The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1873-09-25
THE WILL.

Der day, about the year 1880, bar
ristor of tie Temple was sitting read
ing, when the opening of door and
tho servants announcement of "a
gentleman" Interrupted him. He
rose to receive his visitor, who prov
ed to bo perfect stranger, person
Of very gentlemanly but extremely
old fashioned appearance. lie was
dressed in grave colored suit of
antique cut; neat, tight gray wig
surrounded his serious and oven sol
emn physiognomy; silk stockings
rolled at the knee, enormous shoe
buckles of gold, cano headed with
the same metal, and broad -brim-
med and uncocke1 hat completed his
equipment, which was in the fashion
of tho last years of William the
Third, or the first OF his successor.
Having stiily bowed in the exact way
prescribed by tho etiquette of the era
TO which ho seemed to belong, he
took possession Of tho chair offered
TO him by his host, AMI, after n pre-.
Iparatory hem, thus began, in u slow
and serious manner
Il think, sir, you are the lawyer
employed by tho s. family, whose
property in Yorkshire, you are there.
fore aware, 10 about to be sold"
81 have, sir, answered tho barris-
ter, full instructions and powers to
complete the disposal of it which.
though apainful a duty to me, must
be performed
1t is duty you may dispense
with" said tho visitor, waving his
hand "the property need not DO
sold"
May | presume to ask, sir. wheth-
cr you arc any relation to the family?
If so, you must bo acquainted with
the absolute necessity of selling il,
in consequence of the claim of anoth-
er branch Of the family, just return
od from beyond tho sea, who, as
hcir-at'law, is naturally possessor of
tho estate in default Of will to the
contrary, and who desires its value
in money instead of tho land. The
present possessor is unable to buy it,
and must therefore depart"
"You are mistaken replied the
old gentleman, rather testify. you
seem not to know of the will of, Mr..
SIS great grandfather, by which
he not only left that, his real estate,
to his favoiito grandson, this gentle.
mans father, but even entqiloi it on
his great Sroat-great grandson"
"Such will, sir, said the barris.
ter ''was, indeed, supposed for many
years to exist, and in virtue Of it Mr..
5 has, until now peaccably en-
IJyei tho property; but, on the
claimants application, n renewed
search having boon made for it, eith.
er the belief proves wholly unbound.
ei, or it has been lost or DESTROYED.
Cabinets, chests. every room, inhab.
ited and uninhabitel, havo been ran
sacked in vain. Mr.. s. has now
given up all hope of finding it. The
saeis to be completed in the course of
next week, aud tho fine old place
must pass into the hands Of stran-
gersn
You arc mistaken again, young
man, said tho stranger, striking his
cane on the floor" IL say. sir, the
will exists Go Immediately" con
tinuod he in IN authoritative tone !;
''travel night and day. You may
save an old family from disgrace and
ruin In the end room of the left
wing, now .uninhabited, is closet in
the wall
"Wo have looked there" inter.
rupted the barrister.
"Silence,. sir! There is n closet, I
say in that closet is a large iron
chest that chest has n false bottom,
and underneath that is the deed. ]
am certain of what 1 say. / saw the
paper deposited there, no matter
when or by whom. Go; you will
find it worth your trouble My
name, sir, is Hugh s.. i am not
now personally known to the propri.
etor of s. Hall, but l am his re-
lation, and have his welfare at heart.
Neglect not to follow my advice
SO saying, the old gentlcman
arose, again bowed, and at the door
put on his hat in a fashion that
would have enchanted an eiegdate of
Queen Anne's day, and, sliding the
silkon string Of his cane on the fin
ger OF his right hand, on which the
lawyer remarked very fine brilliant
ring, he deconded the stairs and de-
parted, leaving the barrister in the
utmost astonishment, At first he
felt half inclined to consider the
whole as a hoax; then, again, when
he thought of the old gentleman's
grave manner and the intimate
knowledge he must have possessed
of the house to be able to describe
the closet 80 exactly in which the
chest was, he could not but believe
him to be sincere.
At length, after much de,iberation,
he decided upon immediate depar.
ture, and arrived, on the evening of
the fourth day at s. Hall. The
sale had been the only theule of con-
versation at every place he had pass
ed through within twenty miles of
his destination, and much and loudly
was it lamented that the squire
should be leaving his house forever,
and that poor Mr.. John would never
enjoy his rights, as they persisted in
calling the possession of the estate,