Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-04-12
THE FORGED WILL.


nv college chum, George Dickson,
and of course lost no time in look
ing him up.
Three years had passed since our
last meeting, but ten could have
scarcely produced change more
marked than had taken place in the
appearance and manner of my friend.
Our first greeting over, | lonsed to
ask the cause of my friends melan-
cboIy. ! felt sure, in due time, OF be-
ing made confdante of the secret
proyided no motive OF dellcacy
prompted its concealment.
That evening George told me MS
story. He had formed an attachment
with young lady, whose sraces OF
mind and person he portrayed with
all a lovers eloquence. She had re-
turned his affection, but her father
had opposed his suit; having set his
heart on the marriage of his daughter
to nephew of his.
This nephew was a young surgeon
of profigate character, my friend as
sured me-but that may have been
preiudice-who had long wooed his
cousin. tdwhom his efforts we're as
repucnant as to her father they were
acceptable.
Some months since Mr.. Parsons,
the Young lady's father, had gone in
Hamshire on business, accompanied
by his nephew. At southampton he
had been seized with a severe illness,
which terminated fatally in three
days.
On the day preceding his death he
had executed will containing a SOL
emu request that his daughter, to
whom he left the whole Of his estate,
should accept the hand of his nephew
in marriage, coupled with the provl-
sion that in case she refused within
a specified period to enter into the
proposed union, tue whole estate
should be forfeited to the nephew.
To sacrifice her fortune to. hel
hearts choice would not have cos
Julia Parsons moments hesitation
But her fathers dying request IN Ju
lia's eyes was sacred. 1t had surprls
ed and stunned her. it is true, for il
their conference Oh the subject he hat
never gone beyond the most kind,
circumstances, and had neve. hlnte'
at anything like coercion.
Young Parsons, the nephew, ha
not the magnanimity to foreso his un
generous advantage. He might hav
been content with his cousins forum
alone, but his right to that depende
on his offer and her rejection OF a
alliance which she felt in conscien(
bound to accept. The briefseas
grace. which she had been compelle
to beg even with tears, had alread
almost passed, and a few days wouJ
witness the condemnation of tN
lives to hopeless misery.
At the conclusion of my frieno
narrative, in which, for reasons tn
NAV hereafter be developed, telt
peculiar interest, and ] prevailed
him to accompany me to Il place
amusement.
When we reached the theatre t
performance had already begun, b
we succeeded in finding seat viii
commanded fine view of the sta
and the audience.
In a few minutes George touch
my elbow.
i.Obscrve the gentleman nearly
posite, in the front row, seated nj
TO the column he whispered.
looked in the direction indicat
and saw q face whose striking rese
blance to one had seen before eau
me TO start with enrprise.
"Who is it?" I asked
"Etheridge Parsons was therel
"The nephew
eyes -,
Does he resemble his uncleW /
on the point of inquiring, but W
the stranger drew the glove from
right hand and saw the first join
the middle finger was gone, acirc'
stance which for a sufficient rea'
absorbed my attention.
I0fE