Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-01-03
The MORGAN WILL.

chat with anewsdeaIer who kept stand
not far fIom my office. Old Bowls, as
every body called him, dealt IN waste pa
yer and rags, which he sold to the paper
makers.
One evening he was sorting a lot of
this rubbish, when my practjced eye
lighted on what appeared to be leg al
document, bound with blue tape. l took
it up, and saw that it was marked "Last
Will end Testament"
opened and commenced to read:
I'm the name of God: Amen. Know
all men by these presents, that I, James
Morgan being of sound mind and dispos-
ing memory, DO make and publish this
N y last will and testament"
whats that you sayH demanded
Bowles, IS he dropped handful of paper
and locke Up at me.
repeated what had read.
cali right" he said. Now, squire,
read on"
81 give and bequeath to my adopted
daughter, Elizabeth Morgan, otherwise
known as Elizabeth Sumuaers,' all my
personal and real property, after the
payment of my funeral expensts and my
just aebts."
"Heavens!" exclaimed Bowles, that
four years ago-it was said, interstate.
He left not less than hundred thousand
dollars, that all went to remote heirs,
though everybody expected it would have
been left TO this very Elizabeth Summers,
ais adopted daughter"
"What he's become of the ADOPTED
dang hter?" | ?sked.
81 do not know, but think can fnd
.eut."
GLOW much of this property is real
estate? And where is it situatedf"
swell, there is the 0akdale plantation,
which lies about Eve miles out from here,
is worth al least fifty Thousand
dollars. Then there are several houses
in town also, besides twenty five
Thousand dollars in government securi-
ties"
''Wao is the relative that got the prop
erty?"
"simon Skaggs. He lives out at the
0akdale farm, / think he Is a second cou-
sin to Mr.. Morgan"
"What kind of man is hef"
"a mean old skindint, or he would
never have taken the LAST penny from
that poor girl"
Welt" said [, 81 propose to take this
will hoHe with me 10 night, and examine
it carefully; if I fud il all right, we'll
hunt up the girl and recover the property
for heC,'
To this he asssnted, and depositiug
the document in my pocket, IbGde the
OLD m IN good night, and returned to my
office where / slept.
But l was too excited for sleep, [
locked my room. and sitting down, read
the instrument through slowly and, care
fully, There was bat one legatee mem
toned. The will vas clear and sim pie;
il pore the appearance of being genuine,
and had evidently been drawn 10y one
thoroughly acquainted with the.neees-
sary legal forms.
Thelonger pondered over it the, more
/ became convinced that L had ct last
stumbled upon an interesting case-one
which if properly managed, could not
fail so bring me reputation and right
great wrong besides.
The next afteraooa went to Bowels
store. He was alonn, waiting for me.
81 have found where the girl is he
said, as soon as I told him that the will
WIS undoubtedly genuine. '''She lives
about fifty miles OF, In d place called
FriendviiIe, quite up among the mean
tains, on wild hill farm, where things
go on the most primitive manner. A
distant ~elative-au aunt three times re
moved, very poor, bat il seems, not with
ont a .heart-heard of her destination, &nd
sent for her. An old l&dy, who used to
know the girl aud had her at her house a
while after old Morgan's death, happened
TO come in here, and L asked her If she
knew where Elizabeth Summers was"
81 viii go down aud see her to morrow
/ said promptly.
"An6 bring her back with yeu," an
swefed Bowls, as briskly. 4My daughter
and / will give her a hoRae. Gsdr' he
cried, rubbing his hands enthusiasts tioally,
"we'll be to much for cid SkGggs after
all"
It was late in the afternoon when l
arrived at my destination, having made
the journey partly by rail and partly by
stage. The coach put me down at g lone
~ crossroads, from which l had about
two miles to walk.
"0h, yes-the Widow Benham," said
the driver pointing with his whip, 'GGves
mp yonder just around the point of the
mountain. You'll see the house in ten
minutes or so.''
1t was q warm sunny day in August,
with not a breath OF air stirring. 1 soon
caught sight of he house-a plain UMPIRE
tending structure like so many IN that re-
gion. When it was about 200 ysrds dis
SAINT, the sound of falling water attracted
me, apparently coming from some pre-
cigitous rocks on the left. As I was
thirsty, I went toward If. As | turned
the corner OF cliff, handsome girl,
about twenty years OF age, emerged from
sort of cave bearing On her shoulder a
large water jsr. The hghtness in which
she stepped from stone 10 stone across
h. Of iNyon
goddess with which she bore aloft she Jar,
made me utter unconsciously an exclama-
tion of surprise. Though she was dressed
IN the coarsest home-spua and wore
neither shoes nor stockings, forgot al
toge her the LONELINESS Of her apparel IN
the grace of her movements, the exquisite
contour of her fguce, and the beauty of
her expressive face, which was nov
mantIIng with bushes. A small dog, ap
parentIy a self constituted protector,
barked at me furiously as I advanced, hat
in hand: for intuitiveIy l knew this must
he my client.
Nv client it Yves. lost no time in ex
planning the object OF my visit. She
was very much surprised, but, after
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 ana trotted quietly ahead, offered
to take the jar but she declined with the
oomposure of 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 q mo-
ment," she Disappeared returning some