The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1852-07-15

til the death damps gathered on his
brow, and his eyes closed on this world
forever. And then with a CLEAN Of
demoniac triumph glowing in his eyes,
and horrid curse kissing from his
tightly compressed lips, he tore the will
in pieces and hurled it into the flames
81 will share the money equally with
Goodwell," thought he, "rather than
have it go to that clownish boor, Henry
Noble, and as for parson Trotter 1 can
buy his silence for less than half the sum
that that dead old fool there would have
given him for holding his tongue"
How often does it happen that the
very means with which a wicked man
tries to attain his selfish ends prove his
defeat. So it with Gripe. By destroy
ling the will, he thought that he had Sc
cured half of the property for himself
and in order that the remainder might
come into his family he gave his consent
to and even hurried on the marriage Of
his son with Mary Goodwen. But just
as the golden prize is almost within his
grasp, the gaunt form of Elder Trotter
is interposed between him and the de-
sired goal. With serious face the Elder
produces his ancient saddle. bags, launch
es his huge hand into their mysterious
depths, and after much laborious explor-
alton therein triumphantly fetches forth
what do you think '-nothing more nor
less than Henry Fairchild's will, in which
the deceased leaves all of his immense
property to the Elder, except the legacy
of a few paltry dollars apiece to each of
his relatives. This may seem unaccount-
able to the reader; so let us explain.
After Fairchild learned that he had a
grandson living he had long conflict in
his mind between the desire of owning
him and the revolving exposition of his
conduct that he must make if that fact
became public, and it was in this state
of mind that he dictated will like the
above, and gave it to Elder Trotter.
Sickness and the approach of death,
however. sufficiently humbled his pride
to induce him to make will in favor of
his grandson, and to divulge the secrets
of his past life. 1t was this last will
which Gripe had destroyed. Elder
Trotter's generous soul would not per-
NIT him to keep the property which the
will in his possession entitled him to.
He gave up his claim to Henry Noble,
who, as you may suppose, rewarded his
uprightness with handsome portion oft.
AS for Gripe, he was completely foil
ed in every way, and the extravagant
transports of rage and the profusion of
choice oaths and epithets in which he
for while luxuriated, are "better i'm
agined than described" Defeated as
he had already been, still he could not
be easy indeed, he was even more anx-
ious to try some new mode of villiany by
which he might make up for his losses.
As it was somewhat fashionable among
manufacturers and others to |" fail' for
the purpose Of making money, Dab
Gripe must needs try that; and sure
enough he did {" fail" He put up his
estate, factory, land, houses and all, at
auction, intending to manage to pay his
creditors few cents on a dollar and
still keep his whole estate in his own
hands ; but, alas for Gripe rich CAL
ifornia nabob happened along about that
time, bought the whole estate, worth
some hundred thousand dollars for few
thousands and kept it too in spite Of all
that Gripe could do to the contrary. So
Gripe fellrkom his high estate at last,
and f..l
{" what fall vas there, my cOuntrymen
Then you, and l, and -" |,
But, I have fulfilled my promise-my
" Alpha and Omega" are both before
you, and 50 there is nothing further to
be done, I will simply make nay apologies