Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-01-27

she Crl0O, IL Is YOU WuOu expect TO
make me this happy home!"
Mr. Fox, however, simply shrugged
his shoulders, saying; 81 do not deny
that [ may have once had such ideas,
but of late Ihavegr grown wiser. Every
thing alters in this world; why, then,
should our opinions not do the same
That is what we call progress"
Upon this he bowed and left Miss
Nellie crying and fainting in an arm
chair.
He did not hear anything of her till
q few days later, when a gentleman
called upon him saying that he had
been entrusted with Miss Nellie Browns
affairs, and suggested that perhaps
Mr. Fox, before they went further,
would prefer making some private ar
rangement about his breach of promise
of marriage with his client.
"And what proof Of that promise
has Miss Brown except her saying SO ?"
asked Mr.. Fox.
"Oh," answered the young man, ri
have seen q box full of letters from
you"
"Have you read then?" continued
Mr.. Fox sarcastically.
"Not yet, replied the other; ''but
have seen the box"
"Well, you had better go and read
them first before you take any fur
Their steps, and if you can find q single
line from me to Miss Brown [ am quite
willing to let her have ample damages
without their being awarded by a
court of law"
10
about Mr.. Fox that the young defend
er of innocence found it best to retire
for the present, leaving his opponent
to rub his hands triumphantly and
build castles in the air about the
country seat and the horses and car
riages he was going to buy in order to
dazzle Miss Laquerton, whom he felt
justified in seriously thinking about
now.
Miss Nellie had meanwhile been in
formed of the conversation at Mr..
Fox's Office, and, with an indignant
exclamation about "such Incredible
untruths," she went to fetch her letter
box. There, sure enough, were the let
tiers, all in little packets, neatly tied
up in blue and pink ribbons; but,
strange to say, she could not see an
address; and, oh, heavens! when she
undid the packets, they contained
nothing but paper-all white paper,
without a single word on it. The willy
lawyer had evidently deceived her by
some demoniacal trick.
The shock was so great to the poor
love sick lady that she had scarcely
the courage to show herself when the
will was to be read; but she rallied at
last, hoping against hope that it might
still be in her favor, when she could
treat with scorn and contempt her
faithless lover and his paltry dam
ages.
Mr. Fox, although he considered
himself already master of the house
and everything in it, felt considerably
excited on the morning of the day APP
pointed for the reading of the will, and
when Mr.. Plumley, as chief executor,
sat down and slowly got his pectacles
out, his junior partner came over so
faint and his heart futtered to such
an extent that he fancied all his hopes
and beautiful castles IN the air were
crumbling away in q dream. Why did
not his old friend at once read the doc
ument? Why did he make the sus-
pense so unbearably long?. Why did
he continue to stare first at the paper
in his hand, then at those around him,
and then once more at the paper,
without uttering single word? And
then at last, when he did speak, why
did he stammer, "'I-I do not know; |
see nothing-in fact, it is the same
paper, but"
Could it be? Yes, sure enough, there
was the paper on which the will had
been made out, but there was nothing
upon it now; it was merely q blank, g.
white sheet!
"Good heavens With what ink did
you write out that will ?" burst out
at last Mr.. Fox.
"With what ink 2" repeated the old
gentleman Indignantly, "with your ink.
As found the inkstand upstairs dry,
and the old lady was in such deadly
hurry, | rushed down myself to get
some, and seeing your bag in the hall,
took from it the little inkstand which
you always carry about"
Mr.. Fox turned deadly pale, and
without saying another word van
ished, like his ink, before anybody had
found time to ask for an explanation.
When the rest of the company had
composed themselves again, Mr.. Plum
ley said:
81 know that the testatrix had de-
stroyed all former wills so that there
is none at all in existence, and by law,
therefore, the property will 60 to the
next of kin. | know also, that Mrs.
Johnson had no relatives whatever
except Miss Lizzie Roberts. She is
consequently sole heiress.'