The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-05-16

hat in hand, for intuitively 1 knew this
must be my client.
My client it was. 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, Tip
down, sir"
The dog ceased barking at this COM
mand and trotted quietly ahead. / Of
fered to take the jar, but she de-
clined, and with the composure of a
queen.
When she had introduced me to Mrs
Benham and said, "This gentleman,
aunt, has something very strange to
tell you, and will leave you with him
for a moment" she disappeared, re-
turning 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 man
ner in which it was found.
Not to dwell too long on this prelude
to my story, l will say briefly that my
client and | started the next morning
for Kent, and were met at the depot by
Bowls and his daughter, who relieved
me of my charge, while l went to my
clearinghouse for 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 l would move that il be adj
mitted to probate.
But here a new difficulty presented
itself. In our anxiety to find the claim
ant we had utterly overlooked the at
testing witnesses.
Immediately went to Bowls and
stated the difficulty.
"Ah! " said he, "why have we not
thought of this before?"
DO you know these Witnesses"
said I.
{" Yes, l know them. Tom Jones
lived as a tenant on the old mans farm
at the time of his death. He now lives
about ten miles on the Lancaster road.
And, as certain as l am sinner,
squire, this old witness is dead. Will
lam Jackson? Yes-I remember him.
He moved to Texas and died year
ago."
"Then it's all up. We can't get
along without both witnesses. Are you
sure that Jackson is dead?"
81 am certain sure. He has a
brother living in this town who re-
ceived letter from the family in Texas
at the time of his death. There is nc
doubt about it,"
"Then we may as well drop the
matter at once. The law of this state
| tbo Of vu,t
and makes no provision for the death
of one."
cit does look rather ugly, if that's
the case" said Bowls. "But let's
make fight of it-something may turn
up in our favor"
My fears proved correct, however
We made gallant struggle, but it was
in vain. My speech, l was told after.
ward, was applauded privately by the
judge, though, in his official capacity
he felt compelled to decide against me,
| remember that spoke from full
heart of the injustice of refusing to re.
ceive will which everybody knew to
be that of Morgan merely because one
of the witnesses had died.
-" 1t is the law we are called on to adj.
minister here" said the Judge from the
bench, " not what you or l may think
Mr.. Attorney, is equity. And you
know as well as l do, for you are good
lawyer, that it takes two witnesses tc
prove will"
But the case was not without its
benefit TO me professionally. My speech
had made an impression on the public
and business now began to pour in.
My fair client still remained at my
friend Bowls "My eldest daughter
has come to love her as sister," he
said. Bessie, as you must have seen
is unusually intelligent. She had re-
ceived quite good education, too, be-
fore old Mr.. Morgan died. The cheer.
full manner in which she bore her sub
sequent poverty is, as Mrs. Benham
says, proof of an unusually noble
character. Now we have invented ar
excuse that we want a nursery gov
erness, for she is too proud to stay as {
mere pensioner, and her aunt has con
sented to the arrangement, saying thai
it is sin to bury Bessie among the
hills.n
Almost every week l dropped in fol-
an hour or SO of an evening at the
Bowls, and, as l became better &C
quainted with Bessie, more than in
dorsed my old friends encomiums. Ii
short, was as much charmed with hel
attractions of mind and manner as /
had been at first by her sylvan grace
and beauty. Very soon found myself
in love; and when, some six months
later, told her of it, was overjoyed
to hear her confess that my love was
returned.
was now the happiest man in tn,
county. Out of my defeat had com,
the elements of success. By it | hat
won a reputation and love-oh, tn,
purest, the sweetest, the best! l pic
tured to myself home, humble ant
poor, but so bright and cosy, the abode
of content and happiness.
One day in the following summer
was in the clerks Office searching som
old records, when came upon pag
that almost took my breath away
After reading it carefully | closed tn
! oil Il 4