Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-09-14

GLOW do you do, my dear s,r2 he.
lighted to have this pleasure, me BEGAN
with "A SUDDEN gush, aud then suddenly
dried up as he noticed the ominoUs eS-
precision ON tho great mans brow Il
am sure am very sorry that you were
kept waiting, my dear Sir; but | was ut
tho moment engaged with an excellent
and most Christian tcstator'--
Here H. suddenly jumped and dried up
again, for Mr. Mocson, without the
slightest warming, calculated: Curse
your Christian tcstatorl And, look here,
Todd just You see that it does not hap
pen again. I'm II Christian testator, 900;
and Christians of my cut aren't accus-
toned to be kept standing about just like
Office boys or authors. See that it don't
happen again, Todd"
IL am sure / am exceedingly grieved.
Circums stances
"Oh, never mind all that want my
will"
"Will-will. Forgive me-a little con.
fused, that's all Your manner is so full of
hearty old middle ages kind of vigor"--
Here he stopped more suddenly even
than usual, for Mr.. Meeson fixed him with
out of the room to look for the document
in question.
Little idiotp muttered Meeson; "Ill
give him the sack, too, if he isn't more
careful. By Jovel why should | not have
my own resident solicitor? | could get q
sharp hand with damaged character for
about $500 year, and pay that old Todd
quite &c, 600. There is q vacant place in
the Hutchcs that | could turn into an
office. Hang me if don't do it. will
make that little chirping grasshopper
jump to some purpose, I'll warrant" and
he chucllled at the idea.
Just then Mr. Todd returned with the
will, and before he could begin to mako
any explanations his employer cut him
short with a sharp order to read the gist
| of it.
This the lawyer proceeded to do. 1t was
very short, and, with the exception of a
few legacies, amounting in all to about
100000 bequeathed all the testator's vast
fortune and estates including his (by far
the largest) interest in the great publish
ing house, and his palace, with the paint
ings and other valuable contents, known
as Pompadour Hall, to his nephew, Eus-
tace ii. Meeson.
Very well, he said, when the reading
was fnished "now give it to me-"
Mr.. Todd obeyed and handed the docu-
ment to his patron, who deliberately rent
it into fragments with his strong fingers,
and then completed it's destruction by
/ tearing it with his big white teeth. This
done he mixed the little pieces up, threw
! them on the floor and stamped upon them
with an air of malignity that almost fright
ened jerky little Mr. Todd.
"Now, then" he grimly said, there's
an end of the old love; so let's on with
/ the new. Take your pen and receive my
instructions for my will"
Mr.. Todd did as he was bid.
81 leave all my property, real and per
sonal, to be divided in equal shares be-
tween my two partners, Alfred Tom Ad
Olson and Cecil Spooner Roscoe There
that's short and sweet, and, one way and
another it means couple of millions"
Good heavens! sir" jerked out Mr.
Todd. "Why, do you mean to quite cut
out your nephew-andt the otherlegateesT
he added, by way of an after thought
"Of course | do; that is, as regards my
nephew. The legatees may stand as
before"
"Well, all have to say, went on thu
little man, astonished into honesty, 'i
that it is the most shameful thing eve
heard OFF,
Indeed, Mr.. Todd, is it? Well, now
may ask you-am leaving this propert,
or are you? Don't trouble yourself t,
answer that, however, but Just attend
Either you draw up that will at once
while wait, or you say good-by to abou
two Thousand pounds year, for that
what Nelson's business is worth,
reckon Now you take your choice
Mr. Todd did take his choice. In unde
an hour the will, which was very short
: was drawn and engrossed.
"Now then" said Meeson, addressing
himself to Mr.. Todd and the managin
,, clerk, as he took the quill between hi
fingers to sign, do you two bear in min
that at the moment execute this will
am of sound mind, memory and under
, Standing. There you are; now do 20
two witness"