Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-10-17
NO. 40.
COCHMG I'm VAIN.

OOn see why 1T WOUiu DE WRONG
for NE to know what is in that will -
The speaker was bright, handsom.
+ girl of seventeen-Rena Crocker-th,
granddaughter Of rich old Steve1
: Crocker, whose death a day or two be
} fore had brought sorrow to few hearts
Two dchildren-Horace Warrior
and Rena-were his only relatives, ant
I constituted his family Horace was al
mean of act and disposition as the oit
man himself. Rena was beauty, ant
an amiable girl when she chose. Young
: as she was, Rena wasa worldly-mindel
cCQuette to the very core already. She
had resolved to get we'll married-tha
= Is to say, to some person of wealth anC
s:ation-both together If possible, but
} the former preferably, and then to en-
. Joy herself at the utmost swing of fash
ionable dissipation. and luxury for the
remainder Of her existence.
81 don't see how it woulI he any
harm" continued Rena, "as I wouldn't
do anything but read it, ana there's nc
knowing how it might lie tampered
with by that Tascally cousin Of mine
before it is read next Saturday. ]
imagine grandfather left the bulk OF
his property to NE, but there's no tell
iDg what notion the old fool may have
got into his head.
Rena was alone in her chamber. To
think was to act with her She knew
that q will drawn up and signed by the
old man 4 year before his death was i'll
the desk II The tlincy Old library. She
had often seen 1t, and wondered what
were the contents 50 closely sealed
from her eyes. It WAS dusk, and as
she stole along through the dreary
hall she half rclented, and finally
paused on the threshold of the room
she was seeking Then, chiding her
self for her weakness, she stole in, got
the key OF her grandfather's desk, and
opened the drawer. There lay the viii,
sealed as she had often seen it.
But I'm no better off than before,
she muttered. [ can't open it.
1T was useless to peep into its folds
/ only detached words could be seen.
But Rena was not inclined to be baf-
fled i'll he- curiosity. And she was as
fc~jle III resources as the widest of
her sex. Lighting a gas-jet. she
! warmed the large wax seal. Then,
with the blade OF Il pocket-knife, she
carefully louaened ii. It was DONE
/ The document lay open before her
I Her eyes rapidly devourcd it's contents,
altd her checks paled with anger.
+ Ehe cause Ct her displeasuro was
the unpleasant aud surprising fact that
her grandfather had not left her q soil
ta''y cent. Every particle of his ample
fortune wcut to Horace WartOn. Her
;irst motive was to destroy the will
but = second tnougit detained her.
S.it, feared the consequences oi such
an "st. again slightly heating the
seal, she rcaf'ixc:t i iu lis place, re-
placed thc viii III :h,' drawer, and
won't back tJ her room.
After the first g.'@5 ol Ia6e had sub
sided size sat down to quietly think the
matter Over. There seemed but one
way u retain a..E p"rtion OF the prop
"r:y, and that vas Icy marrying her
cousin Horace. Sire hated hlmhearti.,
hH. her vanity had ulway5 told her
tEtt nc admir,sI her. She knew her
beau.r, AID oytr-,Stilaated It's eject
upon hcG >toi:d cousin.
'':ut i've dass remain before the
opening oi The viii, she muscd:
''bofore shat tina / n1uaj l::re Horace
into an Offer of marriage"
About the tirle that nena was
gaining iser alt.re pJitiuus knowledge OF
the VIII her Ii>l cousin Horace was
seeking after precisely tue same III
formation. Gcti:sinG himself 10 the
otl;oe 81 ita:.s:at. Ncshi5, tLa lawyer
who ilG bccE incritatSii with the legal
business OF has grandfather, he found
that gentleman u!onc. He knew some /,
thing o. the lawyers character, and at |
once proceeded 20 Business.
'.Icn drew UP lny grandfather's |
Will, did voN not : io asked.
Yes .
"How long ago? p
"About SIX months. He had pre- /
pared one year ago, but tll;s makes I
an entirely different disposition of the
property"
And what IS that disposition ?"
The lawyer smiled.
= have no right to tell you" he
said.
But you would tell ne if sufficient
reasons were advanced :"
III the reasons were convincing
enough, yes,
"Woaid two hundred. dollars con
vince yoGl 2
Ne
Five iluudred?"
Yes"
Horace counted ont ;..e sum from
his pocketbooil, w..ici he had filled for
exactly this contingency, and the law
yes took It, carefully counted it, and
transferred It to his own pocket.
Now" he said, ''you may prepare
yourself for the worst possible news.
You are. by this will, cut off from
every dollar OF yonr grandfather's es
tate. :"
You are certain Of this = !,
COZ course l am. L drew the Will, /