The Van Buren press., 1870-03-15
MISCELLANY.
Robert Morton's Airs.

Robert Morton had reached the age o
sixty five. He had no reason to com
plain of the gifts of fortune, having re
allied considerable fortune from thu
business to which he had devoted thu
greater part Of his life Five years since
however, lie had retired from business
and since then had lived in comparative
quiet.
Having bosn disappointed in love il
early life. he had never married, anC
therefore had no children to inherit hi.
fortune. He had not even nephews ant
nieces, having been an only son. But h'
had two cousins, or rather the sons o
two cousins, whom he had always regard
ed as nephews, and to whom he intended
to leave his property.
The names of these two heirs expect
ant were Thomas Lawrence and Benjamin
Temple. Each was between thirty and
forty years Of age, and each, moreover
had a family. One kept a village store
and was thought to be doing a very good
business The other had fair law prac
tice Neither Of them, as it will be seen
was in need Of bequest. though both
were money loving men, Land would be
very glad to receive one.
have said that Mr. Morton had retir,
cd from active business. But he found
that the care Of his property continued
to involve great deal of labor, and this
led him one day to say to himself "Why
should l wait till my death before divid
inc my estate between my cousins AL
it amounts to is, that / am burdening my
old age with taking care of the estate fol
them. They could do that as we'll as
and would gladly relieve me ofthe troub
le. Why should not at once give then
the property, and spend my time alter
nately at their houseY They will be de-
lighted to have me do so, and shall en-
JOY myself with them and their children.
Robert Morton was Of frank, socia
temperament, and the more he thought
of his plan, the more it commended itsel
to him. He accordingly sent for his lie
gal adviser, and propounded it to him.
Mr. Burdick, for that was his name
did net appear to look upon it in as fa
vorable light as his client.
"Do you propose to divide your whole
propertA in this wayf" he asked.
Certainly, that was my intention
was the reply. "Why, since | wish tt
free myself from anxiety and care
should not do so thoroughly and with
out reservation p
"You will be placing yourself com
pletely at the mercy of your cousins, ,ant
will have no resource in case they neg
lect to treat you with that consideration
which your generosity entities you ts
expect"
"You are altogether too suspicious
Burdick," said his client Now have
more faith in the native goodness of hu
man nature than you. l haven't th'
slightest tear but that my cousins will
treat me with every consideration"
"You must make allowances, my goot
friend, for the sel6shncss which exists il
every heart, to q greater or less extent
Don't place yourself in the power ofyOu
cousins. That is my advice. At al
events. don t do so at once. Take yea
to test them in, and then if you see fit t.
follow the course proposed, l will no
interfere
- don't think IL at all necessary, Bur
dick, but you are an old friend, and it il
only fair that l should concede some
weight to your advice. Let me hear
then, what course you would advise"
Let nae first ask if your cousins ar
acquainted with the amount of you
property I"
They are not
Gould they tell within few thousan,
dollars?'
"They have no clue sufficient to decid,
hem in this matter"
"Will you then listen to my recapitu
lation, and tell me If am right? First
there is this estate. worth, at least, tel
thousand.dollars."
"Well."
"Then you have ten thousand dollars
out on mortgage"
eyes"
And, besides that, you have twenty
thousand dollars on deposit in diheren
banks"
"Yes."
"Thcn let me advise you only to sur
render balf your fortune to your cousins
TO one give this estate. to the other youl
mortgages. and reserve your bank de
posts for year in your own hands. Lei
them suppose. however, that you have
surrendered your whole property to them
and the better to favor this mistake, stip
ulate that you shall draw from each o
hundred dollars year. for your ward
robe and other little expenses. They
will conclude you have no other means
and will, therefore, show what they are. .
"Yes, Bnrdick, they will show how
vou have misiudped them -