason Mr. Otis, the young attorney who had found favor in Aunt Ellen's eyes, made an especially agreeable companion. ”

“ You should help her in every way you can, because the hardest part comes on her."
"I do try, father; do you think I'm any comfort to her?"
"Of course you are; you're a first-class optimist."
"And what is that, please? Anything awful?"
"An optimist is one who looks on the bright side of things."
"Oh! Well, that is easy to do; the really hard thing is to look on the dark side. Sometimes, when mother gets unusually down on her luck—imagines we are on a short cut to the poor house with nobody to head us off—I try to be blue about it just to keep her company ”

“ It is not all of life to be musical, literary, and society favorites. It pains me to write it, but your daughters have no practical knowledge of ordinary affairs, and, more deplorable yet, none of that good old commodity—sound common sense. ”

“ An hour after breakfast I slipped out to take a walk towards the business part of the town. I said that I wanted to buy some thread, then tried to feel sorry as I thought of the time coming when even thread would be considered a luxury by my family. ”

“ Thus it came about that many persons were made comfortable and happy by the contents of the old rusty can. For, though it did not contain a fortune, in the general acceptation of the term, it was sufficient to put the hospital on an independent footing, to enable Mr. Seabrook to pay off his indebtedness and buy the Hill Farm, and to give Ann an education. ”

“ He will also collect all rentals pertaining to said houses and lands, and deposit the funds therefrom in the First National Bank with Cyrus Clifford, who will hold them in trust until the expiration of the year.
Mr. Otis and my servant, Amanda Cummins, are the witnesses to the first will. Amanda can be trusted to hold her tongue. I know not about Mr. Otis, he being a man.
No one except my three nieces shall participate in the search, nor shall they receive advice upon the subject from any one. ”

“ The second will? Everything was to go towards founding an institution for the Discipline of Refractory Children. The document was even more awe inspiring than the first one, with where ases and wherefores to throw to the birds; a sad waste of red tape, in my opinion.
Yes, Caroline is going abroad with mother, Ellen Ann is going to college, and I am going to be married.
And we all hope to live long and happily.
↑ This story received a fifth prize of $100 in The Black Cat prize competition which closed March 31, 1897. ”