The Portland daily press., 1863-03-27

Romance In Real Life.

Some years ago, an Irish Earl, of eccentric
habits, whose estates had been very much en-
numbered by the imprudence of his parents,
died somewhat suddenly in the prime Of his
life. For long time previously he had re-
sided under an assumed name, upon the Con-
tinent, occasionally visiting England, but
leaving the management Of his affairs in the
hands of an old confidential friend and adviser
of his fathers, who filled the important and
lucrative post of one of the Crown Solicitors
for Ireland, and who, during the lifetime of the
old earl, had made advances to a very large
amount upon the security of certain entail
ed property of his in the county OF Cork.
These estates were, like many others in the
sister kingdom at the commencement Of this
century, In a very unproductive condition;
but, under the skillful management of the
Crown Solicitor, were gradually increasing
In value, when the untimely death of the peer
occurred. His lordship had no immediate
relations. With rich and distant cousin,
who succeeded him In the title, he had not
been on friendly terms, and his next kin, two
wealthy and aged ladies', had been estranged
from him by his irregular habits Of life.
Under these circumstances, il was not a mat
ter of surprise that he bequeathed the remains
of his shattered fortune, with the exception of
few legacies, TO the old friend and adviser of
his father aud himself
This gentleman, who, by the death of his
brother, soon after succeeded to the baronet-
age entered into quiet possession OF the estates,
and thenceforth devoted the chief part of a
large professional income to their improve
ment. He formed roads and fences, he con-
structed bridges he erected handsome farms
and commodious cottages, in place of the
squalid huts in which the tenantry of the for
mer noble proprieters had vegetated in old
times. He was respected and beloved by the
.r,lx, he, nd fod
was mentioned with commentator in the
British House Of Commons; and whenthe died,
some five or six years ago, his remains were
followed to the grave by almost the whole OF
the Irish bench and bar.
To his son and daughter descended these es-
tates on which he had expended so much, and of
which he had enjoyed the unchallenged own
ershp. Twenty years after the death Of the
late earl all dispute as as to the validity Of the
bequest would have been impossible; but few
months before the expiration Of that time, when
the old baronet and most of those who were
best acquainted with the circumstances are
beyond the reach Of all earthly Inquiry, bill
has been filed by the present peer, now becom-
ing the next OF kin, against the son and daugh-
ter Of the devisee for the restitution of the inn
proved and valuable property, on the ground
Of malversation and misrepresentation and the
exercise of undue influence upon the late earl.
The son of the devisee whose health had been
enfeebled by military service in Canada and
the East, survived only few weeks the shock
of change Of deliberate fraud against par
ent whom he, with those who knew him best,
had SO much revereu; and his sister. the wife
OF reverend baronet in the West Of England,
succeeded to the whole Of the disputed inner
itance.
We must suppose that the noble claimant
has strong evidence In support Of the alega-
tions made after so considerable lapse of
time, and when SO many of the parties concern
ed are no more; and should II be decided that
the accusations are true, that decision which
will deprive a well known respectable family
ofextensive estates which they have now for
twenty years considered as undoubtedly and
honorably their own, will give another in
stance of the precarious tenure Of wealth and
opulence.