Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-04-20
The Miller's VIII.

The Miller's VIII.
Bedford Row is a spot that everybody
knows, but no one knows it better than Mr..
Manly, the famous solicitor.
People meeting him only on legal business
consider him dry, cautious man, far more
disposed to question than to answer or pass
an opinion; but at times he is very differ
ent. If on quiet evening there is only a
comfortable pair, or, at most, trio OF
friends present, Manly unbends, and at once
becomes the most genial and frank of hosts.
He can tell many stories of his curious ex-
periences and difficult cases.
"About the neatest and most curious case
of fraud ever handled" he said, Z" was in
connection with testy old client of mine, a
miller by trade lie had made a deal of
money, and didn't know what to do with it.
The mans name was Stokes-Matthew
Stokes.
Gone day he called upon me and said he
wanted to ask my opinion upon some mat
ter, but soon found he had made up his
mind what to do, and asking my opinion
was only his way of getting me to carry out
his ideas. He went into the story with
great energy and bitterness. He was worth
thousands, he said-that | knew-all in
vested, and his only heir was his daughter,
an only child, who had aggravated him by
clipping, and marrying one of his clerks
named Merely. The clerk was one of
those good-looking whipper-snappers, the
old man said with passion. Never could
see anything in him but impudence and
talk-a kind OF cleverness that would have
helped to make him good showman-but
she thought him heavenly; and after they
got to love each other, as he said, if his i'm.
,N,,1a 1,ft e, e. IL, 10
give him my daughter in marriage | 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 day found she had eloped, and the
next he sent me word they were married |
felt awfully, tell you, and could have killed
him If I'd met him that day, and her, too,
almost. They're miserably poor, that's one
comfort, though he's in place and does
copying at night, and they've some children
and lots Of trouble; so ought to be happy
if l amt But here's the danger I'm get
ting old, and my doctor says | might be
taken off suddenly, SO l want you to make
my will, strong and firm as you can make it,
doing her out of the least chance of getting
any money" cutting her off with shil-
ling" as it is called.
GO Seeing you've no other relations for
whom you care, do l understand you wish
the money left to charities p said, not lik-
ing my task over well, for l had no doubt
that if the poor daughter had been there she
could have given quite different look to
the love story.
"sTo charity2 No, hang charity he
cried, with snort. | want it all given to
Henry Gunson, cousin of mine in the city.
/ don't care twopence for him, and | know
little about him. but he once did me kind
ness. It's all the same to me who gets the
money, so as they don't get it. See 2
81 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, in
stead OF trying to crush the young marwh
married his daughter, try to lift him up?
From his own account it appeared that he
was Woodworking, diligent fellow, toling
hard for his wife and children. What more
could a father wish for his son-in-law? In a
word, tried to pour oil upon the waters
but might as well have poured it upon the
fire. The fury of the old man increased
and was even turned upon me when pointed
out that in commercial circles, the cousin
Henry Gunson, of whom he had spoken
was looked upon with strong suspicious
which had to do. He remained unmoved
"'I tell you it's all the same to me who
gets it, he persisted. ITS nothing to IN,
whether the mans good or bad. Disobedi
ence in children must be punished, and
can't do better than enrich my own cousin
Finding him so firmly resolved. prom
Used to have draft Of his will prepared
and to send it to him for perusal by my con
fdential clerk, which was done the follow
ing week. The witnesses were clerks of m
own. When signed, | was about to place i
with the other papers connected with hi
business, but the old man snappishly toll
me he meant to keep that himself, and az
cordingly it was handed to him.
1.-TWO or three years passed, during whic
time ! made large and frequent investment
for him, but no further mention was mad
of his will. One morning received not
from his housekeeper, telling of his SOM
what sudden death, and shortly after reat
ing the note was called upon by the cousin
Henry Gunson.
" am good Judge of faces, and dislike
the man the moment saw him. lie was n
hypocrite, and made no show of sham grit
at the death of his relative; on the contrar,
he smiled and appeared perfectly jubilant
the stroke of good fortune
"You have heard he said, Il believe,
my cousins death, and | came here becaui
he once told me that, three our four yea
since, you had drawn up will in my favor
AL this was natural enough, but the
was something in the mans manner tn
made me study his face closely. 1t SCENT
to me that under an appearance of smplici
he was playing deep game. Yet what gan
could he be playing? was forced to dismi
thetbought, and turn my attention to busine;
"'lt is true that Mr.. Stokes did instru
me to draw up such will, but he did II
intrust the keeping of the document TO IN
answered. Il have the draft of it, al
that is ALL
"The man looked startled, but the loc
was not one oil genuine surprise, and on
made me suspect more than ever.
"Where in the world can the will |
then p he said. Perhaps you could 90 o
with me and take charge Of things, and s
if it can be found =
"This was said with curious look in
my face, as ii he had been saying to himse
wonder il he suspects me 2 and, contra
to my usual practice, resolved to go
person instead of sending clerk
"a cab which he kept in waiting took
TO the house, In which we found the nun
who had attended the old man in his lime
and an elderly woman who had acted
housekeeper The nurse was not so stuI
as many old-fashioned nurses, and took
casion, during momentary absence of CT
son, to draw me aside aud say, . | hope |
old mans money won't go TO that man.
was here ever so often before Mr.. Stol
died, and they quarreled hot, can tell yc
"' What did they quarrel about p ask
with much interest.
"i think that man asked for money, fc
heard him say 81 shall be ruined ii | C
not pay" did not hear all that was So
but 1t was bitter while it lasted, and the
man called me in with fearful ring of
bell, and told me to show that villain out
81 saw murder in his eye,' he said, 4
not penny OF my money shall he ever
ger wish l knew where my poor
lives. She would have it all, poor thil
Then he ordered me out OF the room, an