The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-05-24
TuE MORGAN WILL.

which he sold to the paper makers.
One evening he was sorting lot o
this rubbish, when my practiced eN'
lighted on what appeared to be lega
document bound with blue tape. tool
it up and saw that it was marked Las
will and testament.
opened it and commenced to read:
In the name of God, amen. Know
all men by these presents, that l, Jane
Morgan, being of sound mind and dis
posing memory, do make and publish
this my last will and testament
Whats that you say demanded
Bowls, as he dropped handful of pape
and looked up at me.
repeated what had read.
All right he said, Now read on
squire
Il give and bequeath to my adopted
daughter, Elizabeth Morgan, otherwis
known as Elizabeth Summers, all m.
personal and real property after thu
payment of my funeral expenses ant
my Just debts.
'Heayensr exclaimed Bowls, tina
must be the will of old Morgan, witt
died four years ago-it was said intes'
tate. He left not less than hundred
thousand dollars that all went to remote
heirs, though everybody expected i
would have been left to this very Eliza
beth Summers, his adopted daughter
What has become of the adopted
daughter l asked,
4 do not know, but l think can fine
out
How much of this property is rea
estate, and where is it situated ?
Well there is the Oakdale plantation
which lies about five miles out from
here and is worth at least fifty thousand
dollars, Then there are several house:
In town also besides twenty-five thou
sand dollars in government securities
who is the relative that got the prop
ertyY
Simon Skaggs. He lives out at the
Oakdale farm. | think he is second
cousin to Mr.. Morgan
What kind of a man is heT
a mean old skinfint, or he would
never have taken the last penny from
that poor girl
Well, said |, L propose to take this
will home with me Tonight and examine
it carefully. If find it all right, well
hunt up the girl and recover the prop
erty for her.
10 lDlS ub uSStulGu, anu uCPOoibiiE
the document in my pocket, babe the
old man good night and returned to my
office, where | slept.
But was too much excited for sleep.
| locked my door, and, sitting down,
read the instrument over slowly and
carefully, There was but the one lega.
tee mentioned. The will was clear and
simple. 1t bore the appearance of being
genuine, and had evidently been drawn
by one thoroughly acquainted with the
necessary legal forms.
The longer l pondered over it the
more 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
great wrong besides.
The next afternoon | went to Bowls's
store. He was alone, waiting for me.
Il have found where the girl is he
said as soon as | told HIM that the will
was undoubtedly genuine. She lives
about fifty miles off, in a little place
called Frendsville, 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, it seems,
not without heart-heard of her des-
tItution and sent for her. An old lady
who used to know the girl, and had her
at her house while after old Morgan's
death, happened to come in here, and |
asked her if she knew where Elizabeth
Summers was
4 will 20 down and see her to NOR.
row. l said promptly.
And bring her back with YOU an
swered Bowls as brlskly. My daughter
and | will give her home. Well, he
said, rubbing his hands enthusiastically
well be too much for old Skaggs, after
ALL
1t was late the next afternoon when l
arrived at my destination, having made
the journey partly by rail and partly by
stage. The coach put me down at a
lonely cross-road, from which l had
about two miles to walk.
oh, yes, the Widow Benham, said
the driver, pointing with his whip;
lives up yonder, just around the point
of the mountain. You'll see the house
in ten minutes or So
1t was a warm, sultry day in August,
with not a breath of air stirring. l
soon caught sight of the house-a PLAIN,
unpretending structure, like so many in
that region. When it was about 200
yards distant the sound of falling water
attracted me, apparently coming from
some PERCEPTIONS rocks on the left. AS
| was thirsty, | went toward it, AS l
turned the corner of cliff handsome
girl about twenty years of age emerged
from a sort of cave, bearing on her
shoulder large water jar. The light
ness with which she stepped from stone
to stone across the brook, the poise of
some sylvan goddess with which she
bore aloft the jar, made me utter I'M
consciously an exclamation of surprise
Though she was dressed in the Coarsest
homespun, and wore neither shoes nor
stockings, forgot altogether the home
illness of her apparel in the grace of her
movements, the exquisite contour of her
figure and the beauty of her expressive
face, which was now mantling with
bushes. A small dog. apparently a
self-constituted protector, barked at me
furlously as l advanced, hat in hand,
for intutively knew this must be my
client.
My client it was. l lost no time in
explaining the object of my visit. She
was very much surprised, but after a
moments hesitation said with dignity:
Come up to the house, please. l will
consult my aunt, Down, T.p-down,
sir
The dog ceased barking at this com.
mand and trotted quietly ahead. l
offered to take the jar, but she declined,
and with the compUsure of queen.
When she had introduced me to Mrs.
Benham and said, This gentleman,
aunt, has something very strange 10 tell
you, and l will leave you with him for
a moment she disappeared, returning
some quarter of an hour later, dressed
in becoming blue muslin and with the
daintiest of slippers on her pretty feet.
| had meantime produced the will and
given details of the manner in which il
was found.
Not to dwell too long on this prelude
to my story, will say briefly that my
client and | started next morning for
Kent, and were met at the depot by
Bowls and his daughter, who relieved
me of my charge, while | went to my
boarding house Tor supper and thence
to my room.
The next day filed the document in
the office of the county clerk and gave
notice to Skaggs that on the following
Monday | would move that it be admit
ted to probate.
But here a new difficulty presented it
self. In our anxiety to find the claim
ant we had utterly overlooked the attest
ing witnesses.
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