The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-01-13
MISCELLANEOUS.
TOM SOPER'S WILL.

Heaven knows !" was the answer
But the long and short of the matter
was this -
Mr. Tom Soper, an attorney by pro
fession, had established himself, many
years ago. in the little town of Cogswell
under the patronage of old Lady Dudgeon
who was distant cousin Of his and. be.
ing a man of agreeable manners, he be-
came so great favOrite with that lady
That, not only was the management of all
her affairs placed in his hands, but it was
generally supposed that she had. in q
manner, adopted him-he being al un-
fortunate orphan. of about five and thirty
and intended to endOw him with all
her worldly ypOssessions.wh she should re-
quire them no longer herself But Mr. Tom
Soper was an ambitious man, he was an
impatient man, anti was not content to look
forward to happy future, but wanted a
happy present as well; and, in seeking
that happiness, which with him assumed
the shape of money, he permitted himself
50 To manage his relatives affairs. that a
portion OF her income found its Wsy into
his own purse Lady Dudgeon dis
covered these proceedings, and there was
d not quarrel. Mr. Soper was forthwith
disadOpted, and sent about his business :;
he had killed the goose that laid the
golden eggs, and went about declaring
that it had only died to spite him, that any
reasonable bird would have lived through
the operation, and been all the better for
lt-a little gentle bleeding for the good of
Its health. Lady DudgeOn, however, re-
fused to look upon it in that light. and
forthwith installed another distant cousin.
young lady this time, in the possession of
first favorite. People said that Mr. Soper's
lngratitude had broken Lady Dudgeon's
heart and fastened her death but, as she
survived that little episode some ten years,
and was eighty-eight years when she did
die, perhaps old age had as much to do
with it as anything else
MI Soper, on receiving the melancholy
tldlngs, put on his hat and went up to the
house OF mourning; for, said he, notwith-
standing certain unpleasant misunder-
standings that had arisen between him
and the deceased, he had ever regarded
ber with unlimited affection, and all diff
ferences were forgotten in the grave and
moreover, as next of kin, ii was his mel
anchOly privilege to take the management
of affairs into his own hands. This claim
of being next of kin startled everybody.
but nevertheless was just claim Lady
Dudgeon had outlived all her nearer rela-
tIves, and no one had given thought to
the matter except the party most interest
ed-and that he was interested to very
great extent was soon proved by the dis
coyery there was no will. No, poor little
Miss Champion had to pack up her things
and go home again and after ten years of
expectation and seclusiOn with old Lady
Dudgeon this was hard but there was no
help Tor 1T, so home she went and became
In due time gOvernesS.
As inheritor of Lady Dudgeon's wealth,
Mr.. Soper retired from business and be-
came popular man-popular from mere
dlnt OF money; he spent profusely, built
schools, erected pump, gave stained
glass window to the church, and Christ
mas dinners to the poor, and, what was
more than all, he founded literary and
scientific institution, which was to do
wonders in the way of elevating the
masses; and as to those who were not of
the masses, there was no foretelling to
what a height they might be exalted it
was only to be hoped that the Cogswelli-
ans would not get a severe fall through
pride
All this, you will understand, is by way
OF introduction, simply necessary for the
understanding of what shall follow
1t had been determined to open the in
stltution with great splendOr. All the
neighboring gentry were to be invited !;
there was to be scientific address by q
professor brought expressly from London !;
there were to be mineralogical specimens,
and other wonders Of like nature tele-
scopes, microscopes, stethescOpes-that is
To say, stereOscOpes; and the proceedings
were to conclude with ball and concert
IN the great room of the Black Lion, ad-
joining the institution; and, save that the
weather was as bad as bad could be, the
affair was as successful as could be desired.
A particular success-as the fOrerunner OF
Cogswellian enlightenment-was the pro-
fesSor's address. He was a little, quick
man, who, with the aid of glass of wa
ter, undertook to discourse for half an
hour on the indestructibility of matter
Everybody considered him very affable
for man of learning, and he had the
pleasantest way of imparting knowledge
that you can imagine.
NOW" he began abruptly, "you no
doubt often think you have destroyed
something"
Mr.. SOper was sitting in the very center
of the first row OF cane-bOttOm chairs, and
on him the professor fixed his sharp eyes
when he spoke; naturally, perhaps, but
Mr.. Soper didn't like it.
a A bit Of paper, for instance" said the
professor-and Mr.. Soper began to fidgei
in his shair-"you put it on the fire, we
will say, it burns, and then-it is de-
stroyed? No such thingl"
"What do you mean ?' said Mr Soper
mean, my dear sir, mean. ladies and
gentlemen, that 1T is simply altered, moi
destroyed; il was once paper, now it is So
much tinder, so much vapOr. You will
understand, before l have finished my ad
dress, that what once has been, always viii
be- and that what is, always has beer
under some shape or other. Perhaps al
the present moment here he took sir
of water-"I am imbibing portion of {
love letter written one hundred year,
ago"
Mr.. Soper allowed the professor to con
clude his discourse without further inter
ruptiOn, leaning back in his chair thought
fully, and paying no heed to the words o
knowledge. He complained of not bein.
very well; and when the first part of tn
entertainment-the scientific part-cam
to a close, and the dancing and feastin
was about to begin, he excused himscl
from further attendance He was an oil
man now, he said, and would leave tina
sort of thing to the young people 80 h
went round to the bar of the Blac
Lion" and ordered them to put his hors
TO, while he fortified himself with a stron
glass of brandy and water, the night bein
particularly nasty one and on the to
of that he had another glass, still strOnge
and then, pulling his coat well up abot
his ears, and his hat well down over hi
nose, he got into his gig, AMI went "a
Ting down the street.