Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1846-09-24

4
An old bachelor in the north of France
alike famous for his avarice and his
wealth, laboured under misfortune not
uncommon to the greedy rich, tina, of
being Stunned and hated by every BODY.
He required from his domestcs that
their attention should be as much beyond.
as their frugality was within all bounds:
and the only recompense he gave them
consisted in latterlng hopes of being well
remembered at his death. In spite of
his large promises, however, he could
never prevail on any person to remain
more than single season in his service:
and at length his wretched character as
master became so notorious, that he could
not procure servant or any terms, and
! saw hims, - - III his --o-l,h reduced
J 10 perform
In tn ac
sly 10
7 sure1O CO,
he Iahoufe~. obllging n.n. 10
deviate in the leas. rom his invetera,e
habits Of saving and starving. He sent
for his attorney, anG dictated to him a
will, containing, among other requests,
the following: i give and bequeath TO the
servant who shall close my eyes. fifteen
hundred lvres, and my domain of Varac.'
Nothing. as will be afterwards seen was
farther from the old mans intention, than
that such bequest should ever have
effect. The report of his having made il,
however. soon spread; and, as cunningly
anticipated. hundreds fpersons fastened
TO offer their services The fortunate
candidate was a stout Norman, in that
middle period Of life when the appetite
for food is generally considered to be at
It's lowest "A man who protested roundly
that he cared not what he ale or drank;
or. indeed, whether he ate or drank at all,
so that he could only keep life in him.
The miser exulsed in having at last found
man after his own heart, he installed
him forthwith in the office of his servant
of all work. The trial was severe one;
the penance of monk Of La Trappe was
nothing TO il; according to general opinion
the poor Mormon must have expired Of
pure starvation, had the old miser lived
six months longer than he did. The dav
| VI VIC . dEdbu was Ody vi 10y
and reviving TO his servant: but on the
next. his hopes were like to have been
all blasted by the appearance of the heirs
at law. Although the inheritance was
immense, they possessed so much of the
spirit OF their departed relative that they
grudged exceedingly TO find the amount al
all diminished by the few legacies which
the will contained The famished valet
endeavoures TO touch their feelings by a
representation of the suferings he had
undergone; suferings which years Of
comfort and good living would scarcely
repair; but all to no purpose. One Of the
heirs called for sight of the will; and
having read these words, 4 give ond
bequeah 10 the servant who shall close
my eyes, &c, he exclaimed with barbar.
Gus exultation, The donation is worth
noihing' why SOL asked the servant,
trembling. 'Why, don't you know my
uncle was blind of an eye! How, then,
could you close his eyes!'
The unfortunate lega,ee, repulsed by
this observation, Withdrew; but on pro-
ceeding 10 take the advice of lawyer, as
to the validity Of the bequest, he had the
satisfaction TO learn tina! there was every
probability Of its being sustained by the
courts. A suit was accordingly Instituted
and the judges unanimously determined
that the intention of the testator was to be
gathered from the ordinary and fair mean
ing Of the words, and not from any quib
bling construction, tina, it would be unIus,
to The memory of the deceased to suppose
that in so solemn an affair as his las, will
he could mean by verbal equivoque to
commit such fraud on the expectations
of an honest and faithful domestic; and,
in short. that there could be no doubt, in
reason CIR law, of his having designedly
and actually bequeathed the fifteen hun
dred livres, and the domain of Varac, to
his Norman servant. The heirs appealed
to the parliament of Paris. but wi.hou
success. The judgment was confirmed
and they were at last obliged to discharge
the legacy. 1t is in ways like this tha
the laws often do miracles Of good. b.
making even dead men do what they
never intended, and villa, is yet abundant
ly consistent with right and justice.