The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-05-24
The Disappointed Heirs.

GENERAL SIDNEY was In many
" respects singular old man; but for
all this he was noble, true hearted and
generous. Though only fifty-fve, he
has survived his wife and three children
and was alone in the world, unless two
rival nephews, who were contending for
the hundred thousand the General had
to leave, when he died, might be regard
ed as the companions of his pilgrimage.
They certainly were very devoted to
him, and everything which friends
could do for his comfort-except love
and esteem him.
The existence of hundred thousand
dollars is "a sad damper upon any feeling
of dsnterestedness which pious heirs
desire to exhibit. John Sidney and
Joseph Boyles no doubt tried to be dis
interested in their devotion to their rich
uncle, and If he had been poor man
they might have found it quite easy to
he so. They were cousins, and both
members of the same church. If they
tried to love each other, in obedience to
the divine command, they did not sue
ceed very well, for even a superficial
observer might have seen through the
shallow protestations of affection which
were constantly interchanged between
them.
General Sidney was not very close
observer, and probably knew less of the
real character of his nephews than any
man in their circle of acquaintance.
But, superficial as was his observation,
he had succeeded in finding out John
Sidney. Either the pious heir expectant
lacked in shrewdness, or fortune desert
ed him, for his rich uncle suddenly
turned against him. In vain John tried
TO conciliate him-the General was as
stubborn as mule, and would not in
terpret any of his kindly offices as the
evidence of genuine esteem.
When the heart of the rich man had
banished one of his nephews, the other
more perfectly filled it. AS John Sidney
was hated, so John Boyles was loved.
The former presevered in his attempts
to win back the lost favor, and the latter
as persistcntly labored to defeat his
intentions.
The old gentleman's health began to
fail him, and as he was denied the
privilege of going abroad, Boyles was
untiring in his efforts to make him
comfortable and contented at home.
Every forenoon he went up to the in
valid's room and read the morning
papers to him, informing him of the
condition of stocks and the market gen.
orally, and related all the gossip and
scandal afloat in the street. In the
evening he visited him again, read the
evening papers, told him funny stories
and never left him until he had seen
him comfortably in bed for the night.
Joseph Boyles was a shrewd person, and
fully comprehended the nature OF his
position.
1t was surmised that the General had
recently made will, and the favored
nephew was satisfied that he had won
the victory. His uncle seemed to. dote
upon him, and he certainly needed no
assurance of the esteem in which he
was held.
The General grew worse, and Boyles
spent nearly all this time with him.
Protesting the deepest solicitude for his
health he urged various remedies upon
him, all of which his uncle adopted
with implicit faith in their efficiency;
but in spite of Boyles' specifics, and
even the prescriptions, he continued to
fail, and finally dropped off suddenly
so unexpectedly, in fact, that no one
knew when the breath left his body.
The work of Joseph Boyles was fin
ished. His uncle was dead, and he had
every reason to suppose he should in
herit his princely fortune. There was
no longer any occasion to dissemble,
and after l had put the body in the
coffin, on the evening of his death,
was not little surprised to be informed
that the funeral would take place at
eleven o'clock on the following day.
Boyles said the heat of the weather
would not permit us to keep the corpse
another day, and though L differed in
opinion with him, made no objections.
Boyles was stingy man, proverbially
so, and the arrangements for the funeral
were very simple. Even the coffin was
a cheap affair, and only four carriages
were provided for the occasion. But
General Sidney was dead and could find
no fault with the simplicity of his burial
ceremonies. He was put in the family
tnAAnh nnAl khla L. l.