Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-01-14
- 2TMISCEbLANEOUS
TOM SOPER'S WILL.

.F' 20. ur. ,
WHAT induced him to do u" was the
question. '''n'iA' o't""
p %" Heaven knows 20 was the answer.
Mr.. Tom S6per, 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 a distant cousin Of his and, be-
ing 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 a
manner, adopted him-he being an un-
fortunate orphan, of about five and thirty
and intended to endow him with all
her worldly possessions, when she should re-
quire them no longer herself But Mr.. Tom
Soper was an ambitious man, he was an
impatient man, and was not content to look
forward to happy future, but wanted
happy present as well; and in seeking
that happiness, which with him assumed
the shape of money, he permitted himself
so to manage his relatives affairs, that
portion of her income found its way into
his own purse. Lady Dudgeon dis
covered these proceedings, and there was
a hot 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 1t had only died to spite him, that any
reasonable bird would have lived through
the operation, and been all the better for
it-a little gentle bleeding for the good of
its health. Lady DudgGon, 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
ingratitude had broken Lady Dudgeon's
heart and hastened her death but, as she
survived that little episode some ten years,
and was lightweight years when she did
die, perhaps old age had as much to do
with it as anything else.
Mr.. Soper, on receiving the melancholy
tidings, 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
terences were forgotten in the grave and
moreover, as next of kin, it was his mel
anoholy privilege to take the management
of affairs into his own hands. This claim
OF being next of kin startled everybody,
but nevertheless was a 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
covery 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 for it, so home she went, and became
in due time a governess.
AS inheritor OF Lady Dudgeon's wealth
Mr. Soper retired from business and be,
came popular man-popular from mere
dint 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 dc
wonders in the way of elevating the
masses; and as to those who were not o.
the masses, there was no foretelling tC
what a height they might be exalted; il
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 thu
understanding of what shall follow.
1t had been determined to open the in
sttution with great splendor. All tn,
neighboring gentry were to be invited
there was to be scientific address by
professor brought expressly from London
there were TO be meteorological specimens
and osher wonders of like nature tele
scopes, microscopes, stethescopes-that i
to say, stereoscopes; and the proceeding
were to conclude with bali and concer
in the great room of the Black Lion, ad
joining the institution and, save that tn
weather was as bad as bad could be, tn
affair was as successful as could be desired
A particular success-as the forerunner O
Cogswellian enlightenment-was the pro
fessors address. He was a little, ouicl
man, who, with the aid of glass of wa
ter, undertook to discourse for half al
hour on the indestructibility of matter
Everybody considered him very affabl
for man of learning, and he had tn
pleasantest way of imparting knowledg
that you can imagine.
snow" he began abruptly, "you n
doubt often think you have destroys
something"
Mr.. Soper was sitting in the very cente
of the first row of eane-bottOm chairs, an
on hun the professor fixed his sharp eye
when he spoke; naturally, perhaps, bu
Mr., Soper didn't like it.
A bit of paper, for instance" said tn
professor-and Mr. Soper began to fidge
in his chair -"you put II on the fire, W
will say, il burns, and then-it is dt
stroyedS No such thingl"
"What do you mean ?" said Mr.. Sope
Imean, my dear sir, mean, ladies an
gentlemen, that 1t is simply altered, nc
destroyed it was once paper, now it is 6
much dnder, so much Vapor. You wi
understand, before 1 have finished my ac
dress, that what once has been, always wi
be and that what is, always has bee
under some shape or other. Perhaps .
the present moment here he took 81
of water-"I am imbibing a portion OF
love letter written one hundred yea
ago"
Mr.. Soper allowed the professor to COZ
clHde hA discourse without further inte
fuption, leaning back IN his chair though
fully, and paying no heed to the words
knowledge. He complained of not bein
very wells and when the first part OF Il
entertairment-the scientific part-cam
TO close, and the dancing and feastiT
was about TO begin, he excused himse
from further attendance. He was an o
man now, he said, aud would leave tn
sort of thing TO the young people so
went round TO the bar OF the g Blat
Lion and ordered them 10 put his hor
70, while he fortified himself with a strof
glass of brandy and water, the night beiI
aPartieglaTly nasty one ;'and on the u
OF that ne had another glass, still strongt
and then, pulling mis- cost well upi abo
his cara and. his hat well down over b
nose. ne got into bis gig, and went II
Ting down the street