The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-04-16

Then / lost sight of her for several
years. In that time it became sort of
grim joke to me to draw up John Atkins
will two or three times year, and de-
stroy it, to make new one. / think l
drew up at least a dozen, not one of
which was ever signed. Sometimes he
left his property split up into portions
for fifty different charities; sometimes
he divided it amongst his relatives;
sometimes he left it in bulk to library;
sometimes to a hospital; but never one
dollar was left to Polly or her hus-
band"
''But why did he never sign thcm?"
''Superstitious. He believed that
signing a will always preceded speedy
death. Why, there are wills in this
office my father drew up forty years
ago, and the testators- to-be are alive
yet. But never told John Akin that.
l told him every yarn ever heard about
men who dropped dead going home from
the lawyers after they had signed their
wills, all the cases of heart disease and
apoplexy that followed their testament
tary efforts. l knew if he died without
will Polly must inherit his property,
and / wasn't going to stand in Polly's
light if could help it!''
II see! Did he die them"
1t was long after we had lost sight of
Polly that people began to shrug their
shoulders and talk in low tones about
John Akin. Nobody liked him. Such
airs of superiority are hard to
swallow in free country, and
there was not a man in Eyreville quite
ready to eat humble pie to John
Akin. So when he began to show signs
of mental weakness there were plenty
to nod and wink and laugh behind his
back. The first inkling | had was in
the wild directions I got about his bust
ness affairs, and when one day had five
directly contradictory orders in one
note, went for DR.. Hay. After seeing
his patient he sent for New York ply.
sician, and they both decided that he
was as mad as a March hare We in
troduced a keeper into the house as an
old friend come to make a visit, and |
undertook to find Polly. Little 1 knew
the task it would be. Letters were re-
turned, visits to New York were I'M
availing, and advertisements of the most
urgent kind were UNDECIDED. I was
breaking down with the weight of re-
sponsibility, for Mr.. Akin was in full
bodily health, and cunning as fox. l
was in terror all the time lest he should
do some mischief, and yet l had no au-
thority for shutting him up in an asy-
lum."
81 should have taken the authority"
"And perhaps he would have recov-
cred in month and sued you for false
You see he was not
raving lunatic, and there were times
when he was as sane as any body. Just
when was getting desperate I received
a letter from Philadelphia. 1t was writ
ten by the superintendent of an institu-
ton for the instruction of the blind, and
stated that having seen my advertise
ment, he wrote to say that he had had a
man named William Marshall under his
care. and thought he might be found if
so directed. He was quite sure this
William Marshall had son named John
Akin, and thought it might be the man
was seeking"
''Blind! Poor little Polly!"
It 81 took the next train for Philadel-
ohia, and three days later l found Will
Marshall, Polly and their three chill
lren. You might well say poor little
Polly then. Will had injured his eye
sight by writing late into the night,
earning a mere pittance as a clerk.
lie had never had any business train
ng, and found it very hard to obtain
my employment. I fear they came
yery near the starvation of which
oolly's father spoke, and that it was a
want of proper nourishment that at last
,roke Will down with typhoid fever,
rom which he recovered blind. But
his was after years of struggle, and
When the youngest of the children was
nearly year old. Brave little Polly
never lost her heart. Will spoke of her
IS he might have done of an angel as he
old me of her cheerfulness, her cour-
Ige, her hopeful spirit that never broke
lnder all the burdens laid upon it. She
lad taken in sewing, had tended in
tore, had forty times turned every
penny earned before spending it. She
lad never let an opportunity to work
,ass by when her little hands could &C.
omplish the task. When 1 at last
ound her she had established school
or little children, and managed to
i've on what she earned; but it was
veil Will was blind. Could he
AVE seen the pale little Polly who
anne in while he talked, with haggard
ace, gray hair and hollow eyes, l
hink his heart would have broken.
only the CHEEKY ring of her voice was
eft of the Polly of old, and that, I am
ure, was cultivated to meet Wills ear.
Shabby in dress, WEAKNESS printed on
very line of her face, with three pale,
hin children as shabby as herself, Polly
vrung my heart, tough as it is. Ittook
ONE argument to make her return to
lyreville, but she came at last, as my
.uest. To my relief and amazement, Mr..
Akin received them all as distin-
.uished guests from abroad. The best
n the house was not too good for them,
nd could supply money for all needs.
Dur first care was to place Will under
he treatment OF an oculist, who gave but
title hope at first, but after year of
building up of the whole system, under
ook an operation that was successful.
BY that time there was no question of
dr, Atkins insanity, and the necessary
egsl measures to give bis san.ln-lsw