The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-05-01
An Applicable AIiegory.

When your Jonathan's grand
mother, an old lady Of great prohity,
died, she left in her will among 9TH
er legacies the following:
"Item--to my grandson, Jona-
than the younger, 500 to buy him
self gold watch.n
The executor Of the will, Jon. Sr..
when he came to this item said en-
phatically, III really cannot stand
this. II viii result in bankruptcy.
So he went out and bought your
Jonathan silver watch.
Here, my son. said be, lis a sill
yer watch costing 800. 1t is your
grandmother's legacy. and you will
find it an excellent time keeper"
my grandmother left me sIO0 to
buy gold watch, began Jonathan,
Jr.
Exactly have bought you the
watch, and a handsome one it is;
take it, my son."
"The legacy was 500 in money
persisted young Jonathan.
"To buy-s watch" insisted his
father Here is the watch, | have
complied with the terms of the will,
nv SON."
ITO buy gold watch"
Silver watches are good as gold"
said Jonathan the elder, THE Of
fee of watch is to measure time.
\ brass watch, if it measures time
correctly"
"But the legacy was one hundred
dollars, and you admit this cost
SEQ
"The legacy was a watch
Money to buy a watch
My son, do you not comprehend
the legal and binding force Of testa-
mentary language ? Would the will
have been complied with il | had
given you the money, and, instead
Of buying a watch, you had spent il
on some other gewgaw ?"
"Is the will complied with when |
get a silver watch instead Of a gold
one ?"
Substantially, yes. Substantial
ly, the thing devised and bequeathed
to you was a messurer of time called
q watch. The essence ofthe bequest
is service"
"The bequest itself, however, was
300"
sHTo buv a watch
"And you give me only ninety
dollars OF my legacy in shape that
do not want If it was anybody
else should call it swindling and
punch his head for him"
"My soD," said The parent with
great dignity, when bad language
begins argument ceases. You do
not know what is good for you. Sill
yer is much better metal than gold
Why, you can see your face in sill
yeF."
"My grandmother lett me 500
to buy a gold watch. viii you pay
me that or not ?"
"Your grandmother left you the
price of watch as legacy. l now
tender you a handsome silver watch,
an excellent time keeper, in satisfae-
ton of the legacy. Will you take it
or not? You had better not force
me to dispute the will. You ihad no
particular claim Gu the old lady, any
how, and in your grasping desire to
get all you may lose everything
VIII you take the watch ?"
IL say, dad, did my grandmother
leave me $l00 or not ?"
"You are q Sbylock-insisting up
on the letter of the bondn
"Did the old lady bequesth her
money to me or Doty"
"You are q money monger-s gold
bag"
"Are you the executor o. will, or
is this watch a free-will Offering of
your own ~
"Bloated bond holder :"
Before | decline the watch /
want to know if you sincerely think
You are complying with the terms Of
your pocr old mothers will ?"
IL do | am the trustee of large
estate; | cannot see it squandered.
Nv mothers memory is too dear for
that"
COZ, then, that is the reason you
offer ninety cents on the dollar
in payment of her debts In honor Of
her sacred memory,-bumph' ~
"You did her no great service.
You do not deserve even this much,
sir. Will you take the watch or
not ,"
"Yes. if you pay me the ten dol
lars extra"
"This is trihing, sir You are a
cold-blooded capitalist | will have
no more to do with you" And the
old man went off in huffy y-BgfaIo
I Ds,IT,fra