The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1880-12-30
THE MILLER'S WILL.

knows, but no one knows it better than MIR.
Manly. the family solicitor.
People meeting him only on legal bust
ness consider him dry cautious man, far
more disposed to question than answer or
pass an opinion; but at his own home, where
see him at times he is very different. If on
quiet evening there are only comfort
able pair, or, at most, a trio of friends pres
ent, Manly unbends, and at once becomes
the most genial and frank of hosts. He
can tell many stories of his curious expert
ences and difficult cases.
about the neatest and most curious case
of fraud I ever handled" he said, "was
that in connection with testy old client of
of mine, miller by trade. He had made
a deal Of money, and didn't know what to
do with it, The mans name was Stokes
Mathew Stokes.
"The day he called upon me, and said he
wanted to ask my opinion on some matter,
but soon found he had made up his mind
what to dc, and the asking of my opinion
was only his way of getting me to carry out
his ideas. He went into his story with
great energy and bitterness. He was worth
thousands, he said-that knew-all Sc
curely invested, and his only heir was his
daughter, an only child who had aggravated
him by clipping, and marrying one Of his
clerks, named Morley. The clerk was one
Of these good-looking whipper-snappers,
could see anything in him but impudence
and talk-a kind Of cleverness that would
help to make him good Snowman, but
she thought he was heavenly; and after
they got to love each other, as he said, if
his impudence didn't write to me, asking
me to give him my daughter in marriage!
I gave him his notice at once. and
fortnight's wages; but that didn't cure the
silly girl. She took to moping and
melancholy.
"'One dayI found that she had eloped,
and the next, he sent me word that they
were married. felt it awfully, I tell youI
and could have killed him if Tide met hind
that day, and her too almost. They're mis-
erably poor, that's one comfort, though he's
in place and does copying at night. and
they,v some children and lots of trouble;
SO ought to be happy if I amt. But here's
the danger. I'm getting old, and my doctor
says might be taken off suddenly, so I
want you to make my will, strong and firm
as you can make it, doing her out Of the
least chance Of getting my money-cutting
her off with a shilling, as it is called.
" Seeing you have no other relations for
whom you care, do understand you wish
not liking my task over well, for had no
doubt that, if the poor daughter had been
there, she could have given quite differ
ent look to the love story.
&c To charity! No, hang charity!" he
cried, with snort I want it all given to
Henry Gunson, a cousin of mine in the CITY,
don't care a twopence for him, and know
little about him, but he once did me a kind
ness. It's all the same to me who gets the
money, SO they don't get it. See'
II did see perfectly, but thought would
try to alter his determination, for, if one
thing displeases me more than another, it
is to be the means of carrying dissension
and hatred beyond the grave. Could he not,
instead Of trying to crush the young man
who had married his daughter, try to lift him
up? From his own account it appeared
that he was a hard working, diligent fellow,
toiling hard for his wife and children
What more could father wish for his SON
in-law? In word, I tried to pour oil upon
the waters, but I might as we'll as have
poured it upon fire. The fury of the old
man increased, and was even turned upon
circles the cousin, Henry Gunson, of whom
he had spoken, was looked upon with strong
suspicion, owing to an ugly bankruptcy
case with which had to do He remained
unmOved.
"' tell you it's all the same to me who
gets it, he persisted. It's nothing to me
whether the mans good or bad. Disobedi-
ence in children must be punished, and I
can't do better than to enrich my own cous-
in
FINDING him so firmly resolved, I prom
ised to have draft of his will prepared, and
to send it to him for perusal by my conf
dental clerk, which was done the following
week. The will, being read to him was ap-
proved, and as soon as a fair copy had been
made he came to my Office and signed it.
The witnesses were clerks of my own.
When signed was about to place it with the
other papers connected with his business,
when the old man snappishly told me that
he meant to keep that himself, and accord
ingly it was handed to him.
Two or three years passed, during which
made large and frequent investments for
his will. One morning received note
from his house keeper, telling me of his
somewhat sudden death, and shortly after
reading the note was called upon by his
cousin, Henry Gunson.
Il am good judge of faces, and disliked
the man the moment I saw him. he was
not hypocrite, and made no show of sham
grief at the death of his relative; on the con-
trary, he smiled and appeared perfectly ju-
bilant at the stroke Of good fortune.
"'You have heard, he said, L believe, of
my cousins death, and came here because
he once told me that three or four years
since, you had drawn up will in my favor
"All this was natural enough, but there
was something in the mans manner that
made me study his face closely. 1t seemed
to me that under an appearance of simplicity
he was playing a deep game. Yet what
game could he be playing? was forced
to dismiss the thought, and turned my atten-
ton to business. 1T is true that Mr.. Stokes
did intrust me to draw up such a will,