The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1854-01-07

oc'ns excited; but this time was surprised
as a single fact very often does surpr;sc rs
when we have passed by host of smila,
ones unnoticcd. knew the man who had
made the will. lie was shrcwd. prudcnt
sharp lawyer. who had risen from nothing to
be man OF immense wealth. 1.-The wa, dis.
t'nSulshed for any qualities in particular, il
was Tor Punctuality and prompttudc. None
OF the clerks of his office were ever f;vc min.
ntcs too late. That was an offence not 70 ho
forgiven. No one ever knew him to be be-
hind at an appointment, or to let business, no
nndone. His housc-kcepcr, who managed
his bachelor home for many years, ONLY ken,
her place bv being exact to time. Yet tl,i,
man had not made his will till a few hour,
before his death and, therefore. the posses.
SION OF his property formed the subject Of =
very fiouri>hin. lawsuit.
/ When went out of that dark. dismal c,t,.
comb of dead mems wills, went on ,h;,L; ~,
OF all the sini'arca>es ofprocra>,nation which
knew or had heard of-and they were no, 4
frw-for tins is piece of experience Of one
VINO was law clerk before he quarrclcd with
red tape. What a curiouS c,t,,oc,o tho,
were. There was an old lady = too,,,.s.
dowagrr. who had rcprobatc and discarded
son. and pretty, gentle niece. who Iiv.,
with her. We used to MANAGE all bcr ,,,,;r.
and II was pretty well known in the Office
that the "n"r -irl with the lonr cur,S." w,>
to be the old lady. heir. Our head ,lorL ,
red whi>kercd dandy. WHO had no mean o.
p;nl"n OF himself. built. could seq. ccr.,i,
>prcn!a1Ions on that basis The old l,I,
never came without Eliza: and when vii.
was expected, ,ir. Ca'chpoc brushed ii> ;ir.
rv hair INTO the most killing curl>, >,anl cl,,nr
ed III" ont at-thr elbows con. for the .n,r,
one he wore ont of doors. and bcau.jficl him,
>"t a> far as that was prartical.,c. Wei. =
message catne one day that the Old lady wa.
Ill very il-wi'h an urccnt r,,ucst FLA,
>7r" one should 20 at once and make her will
VII "rn' oar AdoHis as fast is a promise of
something liberal over tie fare cou,d ur,.
t." ca'n.r
" hen he arrived. the Oh lady was alive
Just alive enough 10 tell lin all her proper
" was 20 be left TO Eliza. Size to!,. Him tha
IN III" Kissing Whisper which supplied III,
place of the cracked voice: hut when 81,
came TO the word all so full was the 200.
old creature Of lovc for the niece. or. pcrhan>
OF determination let us hope no: hate acan>,
her >on-that She half rose up in bed. ana
cIcnchcd her withcrcd hand. and >hrickr,]
OFT that wor'l again II mu>t have been a
terrible irht-t'at Of life struggling Will,
dcatl. for will l, was "A short matter 70
write that all down; and CatchpocS pen flew
over the paper. and the old ewes that were
glazing 50 fast stared anxiou>lv the while and
and the thin ti:r-cr> actually held the pen She
hat asked for beforehand ready to sicn the
paper. IN a few moments all was ready: but
what a difference that few minutes made -
Ihc clerk had risen from his seat and ac-
preached the couch when the SURGEON. who
stood on tie Other side. said. with tla. cool
ness which medical practice brings. 1T is
Ia" late: and /; wa> too late The dead fin
GERS citnrhrd :l'c unused pen 50 tightly ,l.at
they had to be uncla>pcd from it, The son
WAS heir of all. and Eliza a bcrcar death
had translated that >rrcam-out al'into n3n.
The sequel is soon tod. The property was
wasted bv tl'c rcprobate son. and has long
since passed into other hands. and Eliza. in
stead Of possessing some thousands vcar.and
being wooca by Mr.. Catchro!c. is faded d,
ly go,crnc>s.
Every lawyers Office las plenty Of su-,4
stories as th;@. One remember. of a III ser
who had ruined more than one family. and
in his last moments wished to make 81 Il
rcrara,.on as tcIucahcd cold could compass.
Poor wretch. when the will was Lrourht. cat
alcp>y had seized him, and he Il: there 4
livin. cor;sc-d.ad in all but mind. lie
could not move his hand: his tongue refused
rs Office: only his eyes were free to move
and of those eyes have been told terrible
tale. lie was. as nl!scrs often are. a man q;
s'ron" miri and iron nerve. Passive as lie
was in every other part, the eyes told all that
was passing within. You could have seen il:
:hcm intelligence when the will was read to
him: the powerful vo!ition brought 10 bear,
and pcrscscrcd in, wien the written word
which was to make it testament was rc,uir-
ed: the terror and horror which came over
him when he found 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 convul-
sivc motion, let out the last of life 1t must
have been spectacle of horror, when pun
i>hmcnt came in the shape of a prohibition OF
the one act of mercy, which night have made
some amends for whole lifetime of wrong.
Then there was another legend of man
whose daughter married against lis will. lie
lived somewhere in retired county house,
far oil from any town. This man was subject
to disease OF the heart, and one night, feel
in. the symptoms OF an approaching attack,