Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1879-10-17
THE FORGED Will.

It was my first visit to London since I
had taken I'D nv abode and entered on
the practice of my profession rs solicitor
of Southampton.
In London had a very dear friend,
my old friend, my college chum, George
Dickson, and as he was the only person
I knew in the great metropolis, of course
I lost no time in looking him up.
Three years had passed since our last
meeting, but ten could have scarcely pro-
duced a change more marked than had
taken place in the appearance and man
ner of my friend.
Our first greeting and friendly inqui-
ries over, I longed, yet forbOre, to ask
the cause of my friends melancholy. !
felt sure, in due time, of being made the
eonfdant of the secret, provided no mo-
tive of delicacy prompted its conceal
ment.
That evening, in my room at the hotel,
George told me his story. He had formed
an attachment for young lady, whose
graces of mind and person he portrayed
with all the fervor of a lovers elOquence.
She had returned his affection, but her
father had opposed his suit, having set
his heart on the marriage of his daugh-
ter to nephew of his.
This nephew was young surgeon, Of
prOhigate character, my friend assured
me-but that may have been prejudice
who had long, but unsuccessfully,
wooed his cousin, to whom his offers
were as repugnant as to her father they
were acceptable.
Some months since, Mr.. Parsons, the
young lady's father, had gone into Hamp-
shire on business, accompanied by his
nephew. At Southampton, he had been
seized by sudden illness, which termi-
mated fatally IN three days.
On the day preceding his death he
had executed a will (which had since
been duly proved by the dispositions of
the attesting witness) containing sol
emn request that his daughter, to whom
he left the whole of his estate, should
accept the hand of his nephew in mar
riage, coupled with the provision that in
ease the latter offered, and she refused
within specified period to enter into
the proposed union, the whole estate de-
vised for the daughter should be forfeit
ed to the nephew.
To sacrifice her fortune to her hearts
choice would not have cost Julia Par
sons a moments hesitation: and moth
ing could have more delighted George
Dickson than so fair an opportunity of
showing how superior his devotion was
to all thought of personal advantage.
But her fathers dying request, in Julia's
eyes, was sacred. It had surprised and
stunned, it is true, for in their confer
ences on the subject he had never gone
beyond the most kindly Temonstrances,
and had never limited at anything like
coercion.
Young parsons, the nephew, had not
the magnanimity to forego his ungener-
GUS advantage. He might have been
content with the Cousins fortune alone,
but his right to that depended on his
offer and her rejection to an alliance
which she felt in conscience bound to
accept. The brief season of grace which
she had been compelled to beg even
with tears, had already almost passed,
and few more days would witness the
condemnation of two lives to hopeless
misery.
At the conclusion of my friends nara
tive, in which, for reasons that may
hereafter be developed, I felt peculiar
interest, 1 prevailed upon him to accom-
panY me to a place of amusement, to
which had previously procured tickets.
When We reached the theater the per-
formance had already begun, but we
succeeded in finding seats which COM
manded fine view both of the stage
and the audience.
In few minutes George touched my
elbow.
"Observe the gentleman nearly oppo-
site, in the front row, seated next to the
column, leaning his arm on his cane," he
whispered
7 iooI-aJ i, +I,o j;-oo+;o,, ;l7;oo+oJ
and saw face whose striking resem-
blance to one I had seen before caused
me to start with surprise.
"Who is itP' I asked.
"Etheridge Parsons" was the reply.
THE nephew of whom you spokeY
i'Yes."
"Does he resemble his uncle ?" I was
On the point of inquiring, but then the
stranger drew the glove from his right
hand, and l saw that the first Joint of the
middle hnger was gone, circumstance
which, for sufficient reasons, absorbed
my attention.
do you know the exact date of Mr..
Parsons deathW I asked, when we had
gained the street at the close of the per-
'FYes," said George, at was the 28d of
December. His daughter received tel
egram from her cousin announcing the
fact the same day. But why do you
ask ?'
81 have a reason which may or may
not prove a good one," returned; and
stating that l had business engagements
for the whole of the next day, parted
with my friend, promising to meet him
on the following evening,
Next afternoon found me at the house
of Mr.. Parsons, the nephew.
"MT. Parsons, presume ?" were the
words with which accosted the gentle
man had seen at the theater.
eyes, sir"
"You may not remember me, Mr..
Parsons, but believe we have met be-
fore"
Il beg your pardon for not recollecting
the occasion"
"You were in Southampton last winter,
were you not%
"I was" he replied, with some en-
baTrassment.
81 am the solicitor to whom you called
to make draft of a will"
He turned pale, but made no reply.
81 saw a record of that will at Doctors
Commons this morning" I resumed,
"and-"
you speak of my uncle's WILL" he
hastily interrupted.
"And yet" I continued, "you said it
was yours when you applied to have it
written. You represented yourself de-
sirious of executing such a document,
preparatory to embarking on voyage.
The paper was drawn in accordance with
your instructions leaving the date to be
filled in at the date of signing. Your
4. L 4