Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1888-01-18
A Pretended BeSsar Leaves Large
Fortune to His Sister.

Pretended BeGgar Leaves "a Large
Fortune to His Sister.
pretty little romance has Just culmin-
ated in Rabun County, Ga, according to the
Savannah Nelcs. AT the base of Tiger
Mountain, half mile off the main road lead
ing to Clayton, lives small farmer named
George W. billiard. Mr.. billiard is about
sixty years of age, living with his wife and
three sons, the latter aged respectively
thirty and twenty-five. Early last summer
Mr.. ballard went to his neighbOrhood post
Office, where he found awaiting him letter
covered with postmarks, which denoted that
it had Travelled a long distance to reach its
destination. The superscription was writ
ten in a familiar hand. but one which he had
not seen IN generation. lie tore the seal
and read the nissive and found it to be from
his wife's brother whom he had seen for
the last time in 1S49. At that time James
McCurrie was young man, as was also
George w billiard. The news had reached
Georgia of the wonderful discoveries of
gold in California. Young Georgians who
had gone there had written back glowing
accounts of the fortunes which were being
made. These descriptions had the effect of
drawing still others southwark toward the
great Ell Dorado. Among those who were
full of the excitement were McCurrie and
billiard. They had perfected all arrange
ments to go and were bidding the families
goodbye when billiard faltered The tear
full eyes of McCurrie's young sister touched
his heart, especially as she was weeping for
him and not for her brother. Throwing
down the bundle he held in his hands, he
declared that he would stay if the girl would
marry him.
To all this she cheerfully agreed, so Dill
lard remained Georgia farmer, while Nc
Currie jumped into the stage-coach and was
borne away. Since that time he had never
been heard of. 1t was with mingled feel
ings, therefore, that billiard started to read
the letter from his old comrade. The letter
was soiled one. McCurrie stated that he
had worked against adverse fortune, de-
Ginning to write to tue folks at home until
he could strike it rich, but every year
found him striking 1t poorer, and now, old,
feeble and poor, his great wish was to look
once more upon his native hills; that he
could not do so unless he was sent money
enough upon which to return. Mr.. billiard
read the letter to his wife and sons 1--WE
must send him the money!" said the old
man, so a COW and mule were sold and the
money went on its mission across the con-
tinent. Several weeks time brought an
other letter, in which.the old man expressed
his gratefulness for the kindness done him,
OUT ne was TOO SICK 10 IrdNel Jncn. Inc
other day large official envelope was re-
ceived at the little post-ofiice. 1t bears the
inscription of a strange hand. The neigh
bors, one by one, dropped by and told Dill
lard about its arrival. 1t was too late for
him to get it then, but he was on hand early
next morning. AS he read it his hand
trembled II recited that James McCurrie
was dead; that he wished to test the fidelity
of his sisters family; that their prompt re-
sponse to his appeal had moved him, and
that by his will his property in California,
valued at Il ,OOO,0 was willed in equal parts
TO his sister, her husband and their two
sons. The two young men are going to
California to superintend the property,
which they intend to convert into cash,
when they will return to Georgia.