Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-25
MR.. NELSON'S WILL.
BY 81. RIDER HAGGARD.

few sandwiches, WHICH ne n2SGlly SWaf-
lowed at neighboring restaurant, quickly
restored him, however; and, jumping into
cab he drove pOste haste to his lawyers
Messrs. Todd g. James.
els Mr.. Todd in?" he said to the manag-
ing clerk, who came forward bowling OBJ
sequiously to the richest man in Birming-
ham.
'Mr. Todd viii be disengaged in a few
minutes, sir" he said. MAY I offer you
the IimeS?''
damn the TTnle8" was the polite an
sWer; Il don't come here to read newspa-
pers. Tell Mr.. Todd that 1 must see him
at once, or else / shall go elsewhere"
Il am much afraid, sir''-began the man
aging clerk
Mr.. Meeson jumped up and grabbed his
hat. Now, then, what is it to be-" he
said
"Oh, certainly, sir; pray be seated" an
sWered the manager in great alarna-Mee-
sons business was not thing to be lightly
lost. 81 will see Mr. Todd instantly" and
he vanished
Almost simultaneously with his depart
ure an old lady was unceremoniously
bundled out Of an inner room, clutching
feebly at reticule full of papers and pro
claiming loudly that her head was going
round and round The poor old soul was
just altering her viii for the eighteenth
time in favor of brand-new charity, high
ly recommended by Royalty; and to be
suddenly shot from the revered presence
of her lawyer into the outer darkness of
thu clerks office was really too much for
her.
In another minute Mr. Meeson was being
warmly, even enthusiastically, greeted by
Mr.. Todd himself Mr. Todd was a nerv-
ous-looking, jumpy little man, who spoke
in jerks and gushes in such a way as to
remind one Of fire hose through which
water was being pumped internationally.
''How do you do, my dear sir? Delight
ed to have this pleasure" he began with a
sudden gush, and then suddenly dried up
as 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 l was at the moment engaged
with an excellent and most Christian tes-
tator-"
Here he suddenly jumped and dried up
again, for Mr.. Meeson, without the slight
est warning, ejaculated: Course your
Christian testator! And, look here, Todd,
just you see that it does not happen again.
I'm Christian testator, too; and Chris
tians of my cut aren't accustomed to be
kept standing about just like Office boys
or authors. See that it don't happen again,
Toddn
81 am sure l am exceedingly grieved.
Circumstances"
ooh, never mind all that want nv
will"
''Will-will- Forgive me-a little con
fused, that's all. Your manner is so full
n 81 4
Here he stopped, more suddenly even
than usual for Mr.. Meeson fixed him with
his savage eye, and then jerked himself
out of the room to look for the document
in question.
'Little idiotP' muttered Meeson; ''PI
give him the sack, too, if he isn't more
careful. BY Jovel why should l not have
my own resident solicitor? [ could get a
sharp hand with damaged character for
about 600 year, and pay that old Todd
quite $4,000. There is vacant place in
the Hutches that could turn into an of,
fee Hang me if I don't do it. 1 viii
make that little chipping grasshopper jump
to some purpose, I'll warrant" and he
chuckled at the idea.
Just then Mr. Todd returned with the
will, and before he could begin to make
any explanations his employer cut him
short with sharp order to read the gist
of it.
This the lawyer proceeded 20 do It was
very short and, with the exception of q
few legacies, amounting in all to about
twenty thousand pounds, bequeathed all
the testator's vast fortune and estates, in
Guiding his (by far the largest) interest in
the great publishing house, and his palace.
with the paintings and other valuable
contents, known as Pompadour Hall, to
his nephew, Eustace H. Meeson.
Every well, he said when the reading
was flnished ''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 its destruction by
tearing it with his big white teeth. This
s done, he mixed the little pieces up, threw
them on the floor, and stamped upon them
with an air of malignity that almost
frightened 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 in
structions for my WILL
Mr.. Todd did as he was bid.
II leave all my property, real and per
sonal, to be divided in equal shares be-
tween my two partners, Alfred Tom Adj
olson and Cecil Spooner Roscoe. There
that's short and sweet, and, one way and
another, it means a couple of millions"
GOOD Heavens, STRIP jerked out Mr.
Todd, "Why, do you mean to quite cut
out your nephew-and the other legatees?'
he added, by way of an afterthought.
''Of course do; that is, as regards my
nephew. The legatees may stand as be
fore"
''WeIl, all have to say" went on the
little man, astonished into honest opinion
lis that it is the most shameful thing /
ever heard of!''
Indeed, Mr.. Todd, is it? Well. now
may l ask you-am leaving this property
or are you? Don't trouble yourself to an
swer that, however, but just attend. Eth
er you draw up that will at once, while
wait, or you say goodbye to about 60, 0o(
q year; for that's what Nelson's bushes:
is worth, l reckon. Now you take YOU
choice"
Mr. Todd did take his choice. In under
an hour the viii, which was very short
was drawn and engrossed.
Nov, then" said Meeson, addressing
aIulseII to Mr.. Todd and the managing
clerk, as he took the quill between his fin
gers to sign, do you two bear in mind
that at the moment execute this will
am OF scund mind, memory and under
standing. There you are; now do you two
witness"
It was night, and King Capital, in the
shape Of Mr.. Meeson, sat alone at dinner
In his palatial dining-room at Pompadour
Dinner was over. The powdered footman
had departed with stately tread, and the