Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1890-02-11
MISCELLANEOUS.
Uncle Grasper.

cam indeed the only heir Is 1t posslble?"
you are, sir and for proof refer you to
this document deposited i'll my hands, the hol-
ographic will of Mr.. Graspcr, your maternal
uncle. who died yesterday at his residence in
Old James street, number unknown, becaus
he would never spend the thirty cents which
plate would have cost. and his neighbors not
being our clients. I am ignorant of their house
Dumbcrs.''
'And how much did he leavc7'
Il have just figured it out. Deducting the
rs8al expenses and charges of all kinds, Won
will receive the precise sum of forty-thrcc
thousand three hundred and sixty-seven dol
lars aud tltirty-eight cents"
Solomon Lyon, the artist, seemed to be daz-
lied.
'.TOrty-thrce thousan3.o stammercd he,
sinking into chair.
"Three-hundred and sixty-seven dollars and
thirty-eight cents. continued the lawyer, with
his most gracious smile. "Bdt-" he added
gravely adjusting his spectacles
'Ah, there Is a bht?" said the heir, starting
up quickly.
be-"
"ITo@ InTchi"
-'Just half of your inheritance"
Then 1 am not the solo heiY?'
Pardon me. That docs not prevent You
from having a collegiate"
And who ishe7"
''Yonr uncle himself"
Solomon Lyon seemed stnpeAed.
"What do yon say?"
81 say, your uncle himself. Twin explain; by
the terms of the will which is in my hands.
Mr.. Grasper makes you his heir. but on the
condition that you trunsfcF to him one-half of
tho fortune"
.'But how ~
BY putting 1t with him into his coffin"
Mr.. Grasper's heir opened his eyes wide.
Aud the clause is formal, sir" continued
the lawyer. "Your deceased uncle has az.
pressly stipulated that if you fail to respect
his wishes, you shall be deprived of all your
rights to the Inheritance. In that case his en-
tire fortune is left to the poor OF the town. TO
whom the deceased confesses, with sincerity
that does him honor, that he never gave n
cent during his lifotime."
But cried young Solomon. 'this is abso-
lutte folly, my dear sir"
No, sir, it is not folly. The case is !, very
simple one. Mr.. Graspcr was so miserly as TO
astonish everybody when he died from disease
rather than from the perpetual fast which be
seemed to infict upon himself And it would
Ill become you 70 complain, since il is in con-
sequence of this stinginess that lie succeeded
IN amassing, cent by cent, the fortune which
he has just left you No~ you mist be aware
that the greatest tOrttire of miser Is the
thought that after his death he will have none
OF the money whose possession was tne sole
joy Of his life. Thanks to the obligation
which he imposes upon you, he assures to his
renains the enioTnientof a p6stliumUusfortuue
Even when dead he will have portion of the
money which was the delight of his eager
eyes and avaricious fingers Ofcoufse he will
only have the half but if he had demanded
the whole, lie could not have found an heir
who would be an accomplice, Obliged for self
protection to carry out the wishes of the tes-
tator. 1t is to this reason h!ont, you may lie
sure, sir, that you owe the fortune wbickiaas
been left to you. Otherwise-''
Oh, " interrupted Solomon, "that Il plain
enough"
well, sir. do you accept 7'i
u should think so. Half is better than
nothing"
Wei reasoned. Be 90 kind as to sign ttis
paper. Now let us attend TO a few details at
once There are some bills which tilust be
paid Tomorrow, especially the funeral ex-
penses. HAZE you plenty Of money ?"
u! have dollar and seveuty-lye cents.-'
That is not enough; but the matter can be
easily arranged a week before his death,
your uncle, distriIsting everybody. deposited
all his money in the bank. Here is a check
book which you can use- Please draw a check
for two hundred dollars /; that win be enough
for the funeral and for your immediate needs. -
What" said the surprised artist '.will they
give me two hundred dollars ON my simple
signature?"
ike" -
Why this is admirable. sir
Solomon Lyon, the landscape painter, after
returning to the hotel. passed the night in a
state of agreeable insomnia, swelling with pride
Al the idea that lis name written on q piece Of