Washington telegraph., 1854-05-31
WASHINGTON, ARKANSAS WEDNESDAY, MAY 81 1854.


that the right hand which had SO often aided
him for evil, would not help him for good
the despair which burst the unseen bonds
around him, and with a convulsive motion, let
out the last of life 1t must have been a
spectacle of horror, when punishment came
in the shape of prohibition from tie one
act of mercy, which might have made some
amends for whole lifetime of wrong.
Then there was another legend of man
whose daughter married against his will
He lived somewhere in retired country
house, far off from any town. This man
was subject to Il disease of the heart, and
one night feeling the symptoms of an APP
preaching attack, and that strange PRESENT.
ment Which so often comes before death, he
reused lis household and sent off a messen-
ger on horseback, not for a surgeon, but for
a lawyer. He wanted his will maize instant
ly Tie messenger could not be expected
back for at least two hours, and long before
that theispasmodic attack had come on, but
still in the intervals of his paroxysms, that
determined man wrote as though against
time.
When the lawyer did arrive, all that was
left of the living will which had been SC
active and energetic few hours before, was
that las piece of writing. 1t expressed the
deceased IS intention, in the strongest terms,
utterly to disinherit his rebellous child, and
to give bis property to some charitable insti-
tuition. 1t was complete, even to the sigma
ture; only the flourish usually added to the
name was wanting, as though there the hand
had failed. But that writing was not a
will it was not in proper form, not attest
ed In the eye of the law it was but an
invalid piece of paper, and the daughter
took that which her birthright entitled her
to.
wills generally afford frightful tempta-
ton to the worst part of our nature. | re-
ally believe that more cunning more false
hood more worldly anxiety, and more NOR
al wrong are blended with the subject OF
wills than with the whole mass of law
parchments extant. \ will should not on
ly be properly made, but properly placed,
and more than one should be cognizant of
its whereabouts | have known many cases
OF gross turpitude in the shape of destroy
ing wills; and can record one rathe: curl
Gus anecdote, affording a vivid illustration
of unprincipled greed defeating itself. Two
gentlemen in the city, close friends from
their school days, were in the decline Of
life. Mr.. Edmonds had large family
with comparatively small means, while Mr.
Raymond was worth 200, 600 pounds, with nc
living relatives but nephew of the most
profigate and hopeless character. This
nephew had spent unlimited money for the
worst purposes, and the uncle at length be.
came weary and disgusted with the young
mans depravity ''Edmonds," said Ray,
mond. one day to his friend, as be handed
him a roll of paper, "here's my will. l
have left my nephew ten thousand pounds,
and the rest of my property to you, who, |
know, will make good use of it, EdmondS
demonstrated and implored; but was even
tually compelled to take the Will, and lock
it up in his private desk.
Within few months, however, by dint
of constant entreaty, Mr.. Edmonds prevail
ed upon his friend to make another will, and
just the reverse of the bequests, leaving the
nephew the bulk of the property. and Ed
monds the ten thousand pounds This will
Edmonds read, and saw safely deposited in
Raymond's iron chest at his private resi-
dence. Within the following year Ray
mond died. The nephew found the will,
and, asst afterwards appeared, such was his
baseness, that to secure in addition the ten
thousand pounds left to Edmonds, he imme-
diately burned the document, knowing that
if his uncle died intestate he himself was
heir-at-law. On this villainous announce
ment, Edmonds, sinking his conscientious
scruples, produced the first will made by
Raymond, and claimed the chief of the
property, and the unprincipled nephew, af-
ter making a full confession, during fit OF
dei5r1uns trcnzenS, killed himself.