Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1882-06-03


What is your daughters name p
"She is not a daughter !" she an
swered, with the slightest token of a
gathering animation in her voice.
"Ah, yes; just SO r said I, ner-
vously fumbling with the paper.
"She's your atep-daughter."
Eyes, sir"
"What is her uame2 You see, !
must mention it.
"Mabel Cecil, she haughtily spoke,
"a deuced pretty nsme" I re-
marked to myself. l wonder why
she wants to stumble so over pro-
nouncing it?' And then tried to
forget all about it, as I took up my
pen and began al All
pardon me, madam, but what's your
husbands name ?"
What fools you men are when a
little excited, especially young men,
more especially young lawyers, cit
ting up with an early case.
Robert E. Cecil"
II, Robert E. Cecil, of the County
of Herkimer, and State Of, dc
make and publish this my last will
and testament.
81 give, bequeath and devise to my
dearly beloved wife"
"Ah pardon, madam, but what is
your name?"
"Lucy L. Cecil"
ITO my beloved wife, Lucy L.
Cecil, all my real and personal prop
erty of whatsoever kind or nature,
after The payment of all my just debts,
and hereby commit to her guardian
ship my only child, Mabel Cecil, for
whom there shall be made such al
lowance and maintenance as my be-
loved wife may see fit.
"And I hereby appoint Lucy L.
Cecil my sole oxecutrix of this my
last will and testament, hereby revok-
ing all former wills by me made.
"In witness whereof I have hereun-
to set my hand, this third day of No
vember, A. D., 1877"
"I suppose you understand" I un-
dertook to explain, "thst this will
vests all your husbands property in
you, as to leave your daughters
allowance to your own discretion
is to leave her at law nothing in her
own right. The provision is, in short,
meaningless, except that it shows
that the testator had her in his mind
when he made his will. and so fal
makes it all the more binding"
EXACTLY !" she spoke with anima-
tion, and then, seeming to recall her.
self, added: "It's his wish, ard ]
shall see that you are well paid fol
your trouble and counsel-the car.
riags will be here very SOON" And
she had gone as quietly as she came,
The remark about payment had en-
tered very threadbare coat, aud
struck right home.
"But it's too mean, all the same,
pay or no pay" growled. "To cut
that girl off that way, without a cent
But it's the old story, and I can't
help itr as I sank back with philo-
sophical smile on my face.
Then--just in sport, in fit of ma
lignant satisfaction-I took up the
second sheet of legal cap, and scrib'
bled thereon, with formal opening
and close, that this sams Robert E.
Cecil gave all his property to his
dearly beloved daughter, Nab 81 Cecil
and left the lady of the vel where
the law found her.
"But such is the history Of the
world |" 1 concluded so.emnly, "eve,
such; and what gulf, deep, inspas,
sable, between what ought to be and
what is. How I should like to bridge
it over And buttoned up my coat
and walking to the window, imagined
l could see through the darkness, the
coming OF the carriage of M adam
Cecil.
The time dragged slowly, very
slowly, and never felt more genuine
relief in hearing heavy wheels grind
ing through the mud and slush, and
a knock at the door to notit'J me that
all was ready.
I sprang into the carriage, and