The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-01-04
A MISPLACED KINDNESS.

On the death of Colonel Laking no
one was more surprised ut his not hav-
ing left will than Mr.. Alfred Laking,
his nephew and heir. at-law. That gen
tlemIn had the hest reasons for know
ing that his uncle was not well disposed
toward HMM fact, the Colonel had
refused to have ANYTHING to do with him
for some years past The truth was
that Alfred Lakjng was once guilty OF
an act of meanness, which his uncle
never forgave. and, there ore, the fort
innate her had not expected to benefit
by his unclc's death. But even out
sidcrs, who knew nothing Of the cause
of estranrement between the Colonel
and his nephew, were amazed ut the old
gentleman dying intestate He had SO
frequently expressed his determination
of preventing his nephew from succeed
ing TO his property, and had made 50
many wills at different times with that
object, that his intcstacy caused uni
versal aStOnishmcnt Ii was generally
supposed that his somewhat sudden
death had frustrated his tcstamentary
intentions, or else that, at the last mo-
mcnt, he had realized The force of the
old adage that blood is thicker than
water, aud had been content TO permit
his nephew TO inherit by the ordinary
course of law.
But while Mr.. Alfred Laling received
the congratulations of his friends with
cquanimity, aud apparently acquiesced
in the general opinion that he was a
very lucky individual. he did not bv any
means feel secure of his inheritance.
His natural cunning, and his mean, sus-
picious nature suggested the idea that
his uncle had not failed TO take due pre-
cautions to guard against the Contin-
gcncy which had happened. lie did not
believe for an instant that the old man S
feelings had SOftcucd toward him in his
last moments, any sentiment approach
ING maguanimitv being beyond the mar
row limits of his moral perceptions. In
his heat of hearts he felt convinced
that there was a viii i'm existence, and
that nc owed his inheritance 20 the nc
CidCntal circUm stance of the document
having been mislaid or overlooked.
But th ugh this forcboding possessed
him so strongly that it amounted alm1S
to a m raj certainty, he took no steps TO
verify his suspicious. On the contrary,
he carefully RETAINED from doing any
thing of the kind. He did, indeed,
stealthily and i'm secret ScUutiuiEc his
Unclc's papers, destroying all those
which contained suspicious mcmoran-
da But he omitted 90 take the obyi-
Gus course of advertising in the nowspa-
pers, or applying to the various legal
gentlemen whose services to his kuOwl-
edge his uncle had from time TO time
employed lie thought il possible
probable. i'm fact-that one OF these
might be in possession of viii; but he
could never summon mp courage to ask
He kept the fact of the old mans death
rs quiet rs possible, not even annomc-
q ]. H.. q.
employed a strange solicitor to perform
the legal work connected with the adj
miniStratiou of the estate and. in short,
cndcayorcd to avoid publicity in every
way.
For the first fcwmonths of his uncle S
death he was pcrpetua'ly haunted 10y
the dread that his elaborate preCautiou
would be thrown away; but when q year
had passed he began TO breathe more
FIRE ~. The chances were, he thought,
that. If "a will existed, it would have
turned up by this time, or else il would
probably rot away in its hiding place.
Thus hy degrees the phantom con- ured
mp by his pusillanjmous imagination be-
came less appalling, until one day his
anxiety was revived by very ominOus
incident:
A shabbilv dressed, middle-aged man
called upon him. and said he had an inn
portant communication to make. He
cave the name of CrumhCr, and Alfred
Lakinw then rccollectcd that he was q
clerk i'm the Office of the solicitor whom
hc had employed to wind mp his uncle S
estate. This circumstance seemed re-
assuring, for Alfred Lakiug naturally
supposed the man had been sent with
some message from his master relating
TO business matters.
Il presume Mr. Baker asked YOU to
Call?N he said, nervously.
mo. sir: the fact is | left Mr.. Baker $
Office some months ago. l am at pres
Cut in another situation replied the
man.
What is your business, thcn?' i'm
CURED Mr. Laking, with increased I'M
Casincss.
Il suppose we are quite alone, sir,
and cannot be overheard@' said the
man, mysteriouslv.
you can speak out, though l cannot
imagine what Won can have to say that
is so important" returned Mr. Laking,
glancing 10 see that the door was
closed.
'.When left Mr.. Bakers office TOOK
a situation with another solicitor = said
Crumbcr, lowering his voice. "lhe
gentleman | am now with is Mr.. Mayne,
OF Lincoln s-inn-felds. l don't know
whether YOU ever heard of him, sir?
Alfred ] aking started, and turned
deadly pale. 10 happened to know