The Dawson journal., 1884-01-10

John.
The judge and / had been driving out
some miles in the afternoon, and coming
home in the twilight, passed substan-
tial-looking, though very old farm house.
with comfortable barns and out-build-
ings, indicating well-to-d householder.
The rich bottom lands which stretched
away half mile from the river to the
hill slopes, covered with abundant birch
and maple were luxuriant with grain
and corn.
That evening, when we were sitting in
the library, after dinner. smoking and
chatting, l asked the Judge:
'To whom does that farm we passed
on the level belong
When 1 asked him the question, the
Judge laughed outright, and after mo-
ment's pause, said: 81 will tell you
story.
Gone stormy, winter night, after mid
night l was sitting here reading, the rest
of the family having gone to sleep long
before, when old DR.. Strong thundered
at the door. knocker, and made noise
enough to wake the Seven SIeepers. 1t
is way he has, and neither my wife
nor the girls, who were reused out of
slumber, nor myself, had any question
who was at the door. Ilet him in myself.
and tempest of wind and snow with
him. The blast that drove him into nv
arms also put out the hall lights, whirled
into the library, and fared the reading
lamp so that it broke the chimney, and
blazed up to colored tissue.paper
affair which Susie had put over the
shade, set it on fire, and for moment
threatened a general confagration of
papers and books on the table.
Shut the door yourself, I shouted,
and rushed back here to put out the
fire. That done, went back and found
the old doctor out of breath, in the
dark, trying to shut the door against
the wind. 1t took the strength Of both
of us to do it. Then told him to find
his way to the library, for he knew it,
and l went off in search of another
lamp.
"When 1 came back, he was just re-
covering his wind, and after gasp or
two, told me his errand. odd Mrs.
Norton is dying. She can't live till
morning. She's alive now only on stimu
lants. She wants to make will, and /
have come for you.'
ga nice night 1 said, for two
mile drive to make will for a woman
who hasn't cent in the world to leave.
Why didn't you tell her SO, and have
done with it?'
"'Now, look here, said the doctor,
this is case of an old woman, and an
old neighbor and a friend, and she
wants you to do something for her, and
you'll do it, if it is only to comfort her
last hours. Get your things and come
with me. We shall not find her alive if
you don't hurry, and you'll be sorry if
that happens.
"The upshot of it was that l went.
We had fearful drive out to the farm
house on the fist, which you are asking
about. Mrs. Norton was the widow of
John Norton, who died forty odd years
before this. John Norton, when he
married her, was a widower with Gne
son, John. He was man of considera-
BILE property, and when he died left q
widow, that son John by his first wife,
and two sons by his second wife. The
older son, John, had never been on very
warm terms with his stepmother, and
for some years had had no intercourse
, with the family.
81 found the old lady lying in the big
room, on great bedstead on one side
, Of the room, opposite to the broad chin
I ney, In which was a roaring fire, the
only light in the room. After the doc
tor had spoken to her and administered
something, stimulant, 1 suppose, he
came over to me and said in a whisper,
Hurry up, she's very weak
81 had brought paper and pen and
ink with me, found a stand and a
candle, placed them at the head of the
bed, and after saying few
words to her, told her 1 was ready to
prepare the will, if she would now go on
and tell me what she wanted me to do.
wrote the Introductory phrase rapidly,
and leaning over toward her said
Now go on, Mrs. Norton Her voice
was quite faint, and she seemed to speak
with an effort. She said: First of all
/ want to give the farm to my sons,
Harry and James; just put that down.
But, said I, you can't do that, Mrs.
Norton; the farm isn't yours to give
away
"The farm isn't mine she said in
a voice decidedly stronger than before.
"'No, the farm isn't yours. You
have only life interest in it,
"'This farm that I've run for goin' on
forty-three year next spring isn't mine
to do what please with it Why not.
ludge9 I'd like to know what you
mean?'
"'Why, Mr.. Norton. your husband,
gave you life estate in all his property,
and on your death the property gees to
his son John, and your children get the
village houses
"'And when I die John Norton is to
have this house and farm whether will
or no.
Just so. 1t will be his