Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1869-07-15

don't mention my name, whatever you do.
You shall know all in good time.
That night servant came, and Mr..
| Wickhaul fell into o great rage at him for
| allowing the porter to put his trunks on
+ the wrong train.
This, sir, will cost me delay of three
days." shouted the irate Wickham, so that
everybody in the house might hear. ''Have
you telegraphed to warn them of the mis-
take?" ~, - = -
'tJeames has just been to the hofice,
sir" replied the valet, with submissive
Difference; land hesays the baggage will
be here the day after to morrow. +
"And what in the name of Heaven am I
to do in the meantime?" resumed the be.
wildered Wickham. My friend, Lord
Grosvenor, and others, ara out of town, and
here am. owing to your stupidity, with
out money or clothes, and cannot attend to
my business. You had better send James
at once to Banbury to bring me some linen,
and tell him to get fifty pounds from my
When the servant had taken his depart
ure, the baker ran to his drawers, and lay
ing hands on the best linen he had, car
ried it to Mr.. Wickham, and begged the
honor of his wearing it. He also laid fifty
pounds on the table, and expressed q hope
that his guest would not take it amiss if
he offered these slight tokens of his respect
and regard. Wickham at first refused, but
was not proof against the pressing solicit
tations Of the obsequious baker. Three
days after the footman appeared in gor-
geous livery, with the missing trunks; and
the baker more satisfied than ever that he
had to do with Mr.. Wickham, one of the
richest and noblest of gentlemen in the
kingdom, made it more and more his bust
ness to give fresh marks of his respect and
attachment. In short, Mr.. Wiokham did
the baker the honor of accepting from him
three hundred and sixty guineas, for all Of
which he gave his note. -
About six weeks after the opening of
this adventure, the affable and condescend-
ing Wickham, while enjoying himself at
tavern, was seized with violent head
ache, accompanied by burning fever.-
AS soon as he found himself i'll, he went
home to his lodgings, where he was
waited upon by one Of his footmen, and
who advanced all money that was wanted
and passed his word. to the doctor.
apothecaries and everybody else.-
Meanwhile the patient grew worse and
worse, and on the fifth day was given
over. The baker, grieved to the heart
at the condition of his illustrious friend,
felt bound to tell him, though with, much
reluctance, what the doctors thought
Of his condition. Wickham received the
news calmly, and with all the, resignation
of a true Christian fully prepared for death.
lie desired minister to be sent for, and
received the communion the same days.
The next morning, the distemper and dan
ger increasing to an alarming height, Wick
ham told tho baker that it was not enough
to have taken care of his soul; he ought
also to set his worldly affairs in order, and
desired that he should make. his will. A.
scrivener therefore was Immediately sent
for, and the, will was made and
signed in proper form before sever.
al Witnesses: Wickham, by this will
bequeathed oil his estate, real and per-
sonal, jewels, coaches, teams, race. horses,
packs OF hounds, ready money, &C., and q
house with all the .appurtenances and de-
thing more noble or generous. This done,
Wickham called the baker to him, loaded
him and his family with benedictions, and
told him that Immediately after his decease
he had nothing to do but to go to his law
yer, who would give him full instructions
how to proceed. Soon after he fell into
commissions and died.
The baker first applied himself entirely
to carrying out the provisions of the will,
emitting nothing that was ordered to be
done. The body was not to be inferred
until the fourth day after death, and all
was ready by the second. The baker had
now time to look for the lawyer before he
laid his benefactor in the ground. Having
put the body into rich coffin, covered
with velvet, and plates of silver, and made
all the other arrangements, he began to
consider that it would not be improper to
reimburse himself as soon as possible, and
to claim possession of his new estate He
therefore went and communicated the
whole affair to his lawyer. This gentle-
| man, being of shrewd and suspicious
turn, expressed much establishment at the
manner in which bis client had come
into so large an estat' and Immediately
baker to unll the a.e.t naoss.;ue, Who's. no
would be enabled to advise him on the
subject. We may easily imagine the dis
appointment Of the baker when at the hour
appointed the lawyer informed him that
according to telegram received the even
ing before from Banbury, the true Mr..
| Wickham was in perfect health. The film
fell from the poor bakers eyes and he at
once saw that he had been badly ''bitten"
| by william and q hypocrite. Upon this he
Immediately returned homo and took the
rogue's body out of the rich coffin, which
he sold for third part of the original cost.
The tradespeople who had been employed
in preparations for the funeral had compass
sion on the baker and took their things
again, though not without some loss to him.
They dug a hole in tho corner of st. Gle
mept's churchyard, where they threw in
the tody with as little ceremony as posi-
hle r. M n