Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-10-19
Mr.. NELSON'S WILL.
BY ii. RIDER HAGGARD.

Is Mr.. TODD mr. he SAID 10 the ulaldg-
ing clerk, who came forward bowling Oh
sequiously to the richest man in Birming-
ham.
''SIr Todd WIN be dfsengaged in a few
minutes, sir'' he said May offer you
the I9mes?''
damn the Time8r' was the polite an
swer; 81 don't come here to read newspa-
pers Tell Mr.. Todd that | must see him
at once, or else / shall 90 elsewhere"
Il am much afraid, sir''-bcgan the man
aging clerk.
Mr.. Meeson jumped up and grabbed HIS
hat. "Now, then, what is it to be-" he
said.
ooh, certainly, sir; pray be seated" an
swcred the manager in great alarm-Mee-
sons business was not thing to be lightly
lost. 81 Will see Mr.. Todd instantly" and
he vanished.
Almost simultaneously wifi his depart
ure an old lady was unc tremendously
bundled out Of an inner room, clutching
feebly ut a reticulc full Of papers and pro
claiming loudly that her head was going
round and round. The poor old soul was
just altering her will for the eighteenth
time in favor Of n brand-ngw charity, high
Iy recommended by Royalty; and to be
suddenly shot from the rcvercd presence
Of her lawyer into the outer darkness of
the clerks office was really too much for
her
in another minute Mr. Mccson was being
warmly even enthusiastically, greeted by
Mr.. Todd himself Mr.. Todd was a nerv-
Gus looking, jumpy little man, who spoke
in jerks and gushcs in such Il way as TO
remind one OF Il fire hose through which
water was being pumped internationally.
How do you do, my dear sir? Delight
cd to have this pleasure" he began with q
sudden gush, and then suddenly dried up
rs he noticed the ominous expression on
the great mans brow. 81 am sure | am
very sorry that you were kept waiting, my
dear sir; but was ut the moment engaged
with an excellent and most Christian tes-
tator-"
Here he suddenly jumped and dried up
again. for Mr.. MCcson, without the slight
est warming calculated; curse your
Christian tcstator! And, look here, Todd,
just you see that it does not happen again.
Pm Christian tc5tator, too; aud Chris
tlaus Of nay cut aren't accustomed to be
kept standing about just like office boys
or authors See that itdon't happen again,
Todd"
81 nm sure | am exceedingly gricved.
Circumstance"
ooh, never mind all that want my
will"
"WiIl- viii Forgive mc-a little con-
fused, that's all. Your manner is so full
Of hearty old middIc-uge's kind of ygor-l"
IIers he stopped, more suddenly even
than usual for Mr.. MccsOn fixed him with
his savage eye, and then jerllcd himself
out Of the room to look for the document
in question.
Little idiot" muttcred Mccson; "Pu
give him the sack, too, if he isn't moro
careful ~ Joyc! why should / not have
my own resident solicitor? | could get q
sharp sand with damaged character for
about 200 year, and pay that old Todd
quito ~ O0O. There is a vacant place in
the FIutches that could turn into an Of
flee Hang me if l don't do it. | will
make tIatlittlo chipping grasshoppcr jump
to some purpose, I'll warrant and he
chucked az the idea.
Just then Mr.. Todd returned with the
WILL and before he could begin to make
amy explanations his employer cut him
short with sharp order to read the gist
OF IT,
This the lawyer proceeded to do It was
very short, aud, with the exception of n
few Iegacics amounting in all to about
Twenty thousand pounds, bcqucathcd all
clH,nr bg ,, ', C ~, - ,',,, t,, 49,,
to ,,r.,t ,,,IiisI,ir, 1,,,s .,,,d iis,,,I.an
III, 49,. ,i,..t,- I ,I,',, nus
contents known ~ pn,nna,l,,,,,. i'm ~
hig nrr,har, ru,t,r,. n NI,cson
.Dr,r,,.y,.rI I,...,i,i ,,.l,,, ti,o ,,,,Ii,,,,
G,i.t.I. ~, '''7
Mr. Todd Oheycd, and handed the dOcu-
mcut to his patron, who deliberately rent
il into Fragments with his strong fingers
nnd mon r,n,rI.tnI H. I..tr,,cti,,,, -,
t,,rfn,r il Win lis l,f,, whit, tnntt ,rLis
dom. br,piy..l ,I,,.Iiftl,. ,,i,,o, M, tI,ra,,,
thrnl nm I'M, tInoI. .nJ sfo,,n,d ,,no, tI,o,,,
with an mir or u,llfrnitv that almost
fri,hfr,,nd i,rl,. Iit,Ia H. ,r,Id
"No,y mon ;, IN. ,,.fn,l,, s,iI "thora,s ~,
end Of thnnIlI,,r IS, int,. an Win t,n
ue,v T,la. v,,rr ro,, ,nl r,coi,,o INV, ~.
strurtinns c,,,. INV. Yin >, my -"
Mr. Todd ala ns me Iy,sb5
II leave an NV proprrty. rcaI and nor.
sonaI. To he divided in canal shares no
tween my two pqrfncrs \Ifrpd Tom Al
olson and Cecil Spooncr Roscoe There
that's short and sweet, and, one way and
another. il means a comb, nr niIIinns ,,
Todd, ''Why. do YOU mean to quite cut
out your nephew and thcothcr lcgatecsgn
he added, bv way of an aftcrthought
cor course do; that is. rs regards nv
nephew The lcgatccs may stand as be.
fore"
well, all have to say" went on the
little man. astuuishcd into honest opinion.
Els that it is tho most shameful thing |
ever heard of"
Indeed. Mir Todd. is it9 Wen. now.
may | ask you-am leaving this property
or are yuu2 Don't trouble Yourself TO an.
swer that. however. but lust attend Eth.
or you draw up that will mt once. while |
wait, or you say good bye to about g.. OOC
year; for that's what Nelson's business
is worth | reckon Novv vor tal,o vo,,r
chnir,,
MIR Todd dil tol,c his choico 7, ,,do,
nm hour the vnI which VA, ,,or,, sbor+
,tr.,,,.,, .,,,l ,,,,,r,.,,s.,,I -
WV thcr y s,iI NJ,ns,,, o5Ir,.s;,,,r
l,.,NT. ~ ",'''' ny
cI.rl ~ I'm ny il'II'Et.lS
t,;,,, ~ Wv ~ '"c'u nls nm
a., ~ -, =" ~ Nv" yea, III n,,nu
f, s ,,,y ''", i,,, 'Negus' .lS VIII
,n,,,l;.,', , ',,,u' "o'"o'H' alu uhuer-
,,, ,i,,,,, mere O" are no" Go Eo" V"o
"'u'NS'
W. n,%",, "'" Mug 'aPI'ai' IN the
SlliI'G Nt WI. httNpu, Slt lloNt NJ ulnner