Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-10-27
ROBERT BRAMLEIGH'S WILL.


dence in railway accident case, and
was putting UP my papers with sigh
ofrelief Another forty minutes and |
should be at home. l could almost
smell the boiled capon and oyster
sauce which knew were being prepar-
ed for me. There's many a slip
'twixt the cup and the lip" says the
proverb; and in my case it proved only
too true for just as was tying up the
last bundle Of papers, the Office boy
put his head in at the door, and dis
PEELED the tempting vision.
"a woman to see you please, sir. She
won't give no name. Says she's stran-
ger"
"a lady p" 1 asked
80 no, sir"
what is she, them"
Arthur paused, rs if considering, and
then, with a look of intelligence, as
much as to say that he had hit the
nail on the head this time, he answer
ed "Well, she's y sort of betwixt and
between"
mot q bad definition, Arthur. Ask
the 'betwixt and between up stairs.
A tall, middle-aged woman entered
My visitor removed her gloves, and
carefully smoothing them, placed them
on the table beside her She then pro
duced from her pocket a large foolscap
envelope, from which she drew piece
of paper folded longways. This she
handed to me, explaining, in a hard,
monotonous voice, that she had been
sent to me by her master, Mr.. Robert
Bramleigh, of Coleman street, who was
dangerously ill-in fact was not expect
ed to live many hours. The paper,
she said, had been written by his direc-
ton, and signed by him for his will
that afternoon. Fearing lest it should
not be III proper form, he had de-
sired her to go to the nearest lawyer
and have one prepared according to
law
unfolded the paper and read as
follows:
In the name of God, Amen. | leave
my body to the ground and my soul to
the Almighty God who gave it. Now
this is the will of me, Robert BramleIgh,
of No. $50 Coleman street. give and
leave all my houses, lands, money, and
everything have, to Hannah ChurtOn,
long and faithful services. Signed by
me ON Tuesday, December II, 1868.
ROBERT BRAMLEIGH.
Witnesses-James Burn, Margaret
Sims.
| examined the writing carefully.
The signature, Robert Bramleigh, y
was weak and sharp The will itself
was written in a notwithstanding
hand of singular decision and boldness.
The characters were large and well
formed The will had evidently been
prepared by some one who had but an
imperfect knowledge of the form to be
used for such purpose. The solemn
appeal to the deity and the bequest OIL
the testator's body and soul was an old
form, much III vogue with our grand
fathers, who generally headed will
with one or two pious phrases.
The document shown to me was
however, sufficient to give Hannah
Churton all Mr. Bramleigh's property.
There were the requisite number Of
witnesses, and Principal Registrar oil
Her Maiesty's Court of Probate would
have granted letters of administration
with the will annexed (the appoint
ment of an executor having been omit,
ed, the ordinary probate could not have
been obtained) on one of the attesting
witnesses making an affdaoit that the
will had been executed by the testatOr
III the presence of himself and the 9th
er attesting witnesses and that they had
at the same time and in the presence
of each other subscribed their names
thereto as witnesses.
Now | am always very particular a.
bout wills; | think they are too serious
to be settled in hurry. | never will
allow client to execute one until | am
convinced that its purport is perfectly
understood.
you are Mrs. Churton, presume?
| asked.
81 am" she replied, looking me I'M
Ainchingly in the face. Somehow | felt
suspicious that things were not as fair
as they should be. | questioned her
rather closely, but the only admission |
obtained from her was that she had
written the will, but that it was at her
masters dictation. | offered to prepare
more formal document; but before
doing so declared that it was necessary
| should see Mr.. Bramleigh. / named
bue OIulSSlOn Oh lI1e appointment OF an
executor. This seemed to nCpplus her
She asked whether she could not be
named as eXecutrix. The more aver
sion she showed to my seeing her mas
ter the more convinced felt that some
thing MAS wrong; and seeing that l was
not to be moved from my purpose, she
at last gave in; proposing, however.
that | should accompany her back, as
she greatly feared it would be too late
if left till morning.
A cab took us to No, $50 Coleman
street. 1t was a large, old-fashioned
house, with a spacious entrance hall.
was taken into the dining room and
asked to wait while Mr. Bramleigh was
being prepared for my visit. The fur
niture in the room was old and massive.
Some handsome oil paintings graced
the walls. l am very fond of pictures,
SO, raising the lamp, l walked round
the room slowly inspecting them. On
the right of the fireplace | came upon
picture with its face turned toward the
wall. l turned the picture. 1t was the
portrait in oil of a young and very
beautiful girl in dark riding-habit.
Hearing footsteps outside the door, I
restored the picture to the position in