The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1870-02-17
TOM SOPER'S WILL.

Heaven knows!" was the answer.
But the long and the short Of the matter
was this:
Mr.. Tom Soper, an attorney by profession,
had established himself, many years ago, in
the little town of Cogswell under the patron
age of Lady Dudgeon who was distant
cousin of his; and being man OF agreeable
manners, he became so great taVorlte with
that lady, that not only was the management
of all her affairs placed in his hands, but ii
was generally supposed that she had in a
manner adopted him-he being an unfortu-
nate orphan of five and thirty-and intended
to endow him with all her worldly possessions
when she should require them no longer.
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 a 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 a portion of her income found its way
into his own private purse. Lady Dudgeon
discovered these proceedings. and there was
hot quarrel. Mr.. Soper was forthwith
disadopted. and sent about his business; he
had killed the goose that had laid the golden
eggs, and went about declaring that it only
died to spite him, that any reasonable bird
would have lived through the operation and
been all the better for it-a little bleeding
for the good Of its health. Lady Dudgeon,
however, refused to look upon it in that
light, and forthwith installed another dis
tant cousin, q young lady this time, in the
position of the first favorite. People said
that Mr.. Soper's ingratitudc had broken Lady
Dudgeon's heart and fastened her death
but as she survived that little episode some
ten years, and was lightweight when she
did die, perhaps old age had rs much to do
with it as anything else.
Mr.. Soror, on receiving the melancholy
tidings, put on his hat and went up to the
house of mourning; for, said he, notWth-
standing certain unpleasant misunderstood
ings that had arisen between him and the de-
ceased he had ever regarded her with unlim-
| tied affection, and all differences were for
gotten in the grave, and moreover as next of
kin. it was his melancholy privilege to take
| the management Of affairs into his own hands.
| This claim of being next of kin startled every
| body, but nevertheless was just claim Lady
Dudgeon had outlived all her nearer relatives,
and no one had given a thought to the mat
ter except the party most interested-and
that he was interested to a very great extent
was soon proved by the discovery that there
was no will. No, poor little Miss Champion
had to pack ur her things and 60 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 govern
eSS.
AS inheritor of Lady Dudgeon's wealth Mr..
Soper retired from business and became a
popular man--popular from mere dint of
money; he spent profusely built schools
cta nd
to the church, and Christmas dinners to the
poor and, what was more than all, he found
ed a literary and scientific institution, which
was to do wonders in eleyating the masses j;
there was no foretelling to what height they
might be exalted; it was only to be hoped
that the Cogswelians would not get severe
fall through pride.
All this you will understand is by way of
Introduction, simply necessary for the under
standing of what shall follow.
1t had been determined to open the insti-
tuition with great splendor. All the neigh
boring gentry were to be invited; there was
to be scientific address by Il professor
brought expressly from London; there Were
to be meteorological specimens, and geologi-
cal specimens, and other wonders OF like
nature telescopes, microscopes, stcthoscopes
that is to say Sterescopes; and the proceed
IHOS WtIt 10 tlpSt w III u IJ(lI tl' 'pllStIu III
the great room of the 'Black Lion,' adion-
ing the institution; and, save the weather
was as bad as bad could be, the affair wasas
successful rs could be desired. A particular
success-as the forerunner Of Cogswellian
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES the professors address.
He was a little quick man, who, with the aid
of a glass of water, undertook to discuss for
half an hour on the indestructibility OF mat
ter. Everybody considered him very afable
for a man of learning, and he hid the pleas
ATTEST way of imparting knowledge that you
can imagine.
Now he began abruptly, ''you no doubt
often think you have destroyed something's
Mr.. Soper was sitting in the very centre of
the first row of canc-bottom chairs, and on
him the professor fixed his sharp eyes when
he spoke; naturally, perhaps, but Mr. Soper
didn't like it.
"a bit of paper for instance said the Pro
fessor-and Mr.. Soper began to ldget in his
chair-"you put it on the fire, we will say, it
burns, and then i, Destroyed No such
thingn'
"What DO you mcan?n said Mr.. Sopcr.
81 mean, my dear sir, mean, ladies and
gentlemen, that it is simply altered not de-
stroyed it was once paper, now ii is so much
finder, SO much vapor. You will understand
before | have finished my address, that what
once has been always will be- and that what
is always has been under some shape or
other. Perhaps at the present moment
and here he took a sip of water; Il am inn
bibing portion OF a love letter written one
hundred years ago"
Mr.. Soper allowed the Professor to con-
clude his address without any further inter
ruption, leaning back in his chair, thought
fully and paying no heed to the words of
knowledge. He complained Of not being
well; and when the first part Of the enter
tainment-the scientific part-came to close,
and dancing and feasting was about to begin,
he excused himself from further attendance.
He was an old man now he said, and would
leave that thing to young people; so he went
round to the bar of the 'NBlack Lion" and or
dered them to put his horse to, while he for
titled himself with a glass Of brandy and wa
ter, the night being a particularly nasty one :;
and on top of that he had another glass, still
stronger, and then pulling his coat well up
about his ears and his hat well down over his
nose, he got into his gig and went rafting
down the street.
| There was no mistake about the rain it
was that logged, downright rain that evil
IDENTIFY means to make a night of it, and yet
was not of that steady description that may be
circumventcd by an umbrella, or a particular
inclination of the body No. it was in league
with the wind, which was bowling with the
force Of forty lunatic asylums let loose, and
blown h;thor a nd thithnr in :, wild diSOrJorlv