, 1888-08-19
THE MORGAN WILL.

The MORGAN WILL.
I had been admitted to the bar; but, as
l had very little practice and found my
self with plenty of time on my hands, /
had got into the habit of dropping in to
chat with a news dealer who kept a
stand not far from my office. Old
Bowles, as everybody called him, dealt
also in waste paper and rags, which he
sold TO the paper makers.
One evening he was sorting a lot of
this rubbish, when my practiced, y
lighted on what appeared to be q legal
document, bound with blue tape. l took
it up, and saw that it was marked "Last
VIII and Testament"
/ opened and commenced to read:
'In the name of God, Amen. Know
all mon by these presents, that I. James
Morgan, being of sound mind and dis
posing memory, do make and publish
this my last will and testament"
Whats that you say7" demanded
Bowles, as he dropped q handful of paper
and looked up at me.
l repeated what 1 had read.
IAN right" he said. ''Now read on,
squire"
81 give and bequeath to my adopted
daughter Elizabeth Morgan, otherwise
known as Elizabeth Summers,' all my
personal and real property, after the
payment of my funeral expenses and my
just debts"
"Heavens!" exclaimed Bowles, that
must be the will of old Morgan, who died
four years ago-it was said, intestate.
He left no less than 800, 900, that all
went to remote heirs, though everybody
expected it would nave been left to this
very Elizabeth Summers, his adopted
daughter"
What has become of the adopted
daughterr' l asked.
II do not know, but 1 think l can find
out"
"How much of this property is real
estate, and where Is 1t situated7''
well, there is the Oakdale planta-
ton, which lies about five miles out from
here, and Is worth at least $50, 600.
Then there are. several houses in town
also, besides ser, 900 in government Be-
curities."
who is the relative that got the prop
erty2'
''Simon Skaggs. He ives at the Oak
dale farm. l think he Is a second cousin
to Mr.. Morgan"
"What kin of n man is he2"
IA mean old skinflint, or he would
never have taken the last penny from
that poor girl"
well, =" said ], 81 propose to take this
will home with me tonight and examine
it carefully. If 1 find 1t all right we'll
hunt up that girl and recover the prop
erty for her."
To this he assented, and, depositing
the document in my pocket, / babe the
old man good night and returned to my
office, where I slept.
But l was o excited for sleep, and,
sitting down, read the instrument over
carefully. There was but one legateo
mentioned. The will was clear and sim
pie; it bore the appearance of being gen.
uine, and had evidently been drawn by
one thoroughly acquainted with the nee
essary legal forms.
The longer l pondered over it the moro
l became convinced that l had at last
stumbled upon an interesting case-one
which, if properly managed, could not
fail to bring me reputation and right a
great wrong besides.
The next afternoon 1 went to Bowles'
store. He was alone, waiting for me.
81 have found where the girl Is" he
pAii ~ " do L Olu Ilh lnAI Inc Will
was undoubtedly genuine. 'tShe lives
about fifty miles off, In n little place
called Fri~endsville, quite up among the
mountains, on a wild hill farm, where
things go on in the most primitive man.
ner. A distant relative-an aunt three
times removed, very poor, but, 1t seems,
not without a heart-heard of her desti-
tuition and sent for her. An old lady,
who used to know the girl and had her
at her house awhile after old Morgan's
death, happened to come In here, and I
asked her If she knew where Elizabeth
Summers was"
81 will go down and see her to-mor-
row." l said promptly.
"And bring her back with you,' an
swered Bowles as briskly. my daugh-
ter and 1 will give her a home. GadI'
he cried, rubbing his hands enthusiast
cally, "we'n be too much for old Skaggs
after ALL"
1t was late the next afternoon when /
arrived at my destination, having made
the journey partly by rail and partly by
stage. The coach put me down at q
lonely crossroads, from which / had
about two miles to walk.
"Oh, yes-the Widow Benham, - said
the driver, pointing with his whip,
olives up yonder Just around the point
of the mountain. You'll sec the house
in ten minutes or So"
1t was n warm, sultry day In August,
with not q breath of air stirring. / soon
caught sight of the house, n plain, I'M
pretending structure like 80 many In that
region. When 1t was about 200 yards
distant, the sound Of falling water at
tracted me, apparently coming from
some PERCEPTIONS rocks on the left. As
was thirsty 1 went towards It. As /
turned the corner of a cliff n handsome
girl, about 90 years of rye, emerged
from a sort of cave, bearing ON her
shoulders a largo water jar. The light
ness with which she stepped from stone
to stone across the brook, the poise as Of