Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-10-30

Ddu SAUL lftli uiNiN 'h"'' ""'Nj
after all, disapproved Of cu' mar
riage, and changed his mind after
| had gone away. But no matter,
we can be happy without the mon'
ey, dear, can we not ?
And Philip, brave fellow, loving
" responded, 'We shall forget all
about it, ft.,l
Poor man! He tried to forget,
but it was hard to-do-so, 4
He had counted on Uncle ReuePs
money for many improvements on
the farm, and they we're badly
needed. The old place had run
down gradually until, to put it in
good order, it would require more
dollars than it was possible for him
to acquire in many years.
Autumn came. Harvesting was
done. The proceeds of the farm
had sold for scarcely more than
sufficient money to take them over
the winter by the practice OF great
economy.
81 shall be busy at the clearing
till late said Philip, one day, as he
shouldered his AK and started OIL.
While busily engaged in telling
tall poplar tree, he did not notice
the approach of tramp.
The latter had come up lazily,
and now sat watching the young
farmer, as he welded the AK and
speedily cut through the tree trunk
AS Philip dealt the last blow and
lodged aside to be free from dan
ger from the falling tree, his eye
caught sight of the tramp.
The unthlnking fellow had seat
ed himself on the lower end OF a log
which extended over a wood-plle.
It's upper end reached far enough
beyond the edge of the wood'pile
to he in the way of the fall OF the
poplar tree, which was already
swaying.
Philip saw the mans dangerous
position, and shouted:
Look out, there. jump Quick
But the tramp paid no heed to the
warning.
The poplar tree descended, aud
in its mighty fall it struck the end
of the log extending over the
wood.pilc, with tremendous force.
Instantly the tramp was lifted IN
the air fifty feet or more, and when
he struck the earth all that was
left of him was a mangled corpse.
Philip Devlin was horrorstrlck-
en-. He hastened to the PROSTATE
man, but was soon convinced that
the miserable fellow was past help.
He summoned his nearest neigh
bors. The news OF the accident
spread quickly.
Before the day was ended the
coroner had summoned Jury, and
they had brought IN their verdict
of Accidentally killed.
Nothing was found upon the
dead man by which he could be
identified, bnt in oheof his pockets
the coroner discovered a large
dirty edged envelope containing a
document.
He opened it and read aloud /;
Last will and testament of Reuel
Tracy .
Philip listened, thunder-struck.
He gazed first at the paper, then
at the coroner.
May 10th, 1885, resumed the
coroner.
Philip reached forward. LET
me see that paper said he.
The coroner besitated an instant,
as if in deep thought, then a
| broad smile irradiated his broad
face.
He handed the document to
Philip. 1T concerns you, my dear
friend he said. Il can trust you
with it until l need it again
Philip Devlin broke away from
the assembled group and ran to the
house.
Il He arrived there almost breath
less.
sLulrl Lulu have found it
he exclaimed, like a boy would
. shout in glee.
And succeeding investigation
proved that he had, indeed, foun'
, the missing will, which made LulI
helress to the Tracy estates, in
stead of Alice aud her brothers.
= The old lawyer was telegraphed
He came from Cincinnati, opene'
a the will, and declared it to be the
o. one he had believed to be in exist
a ence.
III The mystery was easily e1
,t planned shortly afterward.
ar Just after Lulu's last visit to he
"a uncle, he had secretly made thi
n. will and placed it in a sealed Ell
velope on his table. M
of A few nights later the house ha'
10 been entered by burglars, an
8. several valuable articles had bee
8, taken from the lower rooms. Bu
ne nothing had been disturbed in tn
~ lnvalid's room, and he had nc
ye beed informed Of the burglary.
tol ',fhe thieves had been scare
IS. away before having tiheto secut
All bany articles, but it was cvider
A. i L. - ~ tba,,o mara adttanfurnr