Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1882-01-20

A Y, JANUARY 20, 1882.
nor out OF the least chance of getting my
money-cutting her off with shilling, as
! it is called
! Seeing you have no other relations
TOT wnom you care, do I understand you
wish the money left to charities?' I said,
not liking my task over well, for 1 had No
doubt shat if the poor daughter had been
there, she could have given quite differ
ent look to the love story.
10 charity3 No, hang charity he
cried with snort. L want it all given to
Henry Gunson, a cousin of mine in the
city. don't care twopence for him, but
hs once did me kindness. It's all the
same to me- who gets the money, so as they
don't get it. See?''
II did see perfectly, but thought would
try to alter his determination, for if one
thing displeases me more than another, it
is to be the means of carrying dissention
and hatred beyond the grave. Could he
l not, instead of trying to crush the young
imam who had married his daughter, try to
to lift him up? From his own account it
appeared that he was Woodworking, dill
gent fellow, toiing hard for his wife and
children. What more gould father wish
for his son-in-law? In word, l tried to
pour oil upon the waters, but l might as
well have poured it upon fire. The fury
of the old man increased, and was even
turned upon me when pointed out that
in commercial circles the cousin, Henry
Gunson, of whom he had spoken, was
locked upon with strong suspicion, owing
to an ugly bankruptcy case with which l
had to do. He remained unmoved.
'''I tell you it's all the same to me who
gets it,, he persisted. It's nothing to me
| whether the mans good or bad. Disobe-
dience in children must be punished, and
can't do better than enrich my own cous-
| in
Finding him so firmly resolved, prom
ised to have draft o. his will prepared.
md to send it to him for perusal by my con-
| fdential clerk, which was done the follow
ing week. The witnesses were clerks of
| my own. When signed, I was about to
place it with the other papers connected
| with his business, but the old man snap
| pishly told mo that he meant to keep that
himself, and accordingly it was handed to
| him.
'Two or three years passed, during
which time made large and frequent in
| vaSf ts for him Int ~ fur+ bor
was made of his will. One morning l re-
| ceived note from his housekeeper, telling
of his somewhat sudden death, and short
I ly after reading the note l was called upon
by the cousin, Henry Gunson.
II SIN good judge of faces and disliked
the man the moment saw him. He was
not hypocrite, and made no show of sham
grief at the death of his relative; on the
| contrary, he smiled, and appeared perfect
( ly jubilant at the stroke of good fortune.
"'You have heard, he said, L believe,
of my cousin 3 death, and came here be-
cause he once told me that, three or four
years ago, you had drawn up will in my
| favor
''All this was natural enough, but there
was something in the mans manner that
made me study his face closely. It SEEM
ed that under an appearance of simplicity
he was playing game. Yet what could
he DO playing? was forced to dismiss the
thought, and turn my attention to bust
| ness.
"'It is true that Mr.. Stokes did instruct
me to draw up such will. but he did NOT
intrusu the keeping of the document to
NO. answered. [ have the draft Of it,
and that is ALL
1.-The man looked startled, but the look
was not one of genuine surprise, and only
made me suspect him more strongly than
ever.
"'Where in the world can the will BOP
be said. Perhaps you could 60 out with
me and take charge of things, and see if
it can be found?'
"This was said with curious look into
my face, as if he had been saying to him
self, L wonder if he suspects me?' and,
contrary to my usual practice, resolved
to go in person instead of sending clerk.
"a cab which had been kept IN waiting
took US to the house, in which we found
the nurse who had attended the old man in
his last illness, and an elderly woman who
mad acted as housekeeper. The nurse was
not so stupid as many old-fashioned nur-
ses, and took occasion, during momenta-
ny absence of Gunson. to draw me aside
and say, L hope the old mans money
won't go to that man. He was here ever
50 often before Mr.. Stokes died, and they
quarreled hot, c.n tell you.'
'What did they quarrel about?' I ask
ed, with much interest.
I" L think that man asked for money,
saying l shall he ruined if cannot pay
did not hear all that was said, but it was
bitter while it lasted, and the old man had
me in with a fearful ring of tho bell, and
| told me to show that villain OUT
81 saw murder in his eye, he said, and
not penny of my money shall he ever
finger. l wish [ knew where my poor girl
lives. She should have it all, poor thing
Then he ordered me out of the room. and
| heard him shuttle across to the fire, and
when came back could see he had burn
ed somsthing I'M the frsplace-which, l
bslieye, sir, was the will
''No doubt the old max's days had been
shortened by the excitement from these
frequent quarrels. When a man of no
moral principles, like Gunson, is given an
interest in another's death, it is not at all
unlikely that he will try to hasten tho re-
moval Of all that stands between him and
a fortune-especially when he thinks 1t
can be done without danger OF discovery.