Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-07-28
ROMANCE OF A WILL.
An Old Scotch Won N Who Becam,
an Heiress 10 Large
Fortune.
The story of Miser who Labored for
wealth and Got II and Died ina
Howell Out West.


was born In the village of Knove, wIgton-
shire, Scotland. There his ancestors had
resided for centuries. His father was q
souter or shoemaker, and dwelt in the
humble cottage where he was born. II
the ancient villagers who remembered
her are TO be credited, Williams grand
mother had the reputation Of having been
great beauty in her younger days. Ac-
cording to a custom which long prevailed
In some parts of Scotland, she was gener-
ally known by her maiden name, Rachel
McFladgett. Her husband, williams
grandfather, was cattle drover, and was
accustomed to visit the north of Ireland
In the pursuit of Lis business. lie had to
work hard for his money, and was careful
OF II, never spending an unnecessary baw-
bee. One Halloween, while iourneying
afoot In the north of Ireland, he took up
his quarters for the night In hayloft,a and,
being fatigued with the labors Of the day,
soon fell into sound sleep. While he
slept he had vision of lovely maiden
with whom he held sweet converse. Just
as he was about to propose marriage he
awoke and behold IL was dream
AT early dawn he arose and drove his
herd to the neighboriDg town. Leaving
the cattle In the charge Of his assistants,
he went to an inn to refresh himself.
A lovely barmald was the attendant, and
In her he recognized the counterpart of
the girl whom he had seen In his dreams.
He fingered at the inn and in the town,
and visited 1t yet once more. Then he
proposed to the beautiful barmaid and
was accepted. He welded her and car.
RED her home to Wigtonshire in triumph,
when she became famous among the coun-
tryfelk for her loneliness and domestic
skill.
William Mackie, the grandson of the
barmaid, was put to learn the trade of
mason. He was steady and attentive,
and when his apprenticeship was over he
| resolved to visit foreign parts and seek
his fortune. In 1856 ne came to this
country. He passed away and out of
sight Of his friends, and nothing was ever
heard of him until four years ago, when
he died in howell, by courtesy styled a
hotel, on the frontier of Nebraska. Pneu-
monia was the fatal malady, and the doc
/ tor who attended him said that his death
was fastened by his misery closeness, as
he had evidently denied himself the COM
mon necessaries of life. At this time, as
subsequently ascertained, William Mackie
was worth from $3.50, 900 to s250,000.
William Mackie used often to visit
Brooklyn, and, when he did, stayed on
Nostrand avenue. While here in 1874 he
made will, leaving one-half of his estate
to his brother, Alexander, aud the other
half to his niece, Mary, the daughter of
his brother James. A Brooklyn gentle
man, julius Davenport, was executor.
Soon after Williams death Hezekiah
Trimmer, resident OF a small hamlet in
the West of New Jersey, brought an ac-
tion against the estate to recover $4,000
for board and lodging furnished to him
during period OF nineteen years. The
suit was sent to referee for trial The
testimany showed that Mackie resided
with the plaintiff and his wife, who were
in very humble circumstances and OF linn
| tied intelligence, while he was engaged
In carry out certain contracts for building
railroad bridges and doing stone work In
New Jersey and Ohio IL was testified
that he had promised to buy Hezekiah a
$1,000 farm in New Jersey, but had
failed to keep his word. Nevertheless,
though receiving no pay, they continued
to furnish Mackie with board and lodg-
ing, for they knew that he was making
money on his contracts and spending
nothing, and so hoped to be remembered
in his will. AS soon as the plaintiff found
that Mackie had not even mentioned his
name in the document he began the action.
The referee found In his favor and he re-
covered Judgment for $4,000
AS positively nothing was known by the
executor Of Mackie's relatives he made
dillgent inquiry through the mail and by
the aid of the lawyers In Scotland. All
| fad aud fha rnnngal for
the executor paid visit to Scotland. He
passed some days in the counties of Wig.
ton and Kirkudbright and saw strange
sights. Through brake and over moor ne
wendell his way, searching through strag-
Cling hamlets and venturing into lonely
cottages among the heather and by the
water courses, in pursuit OF information
Often he sat on a Guilty stool while some
old gossip crooned of in strange lingo q
story of the olden time, waiting patiently
for some small part which would besr
upon the object OF his mission. In this
wav he heard the story of Rachel Nc
Fladgett and what had become OF the rel
atiyes of the dead miser on this side the
ocean. The only survivor, he found, was
the illegitlmate daughter OF Whllam'
brother James. She was little shrlv-
eled old woman OF seventy ana lived IN q
small matched cabin on the bank OF the
River Cree, in Kirkudbrightshire 1t was
learned that when this old woman was
born, James, her father, ran away for feai
he should be disciplined by the Kirk FOL
falling from grace, and thereupon James
father took the child aud raised her
This is me niece referred to in the Will o
William Mackie, and the reader will o'
pleased to know that she has got Their share
Of the estate. Other relatives were hard
er to find and several years elapsed be-
fore they were discovered. Finally every
thing was satisfactorily cleared up anC
the last of the estate OF William Mackl'
has lust been transmitted to Scotland.
one sentence, and the story is told ole.
After William Mackie's miserable dealt
in desolate spot and attended only by
strangers, his executor in Brooklyn re
ceived 4 letter from an old lady in Scot
land. She inquired kindly after , the las Ss,
DAYS of the miser, and asked whether mel
name was mentioned in the Will. II wa
disclosed afterward that the old lady anc