American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-03-08
SPRINGlNG A MINE.


SPRINGlNG A MINE.
Mr.. MERDoCK was solicitor of sound
repute, enjoying an excellent practice; a
tall, lean, elderly V1an, with good features,
worn very sharp BY time and hard work
at his calling. His tall. bald forehead had
the look of old parchment, or of discol-
ored ivory; his sallow face was deeply
lined and very gaunt.
Mr.. Merdock sat at his desk-idly fer
the MISUNDERSTANDING now at the green
enclosure to be seen from his window
now at q tin box, one of a large pile of
similar tin boxes, ranged against the wall
opposite to HIM, now at the Times news
paper, spread out before him. He paused
to take noisily huge pinch of snuff. and
then passed a large scarlet silk pocket
handkerchief across his face.
Poor Delpratt!'' he said, with a glance
at the tin box. The legend THE DEL
PRATT Trust was inscribed upon it in
dim gold letters. "Deadi'' He gazed
from the window at the waving grass and
the murky elm of the graveyard without.
Four days ago :" He laid his hand upon
the newspaper. 1t contained among its
advertisements of deaths the following
brief notification =
..On the goth of November, at the Man.
or House, Lupton, Hants, EUsTACE WE'RE
DELPRATT, aged fifty-seven.''
just then one of his clerks entered and
handed him card. He started as he read
the name it bore. After moments hest
tatiOn he said, ''YOu must show him in,
Booth"
A young man entered, dressed in deep
mourning.
''Mr. Ernest Delpratt 20 Mr.. Mer-
dock was reading aloud the name on the
card.
"You have forgotten me, 1 see, Mr..
Merdock. But it is not surprising. We
have not met for some years. / know
that am much changed in appearance.
was mere boy then.''
Pray be seated"
You are aware. of course, of the sad
occurrence that has brought me here 20
81 have only just read in the Times of
Mr.. Delpratt's Ieath.''
'sYou knew him intimately 90
81 can scarcely say so much as that. 1
saw him frequently at one time. But of
late years we seldom met. ! rarely quit
London, he rarely visited it. Still re-
garded him as a friend. / heard from
him occasionally. He was kind enough
always to address me in the most cordial
terms. Ihave learnt of his death with ex-
treme regret.'
''But yon were his professional adviser;
you know more of his private fairs than
any one ?"
.'That may be sou said Mr.. Merdock,
coldly.
'He executed will in your presence,
some ten years agof"
Mr.. MerdOck made no reply.
81 should explain,' the young man
went on, ''that as his soc surviving rela-
tive
pardon me-" Merdock interrupted,
illegally speaking, the late Mr.. Delpratt
had no relatives"
ssPerhaps so-but he always regarded
and spoke of me as his cousin, or rather
as his first cousin once removed. there
fore deemed it my duty b search for his
will to ascertain if he had expressed in it
any instructions in relation to his funeral.
l hope that you see nothing Objectionable
In that?''
Mr.. Merdock merely bowed.
1.-The will found contained no instruc-
tiOns of the kind referred to. Further of
its terms L need not speak just now
especially as, the document having been
drawn by you, you are already acquainted
with its contents"
s'The only will of which known any
thing about" said MIR. MerdOck, after a
minutes elaboration, twas executeti by
the testator in my presence some ten
years ago. The will was engrOssed and in
duplicate course l am in the habit OF
recommending in such cases-as matter
of prudence and precautiOn. One copy is
now in my il on safe. The other, the tes-
tator took into his own keeping. That is,
l presume, the document to which you
have been referring"
''No doubt"
"Let ,,s be quite sure,'' said Mr. Mer-
dock. He left the room. Presently he
returned. 1.-The will bore date the 18th
of March, 1882
''That is the will in question. 1t was
found in Mr.. Delpratt's DESK
You found none of later date? No
will or codicil ~
s'No, though I made careful search.
. Some rough memoranda as to the disposal
of his property 1 did find, but these were
unsigned-mere notes of an informal
character. Nothing in the nature of a
will. You know of noneT'
&c know of none"
There was pause.
"Mr. Dellpratt died rather suddenly
that is to say. he had been suffering, as all
his household well knew, from disease o.
the heart of long standing. Still none
looked for his illness terminating fatally
at SO early date. His medical attendant
visited him frequently of late. He was
not present, however, when the sad event
occurred. He is fully satisfied, however
it to aneurismal hypertrophy of the heart
l am not doctor enough to understand
precisely his meaning"
The young man dubbed his white face
with his handkerchief. He was much
moved, and his voice trembled as he con.
tinued.
81 need hardly say that
my cousins death has been a
heavy blow to me. AS you know, Mr.
Merdock, in times past there were many
differences, between us-due to my folly
to my misconduct, | am now prepared
fully to admit. But we had been recon
ciled- We were on intimate and affcc
IN l,II Ii
beHefactOr, and was deeply grateful fol
all he had done for me. Most u1fortun
ately was absent from the house at tn,
time of his DEATH"
Mr. Merdock was silent, but he now
seemed from under his bcetIing brows t,
eye his visitor with a new curiosity. His
attention was attracted perhaps by The
restlessness that marked the young mans
manner. He moved uneasily in his chair
shifting his position constantly, and twist
ing his handkerchief into string by the
unconscious contortions of his hands.
boI 1aft fhah rtr aatlx in ba