Daily Republican., 1884-07-07
nlaars,e QranAfntner QflIeeple.

| DlaAness Grandfather Gillespie.
Chris" Magss in The PIttsburg Dispatch.
Old Neal Gillespie, father-in-lsw of
Ephraim Blaine, the father Of Jim,
lived out in Washington County. He
was shrewd business man, we'll liked
BY his neighbors, but always consider.
cd little queer. One OF his favOrite
pranks was TO bitch . horse to his
sleigh In midsummer, throw in o lot
OF buffalo robes, and drive over to
Washington. l think the whole trou-
BILE with him was, that the more his
ing queer things, the more he would do
them. When his sons and daughters
married and left his roof, he gave each
one fine farm, and when his daugh-
ter married Eph. Blaine she shared like
the others, though Eph. hadn't very
much Of this worlds goods at the time.
Matters moved along for q good many
years. Eph. Blaine sold the farm his
father.in-law had given him and the
proceeds soon disappeared.
Old man Gillespie still carried on In
his queer ways until finally the sons
and sons-in. law petitioned court for o
luuacy commission in his behalf, as
they claimed the old gentleman was
mentally incapable of taking care of
his estate. The question came up be-
fore court for q hearing, but old Neal
Gillespie declined 10 have any attorney
and proceeded TO conduct his case him
self. Ephraim Blaine, his SON. In law,
was the first witness called. He went
exhaustively into the causes which led
the family to take the step they had
told about his father-in-law's crazy
ways, and was thon turned over to the
alleged lunatic for cross-examinatiOn.
"You are my son-in-law Eph. be-
lieve ."
eyes, sir )" responded Jim y father.
Did you get any dowry with my
daughter when you married her 2"
Yes, I did,"
"Tell the court what property you
had yourself when you we're married. -
The witness objected on the ground
that ir had nothing to do with the case.
"But I'll show you that it has, re-
sponded Gillespie. and to humor him
the Judge required Blaine to answer
the question.
swell, 1 didn't have anything
said the witness, reluctantly.
Now, tell me what became of the
farm gave you and my daughter when
you were mRrrl0u!
Ah-well-it has been sold."
"And where is the money!"
"Oh-it has been spent for household
and other purposes.
"Got any of 1t left now?"
mot very much"
"That will do" said the old man
with q twinkle In his eye. I'm done
with you for the present."
/ liz t-clr mn ha xr,stpooo ba,
son. in-law, and subjected him to thu
same excruciating cross-fire, and SO OF
to the end, the result with each relativ,
being the same. Ephraim Blaine wa
called up again.
.Eph. l want you to tell the Court i
my estate was diminished any when
gave part to you and your wife,"
eyes, sir; 1t was"
swell, since then, have l added to OF
kept ON di minishing it?"
az believe you have bought SOM
since them"
added several farms, and stocked
en-, too, have mt 2"
Eyes, SIR"
"You have sold your farm and 60
nothing left of it?"
Yes, SIR"
"And you want me declared
lunatic, and you take the management
Iof my estate"
"That's what we want the court Il
do, SIR"
The old fellow, tall, gannt and awk
J ward, arose in court, glared around Oh
the members of the family who Ia,
! wasted their substance, and yet wante
him adjudged lunatic, and blurte
out "Weli, you are all a fine set @
ducks to want to manage my estat
after you've squandered all of you
} Town." and he strobe from the court
J house In a towering rage. The Cour
refused to adjudge him lunatic, an
the sons and sons-in-law failed to &c
their fingers on the old mans property