The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1871-01-14
rag MYSTERIOUS TESTAMENT

Saturday Kvsaing, January II. 1871.
The MYSTERIOUS TESTAMENT
1t was night, and an ugly night IN
rain poured ia torrents the wind
through the streets in ftful blssts, ano ese'
and 90 on showers of half frozen n.n s'one
battered numerically do~n, resthng warn
;nolv mon the exposed window pains, an
.oealar.,;no the hurried steps of the unfor
,"ns,a rodestr;.n. Such . night when vi.
80 rsm.;ns secure within doors, and Grim
md vice stalk forth in grim defiance of M
tire. laws and natures fury.
As So. by my Office gate, my slippere'
feet elevated with more ease than dignity
upon the mantel, listening to the raging
storm, and offering thought OF sympathy
and pity to all belated wanderers, as l le
the blue smoke from one of Barnard I
Brand" curl 10 lazy rings towards the cell
ing; half doing, half waking, attending
listlessly to the splashing of the rain with
out, l was suddenly startled, and sprang t.
my feer fully reused by q peremptory sum
mons to the door, in the form OF furious
tattoo upon its psnnels. Muttering ar
anathema upon the unseeemingly disturbel
Of my cogisssions, but with some regard fol-
the welfare of my premises, fastened to
relieve the door from the tumult of the beiHs
who thus threatened every instant, to 6fiVe
it from its hinges, and bid the bcisseEoos
applicant enter.
"Be you q lawyer?" said the visitor,
dragging slowly his wet pre'ence across 'ne
room, and finally, coolly possessing himself
of my easy chair. 80
followed despondingly the two puddles
Of water that were rapidly forming At either
foot. and then diverging in tiny rivulets over
nv uewly.covered floor; then my gaze wan
dered from the dripping garments to the
person who sat 90 selt-suficiently, drying
himself before my fire. He was a stout,
broad shouldered man of perhaps nine and
thirty. Of rather prepossessing face, sur
mounted with reddish hair, and a shaggy,
sandy beard and whiskers, long, unkempt,
and now bedraggled with the rain and hal,
and lily concealing . deep scar which, in a
singular white line, ran transversely over
his left cheek, from the outer corner of the
eye, to the lip. He was dressed in shs cos
tune of an ordinary laborer, and noticed,
with surprise, that his hands we're as delicate
and we'll formed Is womans.
"Bs you lawyer ?" he again asked, with
the peculiar intonasion that betrayed his
Southern origin.
81 am replied "dd you desire to see
me?" 4
oval, you's see," be answered, "we's are
rather sfeared that the lady might die sad
den like, and like she's got lot of niggers
and property, she wants to fix her will, an
so they's sent me arter yous.'
"But this is extraordinary, and such q
night as this demurred. "Could not it
be postponed until to morrow
mo-" he answered, ives leave the NOR
rom, an want to end this afore we 60. will
give yous one hundred dollars for getting
your coat wet, or more, if you's don't reckon
that's enough, but the will must be drawn
tonight
Now | WAS . young man, of not an over
supertluous practice, and to let An opporte-
nifty of making a one hundred dollar fee,
slip By, was out of the question. The night
was growing fesrfully worse, but l would
almost have veptured across the Styx, to
have earned such fee that night. So with
q reluctant glance at the FIRE burning &C
temptingly bright upon the hearth, l replied
that would accompany him, and drawing
on my great coA: and gathering the need flu
writing materials, We went out into the
empestuous night.
Ny companion walked BY my side, con
versing rapidly, giving me lucid and sat
isfscsory history of his family, and the lady
we were about to visit, causing his loud
tones to be heard even above the wind while
| trudged desperately along, paying bn,
little attention TO him, thinking only OF M
sutici psted fee, and wishing for the termina
ton of the Journey. We had proceeded in
this way, probably dozen blocks, when my
guide seized my arm, and pointing out a
carriage in waiting near at hand, remarked
that we would continue our route In the
vehicle. Upon entering the carriage, my
garrulous companion became silent, and LEFT
me undisturbed to my own thoughts. After
several vain attempts to penetrate the dark
ness, and acquire some idea of our course,
settled myself back upon the cushions, salts
fed of the futlity of such an effort. The
carriage rolled on for about An hour, and
wsJ getting impatient, when a severe joltsnd
sudden stop brough. US to our destination
We had halted before large, dark house,
in what section of the city or country, it was
i'm possible TO discover, and as passed over
the tesselased vestibule to the hall, nearly
fell over one of pair of sculpsured lions
seemingly guarding the wide entrance
There was no light visible in the building
and my conductor grasping my hand
CROPPED his way through numerous windings
until suddenly throwing open door, a hooe
OF light dazzled my eyes, and for an instant
blinded my sight.
After / had become somewhat accustom
ed TO the sudden transition from the dark
ness, gazed around, and found myself in 6
large rectangular apartment, sumpsuously
furnished, and betraying on every side,
evidences of opnlenoe and refinement. In a
small Alcove on the right, WAS placed bed
with the curtains drawn close, and FROM
which was occasionally emitted signs and
groaus.
{" Wal, lawyer, there's your Client" said
the man, pointing to the bed, " an just dc
up this business as quick as yous kin. We
don't want any time wasted in this ere ar
rangement.'
At this junction, approached the alcove,
and drawing aside the curtains, stood abso-
lu.ely trsnsfxed in amazement at the
extreme loveliness of its occupant. In the
course of extended travels. | had seen the
most noted beauties of every country, and
am perfectly familiar with the landed dark
eyes of Spain the blondes of merry Eng
land the Mexican brunettes the curly
haired grizettes of France the Italian
Venuses the hours of the mountains o.
Circassia the healthful, robus. German
girls, and the cosmopolitan beauties Of our
own native land but when cast aside tbs
curtain of that alcove, / exposed to view thu
mos. marvellous perfection Of female charms
and the most adorable face that ever unset
tied the mind of a struggling attorney
Masses of waving rinelets, the color of &
deep chestnut brown, served to shade ii
beautiful contrast the alebaster brow thu
breadth and high expanse of which, withou
furrow to mar it's beauty, indicated the
intelligent soul that dwelt within. The
little ear, rosy and transparent, the brows
tracing a graceful curve above the
eyes. and nearly meeting in an
elegant arch towards the nose