The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1872-02-20
Where There's Will There's a
Way.

SeuIlInenI lOWuTu td'n otntT' ~ WIS /
plain Tom Tilby loved Bessie Welht,
and it was impossible to doubt that
the feeling was reciprocated. took
an interest in the young couple because
| had been the intimate friend of their
fathers, when they were young, and
before the business of life led us apart
on separate roads.
Tom rilby pere and Sam Welfit had
been fast friends both at school and at
college fast friends, boon compan.
ions, and sure partners in every scrape
as in every stroke Of luck.
Until they took their degrees they
were inseparable. After that of course
their paths were bound to diverge
somewhat. As for me, | left college
two or three years before they did, for
my means we're slender, and it was
necessary that | should, as soon as
possible, undertake the management
Of my fathers pra ;tice as an attorney,
as he was growing oil and feeble.
went up to the University on
special invitation to be present at the
parting super given by Tom and Sam
when they had taken their degrees. 1t
was great occasion, that supper! |
can well remember how the two re.
turned thanks for the toast of their
"health and success !" standing up
hand in.hand and making one speech
between them, Tom beginning sen
tence, which Sam finished, and then
beginning another for Tom to complete,
and so on.
Next day | was instructed to draw
up their wills, in which each left all
he possessed to the other, if he should
survive him. The documents were
drawn up, signed, and witnessed, and
, / was requested to take charge of them.
From that period | saw very little Of
either Tom in regular course served
, his curacy, and at last got his living.
Sam got into good practice, and
, went on plodding at my business, which,
! though not vast, was sufficient tn keep
me occupied ami to supply me with Il
modest competence. heard occasion.
ally from both parson and barrister,
but the letters were generally brief and
of business nature, for | was their
legal adviser whenever they chanced
: tu need such assistance, which was but
rarely. / was glad To learn therefore
dear me! how the time must have
slipped away, said | to myselt--that
) the pretty golden haired girl at the
picnic was the daughter of my worthy
friend Sam WeIft; and that the hand
) some manly young fellow who was pay
ing such attention to her was the son
of the Rev. T. Tilby, who was best
d known to me as Tom Tilby.
OF course lost no time in intro.
ducing myself. To my surprise, the
0 young people did not seem overwhelm.
ed with JOY to hear was an old triend
| of their taIhers. They exchanged
, looks Of surprise and CONSERVATION.
r What could it mean!
l was not to be left in ignorance
. long Tom, tearing himself with evi
dent reluctance tIom the sile of his
!. charmer, asked me to favor him with Il
word in private. To my surprise, his
. first request was that would not men.
, ton the picnic, and the fact that Bes
:. sic and he met there, to either his faith
er or hers. My surprise was changed
4, to sorrow when / heard the reason Of
y his request. Those contounded wills
were ut the bottom Of it The two
> friends had begun to suspect each 9th
er. Tom Tilby thought Sam Welfit
q wished him dead that he might have his
: money; and Sam felt certain that
Tom Tilby would not be grieved to
!, hear of his decease. Frienship grew
. cooler-at last cold and stark.
r Why, you ask, did they not make
fresh disposals Of their money when
r their marriages made the old will,
/ void? Well, | can't exactly say, but ]
n fancy that either they thought it q
/. point of honor to stand by their old
o arrangement, or else they were asham.
@ ed to ask IN to make alterations, when
n after drawing up their marriage settle.
ments, etc., had to redraft their wills
Time went on. Suspicion begot in
difference paving the way for hate
, OF course each was conscious Of Il
: change in the other, but did not
:, observe it in himself, and so the mu.
7; tual dislike deepened, and the breach
. widened imperceptibly. As luck would
: have il, young Tom, who was entered
! at Linculn's lnn, met Bessie, who had
: come TO stay with some friends in
! town, and they fell desperately in love
, with one another. They wrote to THEN
. parents, like good and obedient chill,
p dren, informing them Of their acquaint'
q ance, and perhaps revealing uncon'
sciously what that acquaintance had
4, ripened into. That brought alters
to crisis. The Rev. T. Tilby told his
h son that Bessie was, no doubt, de-
4 signing MINK; she was not likely to
be fg, spring as she did from this
tie like sam WelfL He threatened "a
+ cut his son off with shilling, if he
p heard any more of his nonsense, and