The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-07-31

largely into speculations, and, at the
time at which our story commences,
reckonining up his profit and loss, found
the greater portion of his fortune dissi-
pated, and looked with daily increasing
dread upon his half-brother's feelings,
which were ever growing kinder toward
his wayward son.
81 don't know, john" be had said,
'shut I've been too hard with the boy,
after all; I think, some of these days,
I'll put codicil to my viii, giving him
something if he'll reform. ="
eyes, very good, do SO, answered
John. 'I'm sure / can't bear to see q
father hard to his child; and the chances
are that, if he promises he viii reform,
reform he will, and if he don't-well, the
chances are even.
That doubtful ''if'' had the desired eff
feet; there was no haste, and the relent-
ing parent would wait awhile. And now
disease was here, and the doctor had
gravely said:
''Your brother cannot last another
forty-eight hours"
John Allen had prepared himself for n
terrible struggle with his dying half
brother, and he had sent his daughter
away that she might not be witness.
He feared no interruption from his wife.
No, poor woman, she had been suffering
from n disordered mind for years,
brought on by a sudden shock; the doc
tor could not tell the cause, and her hUs-
band said he could not; yet there We're
times when this man ttembled to think
of the past, and the childish simple laugh
of his wife sent him from her to the IL
brary, where, locking himself in, he
would pace the floor and groan aloud.
''You won't give me anything from
that tiny bottle, John! Say you will
not!' the poor woman would say, and
then, as if feeling obliged to explain,
John Allen would repeat the story that,
when she was first deranged, he used to
give her medicine from a small bottle
that was very bitter, and, like child,
she remembered it. This seemed plaus,
ible.
No, john Allen feared no interruption
from his wife; so he turned into the sick
room and took his chair again by the
sick mans bed.
'John, I haven't felt like this before.
Do you think I'm dying!"
"Oh, hope mott trust not.
John took his hand as he spoke; his
pulse was very slow.
'John, you won't mind-youli bear
no i'll feeling when am gonc-to know
that I've made new wilI?"
"a new viii !" John Aliens face
blaneAed.
''No, certainly not; your money was
yours, to do what you chose with IT,
I've left it all to the boy"
"Yes?"
"Well, | feel better, John; l thought
perhaps you might be angry, and l want
ed you to know from me-it's natural
fatherly feeling, ell, John? And the two
wills are side by side in my secretary.
Every good"
Disappointment was torturing John
Allen too much for him to say more than
a word or two. Then the sick man lay
quiet; after few moments he said faint
ly:
81 think [ can sleep"
John Allen re-arrangod the pillow, and
in few moments the even breathing
gave notice that the sick man slept
Tempted by all that was base i'll his sor-
did nature, the watcher rose and went to
the secretary; with little searching he
found the two wills.
81 must burn the last, he said to him
self, in a guilty whisper. (Which is the
last?" There was no clue. 81 will break
the seal, - he thought. Butno, he could
not do that; he could not get his broth
er's ring without discovery. cit is a
shame If l had ever thought of'this I
should have marked it; and it was not
sealed; it was unsealed last April" He
studied both seals eagerly; one was
stamped with his brothers ring, the
other bore the date December. 1873.
"Ah! that is the last he cried, inaudi-
bly,, and fastened with it to the fire.
Before the document had crumblcd to
ashes he heard Annie's voice without, and
a step heavier than hers ascending the
stairs with her. He fastened to the sick
mans side, and was in a feigned sleep
when Annie cautiously opened the door.
"Papa-uncie, she said, hreathlessly,
''here is Cousin Horace; isn't it funny he
knew me, for when he saw me last was
only a school girl 2"
John Allen grew pale, very pale; if
only his half brother would not tell
Horace of the new viii. lie rose and
welcomed the young man.
"You haye come, Horace, only in time
to see the last of your poor father, |
fear"
so. uncle! tell me, you DO not think
my wickedness fastened this?"
The young mans voice was husky with
sobs.
"No, trust not, answered John. with
cruel slowness. "William. brother don't
be startled, but here is some one come
to see you"
The sick man stirred in his sleep and
murmurei-
''Horacei"
eyes, father" And the lad fell upon
his fathers feeble breast.
''Now l can die happy-if you'll prom
ISa to no n Cooi how