Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-11-30
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STORIES OF WILLS.
RON A LAWYERS NoTE.Bot

2 STORIES Of WILLS. 2 t%t@
FROM A Lawyers NOTEBOOK,
There was an old lady, toothless old dow.
ager, who had a reprobate and discarded son,
and pretty, gentle niece, who lived with her.
We used to manage all the affairs, and it was
pretty we'll known in the Office that the "snice
girl with long curls" was to be the old lady 3
heir. Our head clerk, a red-whiskered dandy,
who had no mean opinion Of himself, built, I
could see. certain speculations on that basis.
The old lady never came without Eliza and
when visit was expected, Mr.. Catchpole brush.
ed his fiery hair into the most killing cufls,
and changed the out-at.elbows coat for the
smart one he wore out of doors, and beauti6ed
himself as far as that was practicable. Well,
message came one day that the old lady was
ill, very i'll, with the urgent request that some
one should 60 at once and make her will.
| Off went our Adonis as fast as promise of
something liberal over the fare could urge the
cabman. When he arrived the old lad y was
alive-just alive enough to tell him that sall
her property was to be left to Eliza. She told
him in the Kissing whisper which supplied the
place of the cracked voice but when she
came to the world "all," so full was the pdor
old creature of love for her niecs, or, perhaps
of fdetermination-let US hope not hate
against her son, that she rose up in her bed,
and clenched her withered hand, and shrieked
out that word again. 1t must have been
terrible sight-that Of life struggling with
death fora will. It was short matter to
write that will down; and Catchpole's Epen
flew owe, e,the paper, and the old eyes that we're
glazing SO fast stared anxiously the while, and
the thin fingers actually held the per, she had
asked f1r beforehand ready tosig1 the paper,
IE few minutes all was ready; but what
difference that few minutes made. The
clerk had risen from bis seat, and approached
the couch, when the surgeon, who stood on
the other side, said, with the GOODNESS which
medical practice brings, 1T is too late ! and
it was too late The dead fingers clenched
the unused pen so tightly that they had to be
unclasped from it. The son was heir of all,
and Eliza the beggar: Death had translated
that screamed out "all". into hone. The se-
quel is soon told. The property was wasted
by the son, and has long since passed into
other hands; and Eliza, instead of possessing
some thousands year, and being wooed by
Mr.. Catchpole is faded governess. ,s..
Every lawyers Office has plenty of. such
tales as this. One I remember ola miser WHO
had ruined more than one family; and in his
last moments wished to make such reparation
as bequeathed gold could compass. Poor
wretch, when the will was brought, catalepsy
had seized him. He could not move his
hand his tongue refused its Office; only his
eyes were free to move; and Of those eyes |
have been told terrible tale. He was, as
misers often are, of strong mind and iron nerve
Passive as he was in every other part, the eyes
told all that passed within. You could have
seen in them intelligence when the will was
read to him !; the powerful volition brought to
bear, and persevered in, when the written
word which was to make it a testament was
required the terror and horror which came
over him when he found the right hand, which
had so often aided for evil, would not help
him for good; the despair which burst the
unseen bands around him, and, with convul-
sive motion, let out the last of life. 1t must
have been spectacle of horror, when punish
ment came in the shape of a prohibition of
the act of mercy which might have made some
amends for life time of wrong. ~. :.
Then there was another legend ola man
whose daughter married against his will. He
lived somewhere in retired country-house,
far off from any town. This man was subject
to disease of the heart, and one night feel
ing the symptoms of an approaching attack,
and that strange presentment that so often
comes before death, he aroused his household
and sent of messenger on horseback, not for
a surgeon, but lawyer. He wanted his will
made instantly. The messenger could not be
back for at least two hours, and long before
that the spasmodic attack had come on, but
still in the intervals of his paroxysms that de-
termined man wrote against time. When the
lawyer did arrive, all that was left of the will
which had been so active and energetic few
hours before, was that last piece of writing.
It expressed the deceased's will in the strongest
terms, utterly to disinherithis rebellious child,
and to give his property to some charitable
institution. It was complete even to the sig
nature only the fourishes usually added to
the name was wanting, as though there the
hand had failed. But that writing was not
will; it was not in proper form, nor attested.
In the eye of the law it vas but an individual
piece of paper, and the daughter took that
which her birthright entitled her to. -
Wills generally afford frightful tempta'
ton to the worst part of our nature. | be-
lieve that more cunning, more falsehood, more
worldly anxiety, and more moral wrong, are
blended with the subject of "wills, than with
the whole mass of law parchment extant. A
will should not only be properly made, but
properly placed, and more than one should be
cognizant of its whereabouts. 1 have known
many cases of gross turpitude in the shape Of
destroying wills, and can record one rather
curious anecdote, afording a vivid illustra.
ton of funprincipled greed defeating ITSELF
Two gentlemen, close friends from their
school.days, were in the decline of life. Mr..
Edmunds had large family with compara-
lively small means, while Mr.. Raymond was
worth two hundred thousand pounds, with no
living relatives but a nephew Of the most pro-
higate and hopeless character. This nephew
had been expensively educated, and had
spent unlimited money for the worst purpose,
and the uncle at length became wearied and
disgusted with the young mans utter de-
pravity. .... .....
"Edmonds," said Raymond one day to his
friend, as he handed him roll Of paper,
"here is my will. I have left my nephew ten
thousand pounds, and the rest of my property
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