The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1883-01-06
A MISPLACED KINDNESS.

On the death Of Colonel Laking no
M was more surprised at bis not hay
ing loft o will than Mr. Alfred Laking,
his nephew and heir nt-lnw. That gen
tlem1n had the lest reasons Tor know
Ing that his uncle was not well disposed
toward HMM fact, the Colonel had
refused 10 have ANYTHING to do with him
for some years past The truth was
that Alfred l.nking was once guilty 81
an net Of m%cnnness, which his uncle
never forgayc. aud. there ore, the tort
unata heir had not expected 10 benefit
by his nnclc's death But even out
slders, who knew nothing Of the cause
Of arrangement between the Colonel
aud his nephew. were amazed NJ the old
gentleman dying interstate. lie had ~
frequently expressed his determination
Of preventing his nephew from succeed
Ing TO his property. and had made so
many wills nj different times with that
object, that his intesiacy caused uni.
versai nstonishmcnt II was generally
supposed that his somewhat sudden
death had frustrated his teslamentary
intentions. or else that. at tho last mo-
menl he hnl realized the force Of tho
old adage that blood Is thicker than
water. aud had been content 10 permit
his nephew to Inherit by the ordinary
course Of law.
But while Mfr. Alfred Lhking received
the congratulations u his friends with
equanimity. and apparently acqulescod
In the general opinion that he was q
very lucky individual. he did not by amy
means feel secur Of his Inheritance.
His natural cunning. and his mean. sus.
pleions nature suggested the idea that
his uncle had not failed 10 take due pre-.
cautions 10 guard against the contln.
geney which had happened. He did not
bcllsge for an Instant that tho old mans
feelings had softenod toward him in his
last momenis. any sentiment approach.
Ing magnanimity being beyond the mar
row limits 81 his moral perceptions. IN
his heat Of hearts he felt convinced
that there was q will IN existence. and
that he owed his inheritance TO the nc.
cidental circumstance Of the documen,
having been mislald OF overlooked.
hut thaugh this iorebodlng possessed
him 70 strongly tina, Il amounted almos'
TO a m raj certainty. be took no stepst I,
yarty his suspicious On the contrary,
he carefully rcfrnined from doing any,
thing Of tho Kind. lilo did. indeed
stealthily aud In secret scrutlnike hi
uncle's papers. destroying all thos.
which contained suspicious memornn
da. hut he omitted 10 take the obyi
Gus course II advertising In the newspa
pcra. or applying TO the various lega
gentlemen whose seryices tohis knowl
edge his uncle hal from time 10 tim,
employed II. thought Il possible
probable, In fact-lhat ono OF thcs,
might be In possession Of . will; but he
could never snmmon mp courage 10 AJAX.
He kept the fact u the old mans death
as quiet NJ possible. 10, even announc.
Ing the event In the daily papers. liz
employed = strange solicitor 10 perform
the legal work connected with tho adj.
minisirailun Of tho estate. and. In short.
~endeasorcd 10 avoid publicity In every
way.
For the first few months of his uncle
death he was perpelually haunted by
the dread that his elaborate ~prccantion
would be thrown away. bat when a g q
had passed he began TO breathe more
fTe y. The chances were. hc thought,
that. u . will existed. II would have
turned up by this timc. or else Il would
probably rot away In IL hiding place.
Thu by degrees the phantom conlurud
up by his pusillanimous Imagination be.
came less appalling. until one day his
anxiety was revived by n very omlnous
Incident
A shabblly dressed. middle.aged man
called upon him. and said be hal nm i'm.
portant communication 10 make. He
gave the name ~ crnmber, aud ALFRED
Laking then reeolIectcd that ho was a
clerk In the office Of the solicitor whom
he had employed 10 wind up bis unele's
estate. This circumstance seemed m.
assuring, for Alfred Laking naturally
supposed the man had been sent with
some message from his master relatlns
10 busInsss matters.
Il presume Mr.. Baker asked ron 1,
csllf' he said. nsrsously.
mo. sir. the fact Il | len Mr.. Baker
Office some months ago. ! am st pres
ent In anpther situation" replied th'
III
s.whai Is your business. thenp' In
quired Mr.. Laking. with increased I'm
eosiuesa
4 suppose we are quite alone. sir
I'D c.nnat be overheardr' said IN,
- mSrterjou<is.