Morris tribune., 1880-04-08
MRS. TOPLIGHTS INHERITANCE.

Grief had overtaken our family, and
my wife had become fatherless; and,
although she was not the favorite child
of the old gentleman, she had a
daughters love for him, and her grief
at his death was genuine. AS we have
intimated, the old gentleman had a
favorite among his children, and, of
course, it was the youngest daughter,
who was living at some distance from
the place in which her father died.
Now this child of fortune was as
proud as peacock, SO to speak, and
fed upon pride as toad does upon
bugs. But what the dear girl had to be
proud over is more than I can compre.
bend, for she to-day is no better looking
than I am, and you all know how I
look. But let me say right here, be-
fore it slips from my mind, that some
of the worst-looking and most-proud
people in the world are the meanest.
But she was not so bad-looking as some
might infer from the above-not that I
am sorry for anything said in regard to
LONELINESS, and wish to smooth over
anything said about my own looks, for
I am married any way; and, come to
think the matter over, she is, too.
Well, the good old man left an estate,
I guess, and each heir, adjacent, con-
stituted himself committee of one to
see the estate properly settled.
I said that the old gentleman left an
estate. Now I think that is proper, but
am not really certain. and will try and
tell you exactly the condition of affairs.
Father g. didn't leave cent of money,
hut he left lots of liabilities, and the
assets were few. The amount, after
the funeral expenses, that it was neces-
sary to hunt for in some other locality
was about $500, as sure as you live.
This had to be raised, and we living
ones felt ourselves in better condi-
ton to meet the matter than the old
gentleman. So we appointed day to
attend to things. We met, but forgot
to invite our worthy relative, Mrs. Top
light, until the last moment, and, as we
knew her circumstances, thought we
would try and raise it ourselves, and
not bother her with it. Mrs. Topight
is a good woman, in fact the best girl in
our family except my wife, and I will
remark right here that the father did
well by his daughters while living, and
he ought to have done so-only two
daughtersl
Well, we met. Everything was pro-
crossing smoothly, and we were III the
midst of division on limited scale,
when positive knock was heard at the
door. Our first idea was that tramp
was approaching, or had approached.
And I, being the bravest one Tin my
own estimation) in the crowd, yelled,
"Come in" Now, I had no intention
of offending any one, not even tramp,
but was completely nonplussed when
in walked our worthy relative-I came
near saying on her ear and struck out
soidly for the nearest vacant seat, and,
as we were about to stay proceedings
and receive her cordially, she waved us
back with her delicately gloved hand,
and said. In tones that struck us with
about the same feeling that q frigid
breeze would in a day in July:
Proceed with your business, sir. l
will take o proper part, as occasion re-
quires. I am here to secure my rights,
sir"
I am easily embarrassed, and was in
this case. But said, with great en-
| thusiasm:
"My dear, you certainly shall; you
certainly shall"
AS she entered we were making an
equal division of the amount each one
was to contribute toward paying of
the Indebtedness. So we now proceed.
ed as we had begun: "Three goes into
300 just 100 times, and this is the
amount for each one of us"
had unwittingly fred magazine
In an instant Mrs. Toplight was on he1
feet, and light flashed from her eyes
that would have rivaled Edison's cleo.
trio light, and stream OF words rolled
from her mouth like the waters over
Niagara.
@You designing, wicked fellow, you
Do you think that I'll sit here and see
you rob the poor orphans OF my deal
dead father the way You are trying
and not say one word? I'll give you *
understand that I know my rights, Mr.
Squarem, and that I'll have to share
in this matter. I have paid $3.8'
to come here and stop thi
robbery, and I thank heaven that an
in time to do it. You unprinciplei
man, to try and rob the child that poo
father loved so much Esob, sobl. Ans
poor papa, If he had known, would hav,
madea win and given me SO much, ant
now [Oiit win kill mel my people
who should love his dear memory, ar
trying to steal from one of his mos
loving children. And"
| Here her feeling got the better o
her, and short ft Of Mysteries nearl,
frightened me to death; but as abe be