The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1877-08-30

o .
being nthe city on business, hap
kpenedto meet DR.. scroggins. w
afaHow are you Doctor2a said he
grasping the hand Of the physician
land smiling one Of the smiles pecu-
Eliar to lis face when he felt that lhe
had play capiial i'lIa oR So,ps;
n u aui Wei. Alel Aose--.lle. otis
M Top asked. tho doctor. $.
e 'First-rate,p replied he, withiirre-
pressiblo glee. "You wasn't sharp
enough last April, Doctor.n
t"What do you mcan?9 asked the
doctor. .iia
n@You did not succeed in getting
me to the city on afool's errandp
81 don't understand you Mr.. Top, "
said the doctor gravely.
"W. & HIS, Wall Street-some.
thing tony advantage"
The doctor looked puzzled.
'f"You needn't look SO innocent,
doctor; / sent you to New York in
April, eighteen months ago, and it
is but natural that you should wish
to pay me in my own coin. But |
was too wide awake for you to catch
me-"
"You are certainly too wide awake
for menow. Willyou please explain
yoursclf said DR. scroggins.
"April before last you received a
letter to the effect that if you would
call at Wall Street you would hear
something to your advantage"
II did" replied the doctor.
a"NNell?p t nau @. M
"Icallcd accordingly and did hear
something to my advantage"
"lNhat2" Toplooked very much
surprised and disappointed at the
same time. "And you did not write
me similar one last April?"
"I am above such cold-hearted cru
city, sir" said thodoctor, in a tone
that marked his real feelings. "The
person who could do such thing
must have something bad about his
character; ahd-Iawant nothing to do
with him.
"Good morning, DOCTOR" said Mr..
Top.
The two gentlemen bowed stiffly
and parted. Topfelt very uncomfor-
table. He finally decided to call at
the place referred to in his letter.
Thinkingi it might still be an April
fool trick, he madoaf few purchases for
his storeand gave his name.
"Benjamin Top" said the person
with whom he was dealing, "do you
reside inthe city
Top told him the name of the will
age in which he lived. alI
+ "Did you everreceive a letter from
this house?" y a
81 did, but as it was dated on the
first day of April, l thought it was
an April.fool trick, and never repli-
ed to it, mdi
"Far from it," answered the man.
"An old gentleman from Ohio came
here about that time, and said he had
a brother living inthis State, andhe
was in search of him or his children.
We heard that a man by the name of
Benjamin Top lived in your village,
and we droppedhim a line; but as no
answer came, we thought the infor-
nation must be Incorrect"
"Nhcre is he now?" asked Mr.,
Top.
"Dead. Your sister, Mrs. Jossup,
who resides near this city, answered
the letter we wrote her, in person.
She took him home with her, and a
short time after arriving there he
died, leaving her the whole of his
property, amounting to fifteen thou
sand dollars"
"He was my uncle" said Top,
"Thcn by not attending to ourlet-
ter you aro the loser of at least one
half of this property
Top went home q sudder man than
he was when he left it. He knew
that it would be invain to appeal to
his sisters generosity, for she was a
widow, and when poor, with five chill
dron depending upon her, he had
treated her with unkindness and ne
gloct, and there was little likelihood
her sharing her good fortune with
him.