The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1882-10-14
OLD POPPLEwELps WILL.

u was goat shock IN the feeling
OF Mr. sllas lopplewcll 70 discover tha
his father had be- ueathol a legacy o
tRVnO to his house. keeper. a certnit
MIS-. Drayeott The won u hal en-
'ernd the Old man service Only ahon
n year before his death. and Ii thor
had been anything rmarkabls IL hi
dcmoanor toward him. il consisted
rather Of scant courtesy and want %
attention. she had never apparuntl,
male the slightest attempt TO ingratl
ate herself with her master. who. on
his part, had always seemed TO regard
his attendant with calm indiHer. ace.
hut Silas felt douhly aggricycd becaus.
his father had scrupnlousy concealed
rom Inn that be had made q viii. leav.
my him to be icve that he was Bound
to inherit everyth ny as next to On
heir at-law.
silas Popplewcll came across the will
quite unexpectedly while going through
The old mans papers a few hours after
his dcceasc. The document appeared
to be perfectly legal, and had evidently
been prepared by n solicitor. whose
name was appended Ms onc Of the wit.
nesscs TO the testator's Signature TX.
eept the legacy of the housrkecper. il
lett everything TO Sila, p%opplcwell. and
appointed him solo executor. Consll.
ering that old Joseph Pcpplcwcll wa.
reputcd to be a wealthy man. most Der.
sens in Silas' position would not hive
suffered the unexpected legacy TO dis.
turb their cqhnnimity. But Silas Pom
piewcil was n Of those mean, grasp.
ny, alaricious individuals who cannot
Tear the though; Of losing ANYTHING.
lilo considered he was both legal and
mornlly entitled 10 The whole Of nj.
fathers property. aud regarded the
legacy 10 Mrs. Drayoolt a. a fraud upon
hts Just rights He was the cfare,
overwhelmed with rage and 4 sappolnt.
meni. aud WORKED h mscli into A per.
iect fever OF yirtncus indignation.
In the m DIST 81 his tribnlat,ons Il sud.
denly occurred 10 b m TINT but for tho
sheet of paper which be held in his hand
he would GA richer man by two thou.
sand pounds sterling. Thf. emincntly
practical view OF the situation aroused
his worst passions. and he soon found
himself wondering what would pruba.
hil happen 4 the will were not forth.
coming. suppos ng. for instan G, he
were to leave the document where he
found u and say nothing to anybodyl
The chances wcn. be thought. that the
ho1sekecper would believe the te.tator
had revoked il, assuming she had yer
uccn aware Of lis existence while Il
wa, IN ie poss BILE. CONSIDER n q his late
ia'hers habitual re~ticcnce concerning
rs ahairs, that the woman suspected
n"'hing. II The worst happened. and A
nue. and CRY were naised. the will could
u. eonsen emily found; or better still.
who could gansay b m Il be were tn do.
clare boldly that b father had dclibcr.
ately destroyed the will In his prescncoP
such nsidions reflections as these ara
apt 70 blunt . mans moral perceptions.
especially when be Is lab)ring under a
Nee n 81 injustice. Silas Popple.
wells standard Of morality was no, a
high one. and he would any day sooner
have done n shabby trick than lose A
sSpcnee. The consequence was that
alter a ! tllo hesitation he yielded to m
uncomfortable impulse. and consigned
the obnoxious will TO the flames.
When the paper was reduced 10 ash.
Is, Silas suddenly awoke to tho fact that
he had committed n felony and n.
dered himself abe 10 penal seryitude.
lie turned deadly pale when he thought
OF tbs sagreeai lc contingency. and
ior \ moment was incl ned 10 repcut of
what be had done. But when no 70.
hecicd that b : wicked act hal not bern
Witnessed by amy mortal eyes. while the
only ey dence Of bis guilt tie chafred
papers wa rapidly disappearing nm
the chimney, be soon recovered hfs
spirits, Having waited patlenil, until
therc was no longer any trace len ey n
OF the ashcs Of the will. he locked M the
strong box In which h. had found /, and
ieli the room, feeling tolerably easy Ia
his m nd.
Nothing occurred during the nextfew
lays TO arouse Silas Popplewclf sappr.
tensions. aud as ho was not troubled
with = conscience he began to conyratn.
late himself uron tho decisive s,ep he
had taken. Tho h~ousekeepsr wen,
about her DUTIES as usual. anil did mo-,
seem to trouble her head a. 10 whcthe.
her master had len win or not. fran
which silas gathered with heartfelt SAT,
rfaetion that she knew moth MO abou,
her legacy. lilo could not refrain. how.
ever. from watching her f~uftiyely
knowing what he did OF his father IN,
tenuons towards her. She was a ,nl
gar. l~llitsra,e, elderly woman. singu
larry devoid Of personal attraction. AMI
apparently not possessed Of much in
telilxcnce- VII le striving IN vain !,
account for his fathers extnordInar,
prcdilcciion for her ~ manifestedby M
VIII, silas was struck BY an expression
Of determination on tho woman's IA,
which seemed 70 Indicate q desperate
c~hssscter. lic began 10 suspect tina
che he'd forged the will BY The aid Of nc
eoazp!'ec< and was waiting with calm
- ~ t<ue Of her Vaccinations
= - - dnuned 10 disappointment
.l|en and be chuckled a IN
= HnslnE frustrated snch an In
- az d she funeral arr,se.
IIIr|T urx<o1s -ni u....,