The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1877-06-14
OLD M0NEYBAGS' WILL.
A Nurses Story.


was rich cnough---Nho hyvdu a solitary square
house away from the high roAd, and was sup
posed 70 pe diving,
hsd often seen old Weston ar lola
Montyhac> as ho was called. Walking about
aud talking a. the lockslGtthS and ual,usAtE>r
men and women both sad It Was ifem enc ''
the latter Ama-ous, whose hvSd l Was plaster
iug up after q trre hSGt WITH rlNal ~ the
hammer. that had heard What httlc AavN IL
hmm.
..Thecr gogs ovl Nonoy bags after his rents,
They say he's g wln, 0t money IA "a hank, an
lots q houses az uA 8 "a O. lts SrAn child,
lal no blgEey No1 CANr Nap,
She then went uD IL ts.. wr that jam Nrs-
ton had invented 8 new AgGd NJ l1cA, and. tax
in., out patent for his invention, hsd thereby
snasSrd fortune, aud 3. would al tAA 90
hov who had lut ether folks noses cat
though % 10 sucv, who had oct'or night Than
his oWg graudchIid Jam Weston Ead turned
his hack upoU G,S daughter Tor marry inS
John nG3lyy a Na.SaN sfCraakrg, without
penav. }ust as her father vas beginning tomAke
his way in the woyl3. and Thought hts MONEY
ana her pretty face together might Qroctre -cg
q gentleman Tor her husband.
he set has tacy galnst the Nouut, couple, and
never rrlsutel uu after she VAS widow, or
quite farssvo her until hc found httle Jim
sobhiug BESIDE hlS dead mothers coieu, IN
miserable garnet, IN grlrny ne.shtoghOod.
Then he buried her grahdly, anal pat fine
monument over hCT---a Sort ~ broAeu pillar
taking the boy home a. hls hOuse, and eussg-
ing masters 90 give hin good educ2Ilon, OF
which hc hsd fr.l tho want
There were ;wo people. however, Who dli
not tAAe kindly o. the arrangement, and these
were hetur4A and JOB Bromley, his elder
sisters son and daughter. Who had done then
best % Wr.Egle into his good graccs /, and
though be hXd shown no other uiarSs II favor
than getting the latter into an attorney oiicv
lhe was arti5ei on a $50 stamp and puttins
krturah into q small shop in NSlsall, these two
looked upoa themselves As the ngLt!ul heirs %
their r,eh uucles property, real and personal,
and. as lt VAS moro tAaD suspected, had kep,
omen the bcezch between the father and GAugh-
tlr 20 make assurance doubly suro.
he had keen ewes. this old MoneybSES-eyes
that seemed % search one through. I know |
used "a tE.lk so when after time De began %
stop NE sli ask me how nv parents were get
tins on and many time for hS was not s
ba3 sort. vou must kuoN--he has slipped s
couple ot hall crowns, or even half sovereign,
into my hand and told me those were the pills
hspgrs-r1bai when ha-:ook 20 the healing art.
Then ka would chuckle, and ask his grandson
how be would AAe "a be doctur % the same
sort gLea be grew C mAn, and prescribe silver
pills and golden ointment and when the boy
lsuShel 81 rAe couceit he would press the small
hand. and 80 ca his way rejoicing.
"It were u ian slcA. Mary tuubolv called
Won mind coming 20 nurse me, and see ! Was
not choze3 OF before my time for the sake Of
my rpo2eybass: he asked me- one q these
times.
or course said should he glad TO do my
best on such an occasion. but / hoped there
would be 10 need Of ME vet awhile.
TEat was in March. and sure enough the
last week In May, James Dudley came running
% nv poor lodgings, white faced and breath
less. Mr. Weston had fallen II ID would /
50 hack with him
hold j. the duty of nurse 20 keep herself
In readiness night or day SO no more tins wss
lost than would GARY Us over the mile or so OF
dusty road. A E,0y hzwthorns scented the air
ss wc approached the house and a doctors
b7oCsham from Walsail stood 81 the gate.
We found the whole house IN confusion. and
the old man iylng on 8 sofa, breathing heavily
and spescl.iess the doctor feeling his pulse.
Before pT. Hin went away Mr.. Weston had
recovered SO fsr as % justify removal %
his 0vu ued and undressing, though be stll rJ-
nAiue1 N 8 critical STAKE.
This bed was 8 heavy and peculiar piece Of
furniture. evidently built % nj into recess IN
tne wall II tine rOoll opposite 10 the windows.
The door opened on % q ~luarc landing, and
was one u i've, two rooms being on each side
the nth loor opening % q sort ui dressing
nom. which hsi second door opening 70 the
chamber.
The next day be was better: and it was
quite touching 20 see how be stroked the head
Of his attentive grandson. and called him q
good boy, and hlde him take care 10 become
good man also.
That night brought into the house his two
other relztlves, iuEubrlous u their emotional
manifestations.
Having once got fo0thod in their uncle's
house. thev never left L. hsturah the most
obselui1us and attentive Of nieccs. took the
household reIus IN her hands az once, and
had R.--. L
Of me.
Job. though long out of his articles was still
3 clerk. and tied 10 the solicitor Office : but be-
obtained frequent leave Of absence. and gave
his dear good uncle the fun benefit Cf it, not
much 70 the @ck mans solace.
Gradually ! perceived they endeayored 10
warp the inyalids mind against the grandson.
and not finding that avail. KEEP; the boy out az
the room. saying grandfather wished Il ;eIIuE
the old man the youth was PLAYING. or riding
or readlEg-anythils but caring FOR q loving
relative near death.
At last ! became sensible that the old man
was sinking fast, and daily grew more sub
missive 10 his nephew and niece. who were
urging upon him tie necessity Of making hl-
Will Ills speech was imperfect, but at last be-
scented 10 Weld, and from INV ro0m where
they thought me asleep overheard them slg-
Eests 4 form Of win and saw him nod assent
This puzzled me. fur the terms we're al Ia
During that very day I was startled on enter
ing the room % find the feeble old man out of
the bed. and making sBperhumaH efforts 10
pull il from the recess / thought mia brain
was touched. for his keen eyes looked into
mine, and heard him say: "wiH. will
got him back into bed. and tried % soothe him
Keturah came up, and he was stili moaning
''Will. will.
Dear 'Incle. Job viii have It ready this
evening. said she. with affected tenderness
but he LOOKED from her to me. and still said
"Will"
It was plain james Weston would not be old
Moueybags much longer. and DR.. Hill bade Us
prepare for the final change.
Job Bromley bad prepared That evening
haf gone down stillrs % get Inv supper leaving
Keturah in the room, when the lawyers clerk
came home with q seedy looking companion.
The two sent ~ into the sick chamber, and
something impelled me 10 follow. Nv list slip
pers were noiseless; / crept into the little
dressing-room, the door Of which was ajar. ]
saw parchment produced, and pen. and the
old man raised to sign. / thought also heard
a distinct .'No, no, and then he fell back
dead.
ITS no use, lob he's gone, and his money
bags with him you've left it too lAte-just
Ike yoU. cried ketIrah, IN 8 temper
There was a blue-bottie ly buzzing in tho
window il was in the middle Of August.
Stop said the stranger, "let me catch
that blue-bottle, and after some dodging he
caught il, and for what do you Euppose? He
put the fly in the mouth Of the dead man. and
held It SMUT saying as be did So Now put
the pen in his hand and guide il. and we can
swear he signed il while there was life in him"
l shrank With horror as | saw this viliainy
peIpetrated. and the other mans signature
ath1ed. whilst tho fly released went buzZing
over the room, and then bells rang. and great
vail went through the house but the young
one who fled 10 NE for comfort and aoFtl.ad
upon my shoulder, was the only true mourner.
The funeral came and the will was read.
James Dudley had not been wholly excluded
they had been too cunning for that but the
viii set forth that his mother had offended in
her marriage. and that he, James Weston, he'd
taken oath to disinherit her offspring The
testator, however, left charge upon his heirs
and executors, his beloved nephew and niece.
to educate his grandson James. and article
him to a solicitor, he himself had been ar
ticled, with a small sum for maintenance till
the youth was twenty-oLe, when he was to have
ESQ, and no more.
told DIR. Hill that | was sure the pen was
put IN dead mans hand. but he said it was
prep0sterous. and bade me hold my tongue. !
was dismissed, and beng myself afraid of any
publicity OF my own name, weakly let the
matter drop, sitting conscience with the
thought that II IVES no business of mine.
Then my own cares drove all others out Of
my mind. / came to London. where soon got
a good connection, and began 10 save money.
At last it came to my ears that the Bromleys
were purse-proud and arrogant, and had not
even fulfilled the provisions Of the sham will
for poor James Dudley. My conscience stung
me / felt as if ! had been z. partner in the
fraud TO roS tie orphan of his patrimony, and
/ went TO a magistrate for advice.
He gave me a hearing, and then referred me
TO a respectable solicitor, who took the matter