The Red Cloud chief., 1892-05-06
HOLCOMB'S WILL.
A Deed Of Kindness and What
Came of It.

A Deed Of Kindness and What
Came Of It.
Adam Holcomb was dead at last
dead after seventy years of money.
getting, and the grave had closed over
him. He had no children. for he had
led a single life. induced. SO it was said,
though nothing was certainly known,
by an early disappointment which had
warped his nature, and made him lead
a solitary and selfish life. given up to
Mammon alone.
Adam Holcomb was dead, and as yet
no one knew what disposition he had
made of his money.
Three days after the funeral, the
next-of-kin and possible heirs were col
lected in the office of the lawyer. who
was the custodian OF the will and pri-
vatc papers of the deceased. They
were few In numbers for the family
was not a large one. There were but
three, and these three may be briefly
described.
First came James Holcomb, a nephew
- LIZ NSSSooSus saAhs oCAAoAs wi Niy
man.. all his thoughts centered upon
himself and his own family who had
been known to give penny for
any charitable purpose.
Next came Harvey Holcomb. a cousin
of the last-named, and about the same
age. He was tall. thin and angular. He
belonged to the legal profession, in
which he had managed TO pick up con-
siderable money, though his reputation
a none of the best. He was con-
sidcrcd tricky, willing to undertake
any cansc,, however disrcputable, for
money. He was married and had a
family, Tor whom he provided in a
grudging manner. He, too, had
nourishcd sanguine hopes of finding
himself much better off after his uncle's
death.
Last came a young man, presenting a
strong contrast to the other two. He
was OF light complexion, brown hair,
clear blue eyes, and an attractive face.
He vas barely twenty-five years of age,
very plainly dressed, and with q modest
manner which progressed n in his
favOr.H He was the of old Adam
Holeomb's youngest sister, who had
married a poor minister, and her son,
Alfred Graves, was studying medicine,
for which he had decided prediction.
But he had been cramped by narrow
means, and was even now teaching in a
country school, hoping to obtain enough
by this mean to pay for his college
course. He had applied to each of his
two relatives present for a small tenn
perary loan, to help him complete his
studies, but without effect. lie had
been CURLY refused by both.
He had come here to-day, rs a matter
of form, without the slightest expecta-
ton of benefting by the will of his
late relative. He had known him but
slightly, and never received any encour-
agcment upon which he could build q
hope. Yet if he could but receive q leg
acy of even three hundred dollars, he
thought. it would help him materially.
That was the amount which he had
vAinly sought to borrow of the mer-
chant and lawyer, now present with
him at the reading of Adam Holcomb's
Last will and testament.
The merchant and lawyer conversed
while waiting for Squire Brief.
"Have you any idea, cousin, how
much the old gentleman had accumu-
lated?" asked James Holconb.
81 have heard it estimated at two
hundred and fifty thousand dollars"
the reply.
''That is a large sum. hope he has
not been unjust enough to squander any
of it OF charitable societies"
II hope not. That would be a great
piece of injustice to his relations"
"He never dropped anything to you
about the disposition he intended to
make Of his property, did hep"
mot he! He was a close man, very"
said the other. 81 once tried to worm
out of him. but didn't get
much satisfaction"
"What did he say?"
'.He said that he thought of endow-
ing an asylum for fools and lunatics,
and that I could tell whether I was
to be benefited by his SO doing"
"Ho! ho!" laughed James, shaking
his capacious sides; 'ehe got you there,
"Idon't see it, said the lawyer. sourly.
You don't appreciate the joke, eh?"
sit was Q foolish piece of imperti-
hence. However, everybody knows
Uha. the old man was, and I let it pass.
If 1t had been anyone else, ! would have
given them Is good as they sent"
But you were afraid it would spoil
your chances, eh?" /
AS to that. have no idea. There is
question that we ought to be joint
:
True" returned James. THAT
would give one hundred and twenty
sivc thousand apiece. That would sat
ssfy me-"
.-iiow about Alfred's charces?"
quericd the lawyer. g~lancing sharply to
TIT part OF the Office where the young
was 9rie'ly seated !