The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1874-07-23

There vas . strong iron holt inside; and
the entrance. was effected with some dir
cdl.y. Nothing was seen in the frst room
but parrot, which seemed 70 be deligLted
to see the new -cosiers. Poor Jacquesl
it eaid, "poor Jasqussl" Then, on seeing
two or three boys in the crowd, the bird
screamed. "Bad boys; poor Jacques! Bad
boys; poor Jacques!
For minute or two there was . profound
silence; not stir or whisper broke tho
stiffness. The officers then approached
the chamber, the door Of which WAS slight
y sjar. 1t was pushed open; and eagerly
the tIowG gaIed into the room There
was the old man kDeeling in front of a
great irsn chest, his head ben. forward, and
one hand on the edge Of the box, while the
other grssped an old brown looking piecs
Of paper. Then the authorities were sent
for, an investigation made, and procs.
verbal drawn up, to the effect that the de-
funct had come to his death by heart dis
ease.
The paper he held was very old docu-
ment, and so faded that it was scarcely
legible. Tho deceased had, apparently,
taken it out to examine it: and he had
written down At thS eio.s Of the will-for
such it was-the amount Of his property,
and the manuer IN which it was invested.
The officer who directed the procee iings
was man far advanced in years. He had
been conrade Of Jacques in their boy
hood, but had lost sight of him for many
years. There were tears 10 the old mans
eyes as he held up the instrument, and said,
in shrill and broken voice, to the motley
group which had assembled, "My friends
and townsmen, here lies the body of man
whom the whole city rIdiculed and despis-
ed as n heartless missr. The boys hooted
at him 10 the streets, and pelted him with
dirt and stones. People taught their very
dogs to bark at him as he passed. The
poor upbraided him: and The risa sneeled
and pointed the 6nger of scorn at him as
they rode by 10 their coaches. Let me
read you his will"
He paused to wipe his spectacles, and
then began in . measured tone,-
"MARsEILLEs, Aug. l, ITS.
When was a child, fell i'll Of fever,
and during my recovery suffered Intensely
from thirst. There had been a severe
drought for many months. aud the water,
always poor in quality, was almost wholly
exhausted. At that time my mother told
me that many hundreds Of the poorer class
suffered in the same way. She also told
me that my father and many Others had
lost their property 10y fire, chiefly because
there was an insufficient supply Of water to
e1tinguish the flames. For these reasons,
bequeath all my property Of every kind,
after the payment Of my Just debts and os
my funeral expenses, to my native city of
Marseilles, for the purpose of providing
wsterworks which shall supply the entire
community free IF expense.
JACorEs GUYor."
Afther slight pa USE, the, officer con
tinucd: ''ThIs is the original document,
aud ie much faded. What | shall now
read was apparently written on the day Of
his death, aud is very brief:
Aug. l, 1925.
By economy aud industry have acquir-
ed fortune Of more than four million
francs; and hereby give and hequeath the
same to the obi Gets above named.
JACQUES GUYoT.'"
Such is the pathetic story OF jacques
Guyot, the Miser Of Mar eilcs.