Mrs. Loomis and the two girls stayed in the house day and night until
after the funeral. They confidently expected to live there in the
future. "It isn't likely that Evelina Adams thought a young woman no
older than Evelina Leonard could live here alone in this great house
with nobody but that old Sarah Judd. It would not be proper nor
becoming," said Martha Loomis to her two daughters; and they agreed,
and brought over many of their possessions under cover of night to
the Squire's house during the interval before the funeral.
But after the funeral and the reading of the will the Loomises made
sundry trips after dusk back to their old home, with their best
petticoats and cloaks over their arms, and their bonnets dangling by
their strings at their sides. For Evelina Adams's last will and
testament had been read, and therein provision was made for the
continuance of the annuity heretofore paid them for their support,
with the condition affixed that not one night should they spend after
the reading of the will in the house known as the Squire Adams house.
The annuity was an ample one, and would provide the widow Martha
Loomis and her daughters, as it had done before, with all the
needfuls of life; but upon hearing the will they stiffened their
double chins into their kerchiefs with indignation, for they had
looked for more.
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