City and town life -- Fiction; Southern States -- Fiction; Women -- Suffrage -- United States -- Fiction
"She was not a progressive woman," Stacey was saying.
"No," answered Briggs, frowning. He was thinking of his own future, not
this insignificant woman's past.
"No heirs, I hear?"
"None."
"In that case she would naturally leave most, probably all, of the
estate to the church or to some charity. That kind of woman usually
does," Stacey concluded cheerfully.
"This kind of woman does not!" Briggs objected quickly. "She was the
kind who does not make a will at all. Leaves everything in a muddle. No
sense of responsibility. I have always contended that since the law
classes women with minors and children they should not be trusted with
property. They should have guardians!"
"You are sure there is no will?"
"Absolutely. If she had drawn one, I should have been consulted,"
answered the agent.
"It seems strange that she should have been so remiss," Stacey murmured.
"Not at all. Making a will is like ordering your grave clothes. Takes
nerve. Mrs. Mosely didn't have any. She was merely a little old gray
barnacle sticking to her husband's estate. She--hello! What's the
matter?"
The procession halted. Both men leaned forward and stared. An
old-fashioned brougham was being drawn slowly by a very fat old white
horse into the too narrow space between the hearse and Briggs's car.
Seated in the brougham was the erect figure of a very thin old man. His
hair showed beneath his high silk hat like a stiff white ruff on his
neck. His hands were clasped over a gold-headed cane. His whole
appearance was one of extreme dignity and reverence. The procession at
once took on the decent air of mourning.
"Judge Regis! What's he got to do with this, I'd like to know!" growled
Briggs.
After the brief service at the grave the company scattered. The men
gathered in groups talking in rumbling undertones. The women wandered
along the flowering paths.
"We must do something about that baby's grave over there. The violets
are not blooming as they should. The ground needs mulching," said Mrs.
Sasnett, who was the president of the Woman's Civic League and Cemetery
Association.
"I think we made a mistake to trim that crimson rambler so close in the
Coleman lot. It is not blooming so well this year," said Mrs. Acres.
"No place for a crimson rambler, anyhow. I told Agatha she should have
planted a white rose."
"If we are to take care of this cemetery, I think we should have
something to say about what is planted here, anyhow," added Mrs. Acres
petulantly.
"We will have. There's been a committee appointed to draw up resolutions
covering that," answered Mrs. Sasnett, who was also a firm woman.
"I hope Sarah Mosely has left something to the Civic League and Cemetery
Association," said another woman walking behind.
"I doubt it, she had no public spirit. We could never interest her in
the work. Such a pity."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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