Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1878-04-17
The HIDING PLACE:
OR WHERE THERE'S A WILL THERE'S
A WAY.

Grandfather was dead! Over and
over I. a.ain, the though. he must die had
made me cry my eyes nearly out tol
though he was eighty, he was not toe
old TO love. And now it happened,anc
was all over, and l sat in kind of q
miserable dream, listening to Lawyer
Curdle asking me-
Where grandfather had kept his
will?
Had l not been told?
Did know?
A will IN my favor, leaving every
thing to me?
OF course | knew of 1t.
"Granpaps wanted to tell me-" saiC
|, Tut would not let him | cOald
not bear to think Of his being dead.
hoped he would not die before | did,"
"In legal matters, ladies' are little
short Of Idiots" sad Mr.. Curdle.
II grleye to distress YOU, but l sup
pose you know there's rampant ole
fury down stairs. who claims this place
aud everything in lt-who il really youl
.randfather's sister-aud whJ, if there
is no will found. can turn YOU out o
house and home"
You know your grandfather was
only stepialher to your mother. You
were not actually related at all"
Come nov. plain speaking is neces'
sary-it we find the will, you are al
heiles. :; If not, beggar."
Nothing could make me- that" sai'
|; nothing while have ten fingers"
But he had aroused me at last.
Where had grandfather told me th'
will was:
| tried to think.
No. he had not told me.
had put my haud over his moutl
and SAID:
"Grandpa, don't; shall cry mysel
to death if YOU die, SO shan't wan
anything"
And he said:
"Ncll, well, | know YOU are no
waitin. for dead mems shoes-l know
that, my child; and some other day
some other day.
And the next morning he was founC
dead in his bed the very next morn
ing.
You see it is somewhere" SAID l.
else grandpa would not have mentio"
ed it,"
You don't think he had destroyed
il. and was about 10 make a new one
or anything Of that sort"' asked the
lawyer.
No" said |. Il think not. III tr.
to remember what he said exactly. Oh
this was it, think
"Beulah. il will be very importan
when | come to leave you that you shaI
know about my will. have made on'
and hid it in the most ingenious place.
Then | stopped him. That's ALL"
Utter insanit,," said Mr.. Curdle
utter insanity"
lie was usually very polite, but ] d
not wonder that his eQuauiniity WA
dislui bed when went down stairs anC
saw the person whom he had described
as a rampant old fury"
She was very old woman, with hal
that was still bright red. and a Ion:
sharp nose.
She was talking at the top OF he
voice. apparently to no one in particular
LAWYERS, lawyers" she was saying
'all alike the world over. DIDN'T sem
me word Of my poor brothers death
not word, not line, so that shoul
not come to claim my own"
Left it to that girl, eh? lIumbug
She's no relation at all. Margaret Bokc
had little girI already by her first hus
band when she married him. This
that girls child.
mo blood relation-none. No, ,
My brother and | haven't been "'',
know, but it's all the same ~ '''''
all his property Is min"' e,
She took snu0'anJ ,cowled at me III
riOusly, e,,,,
.'.. 80 ' :. a..s that the will should b,
found.
earched eagerly enough now.
J turned back carpets and shook ou
curtains.
! rummaged every desk and drawer
trunk aud box in the house.
All in vain.
All last even Mr.. Curdle acknowledg
cd that further search was hopeless.
"a man should conhdc his will Il
his lawyer" SAID he; "a lawyers boz
is the only safe place for it,
No doubt this old woman has EN-
plo ed som. one to steal your graz
fathers will from its very j,'s' "''''
hiding place. and the resrS Is ''"' '''
are beggar."
pa aud cslr"7 NV "'' '"'''
/tears.
| "- ~ a. ,.,or f,o1icb .l;lJ ~ |.atI NJ.