Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1850-07-19
From :he Springfield republican.
4 True Story Of Human Nature.

There once lived IN . small town in Mass
achusetts an old Indian woman. Somehow
or other the old woman had accumulated quite
desirable little property. Yet she was an
Indian, and was treated with cool contempt
by her neighb0fs. She he'd no seat in the So
cial circle, received no attention from those a.
round her, occupied a back pew in church !;
and down towards the grave she travelled,
without friend or ccmtorter
Old Nance had but one relative living lhat
she knew Of, anl he a wild, graceless soE.-
He was the terror Of The village, and spent
his time in any thing but respectable way
At last the vagabond SO worried the forbsar-
ance Of his Old mother, that in a hasty mo-
ment she resolved to disinhent him and leave
her money to the chugch.
Accordingly she started fo- the house of
one Of the deacons, and made q clean breas st Of
her troubles, ani and acquainted him " ilh
her determination The deacon grew from
cool to a very aniable smood as she proceeded
and at last became nrotuse in his expression
ofgratitude.
The will through .If5 agency Of a deacon
was drawn: 5ut.|e I'D woman had clause IN
serted which saould makes it void, provided
the son Should totally reform his habits. Sc
cresv vas cr5otled or the deacon, who of
course told nobady buthis wife, who Of coarse
said nything about it only to two or three
t.is-ads, who of course spread 1t all over Tho
,Giage IN the space ofone day.
But the change wrought in the situation of
old Nance was miraculous. ''Such good
old woman!" The rice bis from the best
tables began to journey under neat napkins
to her humble abode- On rainy Sabbath
carriage took her up az her door, and carried
her TO church ayhere she was kindly favored
with front pew, ncat the speaker, and near
the stove. He. praise was in every boiy's
mouth, and her .otteriHg form commanded re-
spect everywhers. Bat she lhuved remarka-
bly, under this treatment, and lived and lived.
In the meantime the son was looked upon with
more than usual distrust, and the poor widow
was deeply con misseTated on his disgraceful
course.
Years passed. away, and friends were still
continued to the widow, VIII en-, at last old
Nance slept the sleep that knows no waking.
\ large funeral one of the largest the little
village had ever seer, attended her to her grave
in the quiet church yard. There were lears
shed over her bsor, and benisous breathed up
on her memory
The funeral was past. The deacon, the
squire, and a numbes Of the village notables,
were gathered in her dwelling, and IL one
corner sat the sad and taciturn son.
"Squire' said the deacon, Il believe there
is a will"
''Yes there Is w5lr.''
"Win you have the kindness TO read It -
The viii was produced. All was silent
The viii was rsad, in which all the widows
property was beIueash2d to the church. Ma
ny an eye sought the face of the prodigal son
but saw no change in his stolid features
When the Teaiing was finished the son.arose,
and drawing piece Of paper from his pocket
inquired the date of olhat AZ WILL
The date was stated, and handing the squire
his paper, the IortiynIess asked him TO read
it.
-AlaS - "oS "'LI one Jay younger 'lau
the other. The fond mother in her weakness
had told her son what she had done, ana he
managed to have a will drawn twenty-four
hours after the previous one, in which he was
the sole legalee.
The assembled wisdom and disintere sted-
ness Of the village went home thinking and
the son had the pleasant satisfaction of know
ing that his mc.her's last days were her best
days.
Reader, sais IS not fiction. 1t is but an
instance of the weakness in our commOn na-
ture, which, wsth sac, develoPemonts, comes
before Us with humiliating frequency, alike in
I the highest aus lowest walks ef life.