"What is it?" asked Jerome, wonderingly, staring at the superscription, which was, "For Mistress Lucina Merritt, to be opened and read by herself, at her pleasure and discretion, and to be read by herself and Jerome Edwards jointly on the day of their betrothal." "Come over to the light and we will read it together," said Lucina. Jerome and Lucina sat down on the sofa under the branching candlestick and read the letter with their heads close together. The letter ran: "Dear Mistress Lucina,--When this you read an old soldier will have fought his last battle, and his heart, which has held you as kindly as a father's, will have ceased to beat. But he prays that you will ever, in your own true and loving heart, save a place for his memory, and he begs you to accept as an earnest of his affection, with his fond wishes for your happiness, the sum of twenty thousand dollars, as specified in his last will and testament. "And he furthermore begs that the said sum of twenty thousand dollars be regarded by you, when you wed Jerome Edwards, in the light of a dowry, to be employed by you both, for your mutual good and profit, during your married life. And this with my commendation for the wisdom of your choice, and my fervent blessing upon my foster son and daughter. "I am, dear Mistress Lucina, your obedient servant to command, your devoted friend, and your affectionate foster father, "John Lamson." THE END End of Project Gutenberg's Jerome, A Poor Man, by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman