Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1852-09-22
BB & o y 5 ,
Old Billy making his Will.

He married about twenty years since, the .
DAUGHTER of Mrs. C., who had but ore :
other child-a son. She had about twenty :
wooIly heads Of which number she gave
HER son. Lem. H, three, and, living at
I'D Billy's house, she had not thought prop
err to give him any property at all. Heh had
the use of the servants, and his good mann
ma-in-law thought that was enough. But
the old lady was very kind-hearted and ere
dulous; and yet with all these good qualities
in his favor, old Billy had planned and plot
ted for years in vain, trying to induce our
mamma Gas he called herr to give him
a title to the darkies. At last a new idea
found its tangled way into his organ Of ac-
quisiteness. :,
Old Billy was attacked very suddenly and
very severely with cramp cholic. He went
to bed, rolled, groaned, grunted, and tum
bled, contracting his arms and legs. His
wife wanted to send for a doctor.
'Oh! Nelly, its no use. | can't revive it.
I'll suspire' fore night. Espatch Cato for Cap
tin hurry, to write my last willin' testament
Captain hurry came, and found the dy-
ing man in great pain; his end was at hand.
After the Captain had mended his pen, and
placed his writing : fxens' all ready for use,
the sick man whined out in a faint weak
voice,
'Mely, ak our mamma to come IN
The old lady came, greatly distressed anc
sobbing.
ooh! mammal whispered old Billy in
husky tone, I'm ended-and | don't know
how to 90 bout making my will. Can
YOU tell me what you'er gwine to do wiz
dem niggers ov yourn? You needn't b
afraid to give them to me; I'm gwine t
give the most Of EN- to Betsey anyhow
Betsey was old Billy's only daughter, and
name-sake and great fayorite ofthe old LADY
'Well, Mr.. l., you've always bee
Q mighty good to me. III give 'em all t
you, and you can just place 'em on yor
children to your own liking
=, Put dat down, Captin' Murry.'
'lu' The Captain being somewhat acquainte
with the forms in such cases made and pr
vided, wrote a bill of sale, and silently N
toned to the old lady to sign it. When 81
did so, the dying man exclaimed
Witness dat, Captin' Murry.'
The Captain signed his name as witne
to the paper, and laid it at the back of t
table, next to the bed, and prepared to wri
the will. Then seeing the dying man
quiet, he thought it was stupor, and call
out, to rouse him
I'm ready to write now SIR
Old Billy turned in his bed, took up t
paper, and asked, in a voice wonderfully i
; proved
,ork. is dis a good biller sale, Captin' MUIR.
FCertainly-Ithink So
h well, Nelly, look hind the press, a
bring dat ar bottle may be Captin' Mu
would like to take a little on it,
The Captain barely touched it to his j
then setting the bottle on the table, ask
'What shall | write?
sWhy, Captin', I feel 'siderably 1iey
H0H -'rUoI"S UP u" vrO ovu7rro, 10 roc
ed out his hand to the bottle, and the &C
fort commenced running down his ca
!, cious spirit-duct, at a rate, that if contin'
uS- as long as the moral law, would have m
ltion- a common fish pond of the Atlantic Gee
ian- Then slipping the bill Of sale into his poe
'lon' old Billy exclaimed, in a full, strong voic'
ONE. well, Captin,' if I keep on mending,'
ANY 90 up to Carlton in the mornin,' and h
hveS this here biller sale corded. Then let ]
ana H, be botherin' me, I'll teach him
le III them ar niggers belong to-
!ree Captain hurry 'vamosed,' and even
pine he goes into convulsions il any man ment
wan the writing ola VIII.
man,