Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1865-11-09
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THE WILL.

inc IOllOWlng singular story, heard IL told
in her youth, by no means as fiction, but
as a real occurrence.
She even once knew the name Of the
northern family concerned in it; but that,
with the exact dates, she has now forgotten,
ifshe ever knew the latter, and having never
written down the story, she had no means
Of recovering them. However, from her
express mention Of tight wig, worn blythe
benevolent old hero Of the tale, we have
fixed the strange occurrence not earlier than
the last century.
Towards the end of gusty October day,
about the year 1880, barrister Of the Tenn
pie was sitting reading, when the opening
of the door, and the servants announce
ment Of "a gentleman, interrupted him.
He rose to receive his visitor, who proved
to be perfect stranger, person Of very
geDtlemanly, but extremely old fashioned
appearance. He was dressed in grave col |
ored suit of antique cut; a neat, tight, gray
wig, surrounded his serious, and even
solemn physiognomy silk stockings. rolled
at the knee; enormous shoe buckles Of gold |
cane, headed with the same metal, and
broad -brimmed and knocked hat, com
I pleted his equipment, which was in the |
fashion of the last years Of William the !
Third, or the first of his successor Having
siffy bowed, in the exact way prescribed
BY the etiquette of the era to which he ,
seemed to belong, he took possession of the
char offered to him by his host and, after
preparatory hem, thus began in a slow
and se-ious manner: II think, sir, you are
the lawyer employed by the S family, |
whose property in Yorkshire you are, there
fore, aware is about to be sold.
Il have SIR" answered the barrister, |
"full instructions and powers to complete
the disposal IF it, which, though painful
duty to me, must be performed.
1T is duty you may dispense with,
said the visitor waving his hand; 1.-THE
May | presume to ask, sir, whether you
} are any relation to the family? IF so, you
must be acquainted With the absolute ne
cessity Of selling it, in consequence Of the
| claim of another branch of the family, just
; returned from beyond the sea, who, g heir
at-law, is naturally possessor of the estate,
in default of a will to the contrary, and rho
= desires its value in money, instead of the
, land. The present possessor is unable to
buy.it, and must therefore depart"
t You are mistaken, replied the old gen.
know of the will Of Mr.. SIS great
l grandfather, by which he not only left that,
r his real estate, to his favorite grandson, this
4 gentleman's father, but even entailed it on
: his great. great great grandson"
o Such will, sir, said the barrister, "was,
. indeed, supposed for many years to exist !;
o and, in virtue of it, Mr. s. has, until
i now, peaceably enjoyed the property; but,
t on the claimants application, renewed
IT search having been made for it, either the
/ belief proves wholly unfounded, or it has
r every room inhabited and uninhabited have
is been ransacked in vain. MIR. S ha'
:. now given up all hope of finding it; the
y sale is to be completed in the course ofnex
n week; and the fine old place must pass int
te the hands of strangers.
h "You are mistaken once again, younl
l. man, said the stranger, striking his cam
on the floor; II say, sir, the will exists
Go Immediately, continued he, in an au
thortative tone; ''travel night and day
You may save an old family from disgrace
n now unnhabited, is a closet in the wall. "
J. I'VE have looked there, interrupted the
l. barrister.
e "Silence, sir, there is closet, | say. 1r
d that closet is a large chest; that chest has
20 false bottom, and underneath that is the
deed am certain of what | say; | saw
q the paper deposited there, no matter when
N or by whom. Go, you will find 1t worth
lee your trouble. My name, sir is Hugh $.
ID / am not now personally known to the pro
g. prietor OFFS Hall; but am his relation
le and have his welfare at heart. Neglect no
ID to follow my advice.
,, So saying, the old gentleman rose, agar
~ y, bowed, and at the door put on his hat, in &
W fashion that would have enchanted al
L., IL elegante of Queen Anne's day; and sliding
y the silken string of his cane on the littl'
= finger of his right hand, on which the law
nf " yer had remarked very fine brilliant ring
i. i, he descended the stairs and departed leav
=; N ing the barrister in the utmost astonishment
10 At first he felt half inclined to consider tn
% whole as hoax; then, again, when h
= :. thought of the old gentleman grave man
" vi have possessed of the house, to be able +
" " describe the closet so exactly in which tn
NC NC chest was, he could not but believe him t
w w be sincere.
Nv At length, after much deliberation, b
lie decided upon immediate departure and a,
d. rived on the evening of the fourth day. {
to S. Hail. The sale had been the onl
at theme ofconversation at every place he ha
of passed through within twenty miles of h
i'm destination; and much and loudly was it Ii
nd mented, that the squire should be leavir
nr- his house forever, and that poor MIR. job
he would never enjoy his rights, as they pc
ed sisted in calling the possession ofthe estat
I'd On the entrance into the mansion, signs
approaching removal every where met b
eye Packages filed the hall, servants, wit
sorrowful countenances, were hurryiI
about, and the family we're lingering sad
nd over the last dinner they were ever to pa
nv, i take of in their old regretted home.
st Mr.. S. greeted his friend with surpris
Ss' which changed to increduity, when Il
,Sod barrister, requesting his private ear, d
M. ny. clared the reason of his appearance.
Va st cannot be-" said he SIS it like
MI that no one should ever have heard of ii
he hiding of the deed but the old gentlema
oh. you mentioned? Depend upon it, you ha,
nIt been deceived my dear friend. | am on
nu. sorry you should have taken so much troub
on to so little purpose.
th The barrister mentioned the name of h
sb visitor
81, "Hugh hS-!'' exclaimed the gentema
tbe The laughing, 81 have not arelation in the wor
al of that name
en say at is worth the trying, however," sa
as yas the lawyer, ''and since | have come so far
AZ will finish the adventure.
on. Mr.. S., seeing his friend so dete
NV mined at length consented to satisfy hiI
,y, ny and accompanied him towards the apartme
,ry, w. he pecifed. As they crossed one OF Il
ats rooms, in their way, he suddenly stopp.
"'II hnfore a large full-lcngth picture. IF