Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1878-06-26
Robert Bramlegh's VIII.
AN ENGLISH LAWYERS STORY.

should be at home. L could almosl
smell the boiled capon and oyster sauce
which knew were being prepared fol
me. There's many slip 'twiXt the cur
and the lip, says the proverb; and II
my case it proved only too true; fol
Just as 1 was tying up the last bundle o
papers, the office bey put his head in al
the door and dispelled the tempting Wis
ion.
a woman to see you, if you please
sir. She won't give no name. Says
She's a stranger
"a strangern l repeated. What is
she like? Is she common person'
Not exactly, sir replied the lad.
A LADY, l asked.
% no, sir
What is she, then:'
Arthur paused. as if considering, and
then, with look of intelligence, as
much as to say that he had hit the nal
on the head this time, he answered.
We'll, sir, she's a sort of betwlxt an(
between
Not bad definition. Arthur. Ash
the 'betwixt and between upstairs
y tall, middle-aged woman entered
and teok the seat l placed for her.
BY visitor removed her gloves and,
carefully smoothing them, placed them
ON the table beside her. She then pro.
duced from her pocket large foolscar
envelope, from which she drew a piece
Of paper folded lonsways. This she
handed to me, explaining, in a hard,
monetonous voice, that she had been
sent to me by her master, Mr.. Robert
Bramleigh, OF Coleman street, who was
dangerously ill-in fact, was not expect
ed TO 1--we many hours. The paper, she
said. had been written by his direction,
and signed by him for his will that af'
tcrnoon. Fearing lest it should not be
in a proper form, he had desired her to
take 1t to the nearest lawyer and have
one prepared according TO the law.
unfolded the paper and read as fol-
lows:
In the name Of God, Amen. | leave
my body to the ground and my soul to
Almighty God who gave it. Now this
is the will OF NE, Robert Bramleigh, o.
$50 Coleman street. Igive and leave
all my houses. lands, money and every
thing that I have, to Hannah Churton
MY housekceper, as reward Tor hel
lonr and faithful services. Signed by
me on Tueeday, December II, 1868.
Witnesses-James Burn, Margaret
Sims.
l examined the writing carefully. The
signature Robert Bramleigh;' was weak
and shaky. The will itself was written
in masculine-looking hand Of singular
decision and badness. The characters
were large and well-iormed.
The will had evidently been prepared
by some one who had had but an i'm
perfect knowledge of the form to be US
ed for such a purpose. The solemn ap'
peal to the Diety and the bequest OF the
tcstator's body and soul was an ole
form, mach in vogue with cur grand Ia
Tiers, who generally headed a will will
one or two pious phrases.
The document, shown to me was. how
ever, sufficient to give Hannah Churtor
all Mr.. Bramleigh's property.
Now, I am always very particular
about wills; thing they are too serious
to be settled ia hurry. never vii
allow a client to execute ore until | an
convinced that its purport is perfectly
understood.
You are Mrs. Churton, presume {?
l asked.
4 am she replied, looking me un
hinchinsly in the face. Somehow fel
suspicious that things were not so fai
as they should be. l questioned he
rather closely; but the only admission
could get from her was that she ha'
written the will, bnt that it was at he
Masters dictatisn. / offered To pre-
pare a more formal document; but be
fere doing so, declared that it was nee
essary | should see Mr.. Bramleigh.
named the omission Of the appolntmen
of an executor. This seemed rather t.
nonplus her. She asked whether sh
could not be named as executrix. Th
more aversion she showed to nay seein
her master the more convinced l Tel
that sOmetlng was wrong; anu, seein
that was net to be moved from m
purpose, she at last gave in; proposing
however, that should accompany he
back, as she greetly feared 1t would b
too late il left till the morning.
A cab soon took us to No. $50. Cole
man street. 1t was large, gloomy
old-fashioned house, with spacious Ell
trance hall. l was taken into the din
ing-room and asked to wait while Bran
leigh was being prepared for my visi
The furniture in the room was old an
very massive Some handsome Q
paintings graced the walls. l am vel
fond of pictures, 50, raising the lamp.
walked around the room slowly inspec
ing them. On the right ofthe firepla'