The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-17

drawing up my wlll-Dut 70 your sweet
little boy Ebenezer. Of course I would
have preferred you to enjoy it yourself;
but since this illness, though feel it to
be mortal, may not result in death, l
leave it to your son, instead of you, since
he at least, it is certain, will outlive me. ;"
"Here is the WILL and here is the heir"
continued Mr.. Smart, laying his hand
with solemnity upon EbenezePs head.
81 hope, my boy, that you may grow up
as good a man as honest Robert Foracre. I"
Here was revelation for some of us.
We now understood how it was that poor
Foracre, although not good farmer, had
gone on "from high to higher" in the ten
ancy of his Grace's farms, thanks to his
good intentions toward Master Ebenezer
Smart. The strangers, of course, knew
nothing Of this, but they too, it seemed
by their faces, experienced considerable
surprise. One of them, red-haired,
keen-faced fellow, who vastly reminded
me of ferret, rose from his chair and
asked to look at the date of the will.
"It was made eighteen years ago, sir"
observed Mr.. Smart. "The witnesses are
both alive, however, and, as it happens,
resident at Barton at the present time."
"There is no objection to their residing
there eighteen years longer" remarked
the ferrety individual, with great cool
ness; "but l have will here, made by
the late Mr.. Foracre, and dated nine
years later, bequeathing his whole prop
erty to my own son John Adolphus Can
ME. l too, l am glad to say, have had
the opportunity of being of some service
to the lamentel deceased, and in consid-
Grafton of it he executed the deed, which
you will find perfectly attested.
GAS to your will, Mr.. Cannie," inter-
rupted second stranger, with a lofty
and legal air, II am sorry to say, for your
sake, that it is mere waste paper. Only
two years ago l had the good fortune to
make our deceased friends acquaintance,
under circumstances that l think may
say it is comfort to me, on an occasion
like the present, to look back upon, and
he was so good as to mark his sense ofmy
course of conduct by leaving to my only
daughter, Sarah Lawson, as will be seen
in this document --"
"My good sirs," broke in another grave
and powerful voice, "unless you have
any instrument executed by the late
Robert Foracre of a later date than July
10Th (Which l think is hardly probably,
you need not trouble yourself to contest
the matter"
"And who the deuce are you, sir?' in
quired Mr.. Lawson.
"Sir, l am, as you may read for your
self, Mr.. Foracre's residuary legatee."
At this great and terrible word a
CHASTITY silence fell upon the whole group
of expectants. At last Mr.. Cannie ven-
tured to remark that the very hand some
carpet on which our feet were now placed
had been his own gift to the deceased,
made to him ON the understanding that
his son was to be his heir, and to keep
the remembrance of the boy in the testa-
tors mind, and that he did hope, under
the circumstances, that the residuary
legatee would return the carpet.
II beg to observe" said Mr.. Lawson,
"that there is piano chosen by
my daughter and purchased by myself
under precisely similar circumstances,
now in this house, and think, in COM
mon justice, that it should at least be re-
turned to me-"
"It appears to me, gentlemen" OBJ
sdrved the residuary legatee, with grim
smile, "that we are all lawyers, and that
any appeal to the feelings-especially
upon such ground as common Justice
is ridiculous and absurd. What the law
will do with the late Mr.. Foracre's prop.
erty / shall be happy to tell you, on the
authority of his last will and testament
And thereupon he read the will. 1t be
queathed most Of his property in rather
touching terms to his dear friend Alex
ander Furnival, Gin token of much kind
ness" and appointed the same his residu
ary legatee. 1t was about $4,000 in all
95O0 Of which went to the housekeepel
who had filched his butter.
Notwithstanding this proof of the ex
cellent disposition of the deceased, ther,
were some very severe things said to hi
dscredit, and especially that he had OBJ
tained the gifts and good Offices of many
of tFose present on promises which wer'
in fact false pretenses.
"My dear sirs," said the residuary lega
tee blandly, 1--WE all went in for the prize
and unhappily only one could win it. l
is possible, if it had been permitted ou
departed friend to live another month O
two, he might have made a new dispo
sition of his property; but, as it is, / an
the fortunate heir. An excellent lun
cheon has, it seems, been provided fo
you, and though there is question as tt
my liability for any such expense, vii
cheerfully defray it. Let us part goo'
friends"
"And do you mean to say, sir" ex
claimed Mr.. Smart, in his thinnest ant
sharpest tones, "that this fellow neve
mentioned to you the fact that he ha'
led me to imagine for the last eighteel
years that my son was to inherit his prop
erty?'
"He never mentioned your name, sii
to my knowledge; but there was mem
orandum folded up in the will, which
did not read, and which has reference t
yOu YOur family buryinp-plaee. / be