University of Virginia Library

12. CHAPTER XII.
THE FUNERAL.

Two days passed. The third came, and again over hill
and valley floated a funeral knell. Groups of villagers
moved with slow and measured tread toward the late residence
of Squire Herndon. Forth from many a mountain
cottage and many a village dwelling came the inhabitants,
old and young, rich and poor, to attend the funeral.

On a marble-topped table stood the rich, mahogany
coffin, in which lay the remains of one who for many
years had excited the admiration, envy, jealousy, and hatred

of the people, many of whom now trod those spacious
halls for the first time in their lives. Near the coffin
sat Ira. At him the villagers gazed anxiously, but
their eyes soon moved on until they rested upon the fair
Alice, who had been so suddenly transformed from the
humble mountain girl into the wealthy heiress.

Uncle Amos and Aunt Polly were there, too. Ira had
kindly and thoughtfully invited them to take seats with
himself and daughter, as mourners for the deceased.
Aunt Polly appeared arrayed in a dress of costly black
silk, and shawl of the same texture. They were the gift
of Ira, and for fear of being disputed, we will not tell how
many times the good lady managed to move so that the
rustle of her garments might be heard by her neighbors,
who remarked, that “Aunt Polly seemed a plaguy sight
more stuck up than Alice;” and yet the benevolent matron
looked down complacently upon them, thinking how
kind and amiable she was, not to feel above them!

At last the funeral services were over. Down one
street and up another moved the long line of carriages and
people on foot, to the grave-yard, where was an open
grave, into which the body was lowered, “earth to earth,
ashes to ashes, dust to dust.”

As the company were leaving the church-yard, Alice
suddenly found herself by the side of Frank. She had
seen him but once before since her grandfather's death,
and then she had won from him a promise that after the
funeral he would return with her to what henceforth
would be her home. She now reminded him of his promise,
at the same time introducing him to her father, whom
she observed closely, to see what impression Frank would
make. It was favorable, for no one could look at Frank
and dislike him. Rather unwillingly he consented to accompany

them home. He could not imagine what Alice
wanted of him, but was not long kept in doubt.

The will of Squire Herndon was soon produced and read.
The old man had intended to bequeath most of his property
to his son, but this Ira would not suffer. He had
more than he knew what to do with, already, he said, and
greatly preferred that his father should give it all to Alice,
or divide it between her and Frank, as he saw proper.
Accordingly, after bestowing twenty-five thousand dollars
in charitable purposes, the remainder of his property,
amounting to a hundred and fifty thousand dollars, was
equally divided between Frank and Alice, Ira being appointed
their guardian.

Frank at first declined the wealth so unexpectedly
placed before him, but Alice and her father finally overruled
him, the latter saying, playfully, “You may as well
take as a gift from the grandfather what you would probably
sometime receive with the grand-daughter.” So
Frank was finally persuaded; but he bore his fortune
meekly, and when next he returned to college, no one
would have suspected that he was the heir of seventy-five
thousand dollars.