Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-04-23

| / had already need not tell anybody
who knows places like Chatterbury-beer
Put in the position of being able to repor
the conversation between the two gentle
men in the coffee-room. They had no,
spoken in whispers, and the Old Swan had
key-holes and its waiter had ears. So
was not very much surprised when, in the
course of the evening, l received sum
mons to attend Miss Molloy.
| "Ah p said her doctor, who was dining
with me when the summons came. l re-
| port the exclamation, because it was
meant to mean great deal.
| =" hope and trust | find you better,
Miss Molloy," said 1, when l was shown
into her bedroom, which she had not left
for some weeks now.
mo, Mr.. Lake, you don't, said she.
81 didn't believe / was dying woman
three hours ago, but do now. Don't say
anything stupid. I've not lived such bad
life that I'm afraid and I've never been
afraid to face anything in my life except
marriage, and I'm not going to begin now. "
She was right /; with all her little oddities
she had been really good, if somewhat
hard-mannered woman. and always sin.
gularly brave one. Il know I'm dying
because the hawks and kites are abroad.
We used to keep a banshee in the old
times, and it's something between a Count
and a Major. Those poor silly sisters of
mine have been here bothering me to make
my will. And if you don't know what
that means, Mr. Lake, l do. 1t means
death. as sure as I'm lying here"
You mean to say that your sisters
have mentioned such thing?"
1t was really not case for common
phrases. Miss Molloy was-Miss Moiloy.
Not in words-no, poor things. But
there they sat and cried, and there was
nothing but Will-Will-Will, in every
tear. risn's them l blame, though us
not nice to be cried over that way. Twas
as much as could do not to say Won't
Won't-Won't; but I've always had the
wit to hold my tongue. All, Mr.. Lake,
since then I've been thinking how maybe
It's better to have somebody to drop real
tear over your own self. if It's half brandy,
and from Count or Major, than to have
lived in peace only to die all alone. But
that's FOOLS talk and l didn't ask We not
to talk like a stupid that ye might listen
the better to fool
"Surely," said l, ''you are not alone.
Lieutenant Steldl-Miss O'Birn-"
"Pooh who remembers dead aunt for
whole day, I'd like to know? Would l
want to make boy and girl cry before
their own troubles come? IT'S business l
sent we for. There's pens and paper. |
am going to make my will "
g | am sure you are right in that. | am
entirely at your service, Miss Molloy."
"Then," said she, s. | want you to draw
my will now No instructions mind, to be
drafted tomorrow. l might be dead by
then-who knows? My pains almost lett
me and that's bad sign, ii deaths bad
thing. 1t will be very short and very
simple. Take a sheet of the big foolscap-
that'll be plenty. Now write: This is
the last VIII and Testament OF Bridgita =
mind you spell it with ia, not da ;
and with only one t., mind for I'm par
ticular about that way, for tbs the way my
mother spelt II, right or wrong of Bird
gita Molloy, of CANTERBURY, in the county
OF whatever it was spinster ; praise
glory for that, anyhow But you needn't
put that in-the glory, mean 'Spinster:
give and bequeath to Rachel Andrews,
my housekeeper, the sum of $500,
free of legacy duty, and | request her
to take care of my dog Dash, know
ing that she will fulfill nv re-
quest according to the intention where
with | make the same. | give and be.
queath to every person who shall have been
in my service for one month preceding my
decease the amount OF one years wages |
give and bequeath to my friend, John Kir-
wan, of CANTERBURY, Doctor of Medicine,
the sum of $500 free of legacy duty. 1
give aud bequeath to my brother,in law
Ferentz Steldl the elder-is it all right so
far?''
"Quite. But how do you spell Fer
entz ?" asked l.
"'F, e, r, e, n, t, z'-Ferentz Steldl
The boys nane is Firentz, with an 81 l
won't have him bear his fathers name
My brother law, Ferentz Steldl, the
elder, the sum of shilling, free of legacy
duty, to buy Mountaineering. give and
bequeath to my brother. in-law, Fitzgerald
OBirn, the sum of l shilling, free of
legacy duty, to buy Mountaineering. l
give and bequeath to my dear nephew,
Firentz with an "i"-Steldl, lieutenant
in the army, the sum of fl,000. l give
and bequeath to Lucis Bridgita o Birn, my
niece, the sum of 81, 900. And al the
residue of my property, whether real or
personal, 1 give, bequeath and devise
to"
She paused. Up to this point she had
not needed my help, so expert she seemed
in the art of the testator.
"'Devise to, echoed l. "Well, Miss
Molloy ?" The residuary legatee was to be
the important parsonage for he or she
would come in for at least f25, 900, and
perhaps good deal more, after all debts
and legacies were paid.
But still she paused. All the rest had
been mere child's play.
"Mr. Lake." she said at last, " [ may
be dying but Pm not an old woman, and
might live for years. Now my sisters are
gone, l feel less like dying than l did
when [ sent for ye to make my will. I've
done all the justice need do ; and don t
want handsome party to be split up
that would be sort of shame. Neither
Firentz nor Lucis has any expectation of
getting what | have to leave, whatever
others may. It's for the sake OF the prop
erty that it must go into one hand. And,
Mr.. Lake, daren't trust the very walls OF
my bedroom with the name | choose. If l
was to ask you to write the name in my
will, / should have to speak it to you, and
for aught | know the Count or the Major
NAV have bribsd the nurse to listen at that
very door.
dHrite it down for me, then here is
the pen"
mo The paper might get dropped
about, and-no I'd rather you wouldn't
know the name. 1t isn't that don't trust
ye, but We might say it out in dream,
and your wife might hear it, and she might
let il out by some chance to somebody
who might talk about it in place like
Chatterbury, and then the Count or the
Major would get at the secret as sure as
ye're alive Aud then there's no counting
the villainies that wouldn't be done
they'd be trying to get me shut up in q
mad house, and forging and numbering
some one maybe any how there'd be n:
comfort in living, if l am to live any more
I've thought OF way to keep off all dan