The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-05-16
-vOL,X 25.

man-street. It was large, gloomy, old
fashioned house, with spacious en-
trance hall. l was taken into the din
ing-room and asked to wait while Mr..
Bramleigh was, being prepared for my
visit. The, furniture in the room was
old and very massive. Some handsome
oil paintings graced the walls. l am
very fond of pictures, 80, raising the
lamp, walked round the room slowly
inspecting them. On the right of the
fireplace l came upon picture with its
face turned towards the WALL turned
the picture. 1t was the portrait in oils
Eof young and very beautiful girl in a
dark riding-habit. Hearing footsteps
outside the door, restored the picture
to the position in which had found it,
and as / did 30 i saw written at the bot
tom. of the frame "Magdalen Bran
leigh = W
The footsteps heard were those of
the housemaid, who had come to an
nounce that Mr.. Bramleigh was ready
to see me. / followed her up stairs, and
was ushered into a large comfortable
looking bedroom. A cheerful fire
burned in the CRATE. Facing it was a
large four post bedstead hung with white
curtains, and at the head of the bed
Mrs. Churton was standing, with a
small table in front of her, on which
were placed an inkstand and some
paper. She pulled back the curtain and
1 saw an old man propped up by pill
lows, his face drawn and his eyes very
much sunk. l almost feared that he
was. too far gone to make will; but af-
ter speaking with him for little time l
feltsatisfed that the intellect was quite
clear, 81
Turning to Mrs. Churton / told her
that she need not wait; / would ring if
/ wanted anything.
eyes, go-go, Hannahl" cried the
sick man: and fancied that / could
detect an eagerness in his voice as if he
desired her absence rather than her
presence. AS Mrs. Churton left the
room Ieaught sight of the reflection of
her face in the glass over the chimney
niece, but l do not think she would
have scowled quite as much had she
known thatI was looking. / began by
asking Mr.. Bramleigh what were his
wishes with regard to his will. In low
tones he told me that he desired to leave
everything to Hannah Churton, his
housekeeper, as reward for her long
and faithful services.
l spoke gravely to the old man, al
though without much hopes of success,
but at last got him to confess that he
had no intention of making his. house
keeper his sole heiress until she had her
self breached the subject to him. She
certainly must have had great power
over the old man to induce him to agree
to such a scheme proposed to Mr..
Bramlefgh that he should leave his
property to some one on whom he could
rely, in trust for his daughter. | also
volunteered, although 1 have an aversion
to- the trouble and responsibility of a
. trilsteeship, my services as trustee tor
this purpose. My argument prevailed.
He assented, and prepared a will ac-
cordingly, the old man requesting that
| his medical man, DIR. Ramsey, should be
nominated as my co-trustee, and that an
annuity of ECO should be paid to Han
nah Churton for life.
I read the,will to him very carefully,
explaining, as I did SO, its full effect.
When l had finished, he muttered :
"Quite. right-quite right; but | am
afraid Hannah viii not be pleased" l
counseled him not to mention it to her
and my advice seemed to satisfy him.
Ringing the bell, / requested Mrs.
Churton to summon James Burn and
Margaret Sims, the two servants who
had witnessed the first will. As soon as
they were in the room, l gave Mr..
Bramleigh pen, and placing the docu,
ment before him. l said, distinctly, SO
that all might hear: This which 1
have Just read to-you is your final will,
and you request James Burn and Mar,
garet Sims to witness your execution OF
itf' g 1t isl do" he solemnly said
as with feeble fingers he wrote his
name. The two awe-stricken domestics
then added theirs, and ! think Their
!. hands shook more than the testator's.
| Hannah Churton was silent spectator
of the whole of this; but ] could not
see her face, as she stood In the back.
ground, out of the light of the lamp.
Before allowing any one to leave the
room, placed the viii in large envel
ope. Fastening it with wax, I i'm.
pressed it with Mr.. Bramleigh's mono
/ gram and crest by means of a seal thai
was on the tray of the inkstand. The
old man watched me closely, and wher
EThad finished, he said: Keep it'll
it is wanted; !" thus relieving me of &
great embarrassment, for I did not like
! leaving it in the power of HANNAH
Churton, lest she should tamper with it
| On our way down stairs DIR. Ramsey
told me that his patient was rapidly
sinking, and that he. doubted whethel
he would live another twenty-four hours
Taking him into the dining-room anc
shutting the door, / told him my sus
fpicions of the houseEeeper, and that
\ felt afraid of leaving Mr.. Bramleigl
i alone with her all night. He agreed
with me, and promised to send his as
sistant to watch till the morning
when, if Mr.. Bramleigh should still b
living, he would on his own responsi
bility. place a trustworthy nurse il
charge. The housekeeper opened tn
door to let us out.
1t is all right, Mrs. Churton," ma
. iiciously said, as the doctor wished he
goodnight. 81 am quite satisfied now
The will will be safe in my keeping
By-the-by," added, looking her sharpl
in the face, chad you not better lie
your masters friends know of the dar
ger he is in? DIR. Ramsey says b
, does not think he will last muc
longer"
, She mumbled something in reply, bu
could not catch what it was. stage
r talking upon Indifferent subjects,
5 while away the time until the arrival c
DR.. Ramsey's assistant. Mrs. Churtor
however, was, unlike her sex, remarks
: bly, reticent; Icould only get the shor
est replies from her. She seemed yer
, much astonished and rather displease
when DIR. Ramsey returned with his a
sistant. He explained to her that a
I though there was no chance of savin
J his patients life, yet his last momen
+ might be alleviated by skilled attent
| ance and therefore, as he himself coul
not stay all night, he had brought h
: | oooieto ot for th of ,,rrrosa f4.-