Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-10-28

informed. and stormy scene ensued. !
The result was that Richard Prescott !
was obliged to leave the employ OF
the brothers and SO to leave the town.
Soon after this Thomas the elder !
brother was taken seriously ILL and
fearing that he might not live to see
the union OF his daughter and her
cousin. he endeavored by the most
urgent persuasion, to make her prom
Use that his desire should be realized
on her 2lst birthday.
For long time the girl refused to
comply with this demand. but at
length when it became evident that
her father could not recover she con-
scented.
And so Thomas died and it was
understood that his will provided that
in case Alice died before she was 21.
her half OF the property should go TO
Edward. and in case she passed her
2lst birthday without marrying her
cousin he would take the property the
same.
LAS Edward grew older he showed
signs of dissipation. and after q few
years it became common thing for
him to go home at late hour in the
night very mu h under the influence
Of liquor A path ran up through the
cemetery where that driveway is and
this made short route from the
village below To the Edmunds man.
sions on The hill This path Edward
used to travel when returning from
the village.
.As Alice's 2lst birthday drew near
Edward became anxious for the
wedding and it was said that when
partially intoxicated he urged Alice
to set the wedding day a year sooner
and made himself so obno ious that
it was only her promise to her father
that prevented n pos tive rejection.
',At length the time drew near or
the important event Just week
before Alice's birthday ] had dug
that grave by the side of the path
where that tail monument stands |
finished digging just before night for
the burial was to take place early
the next forenoon.
during the night we had heavy
| thunder shower and in the morning
when | came down everything looked
unusually bright in the clear morn.
ing sunlight. ! came up the path
and started back in ustonishment 10
see man lying in the bottom OF the
| grave. On close examination it
proved to be dward-dead. He had
probably wandered aside from the
path in the darkness and falling his
head struck the opposite side OF the
grave. breaking his neck.
Il hurried down to the village for
help and there l found great ex
element prevailing. Squire Edmund's
! mansion had been struck by lightning
the night before and both the old
gentleman and his invalid wife had
been killed. One chimney was de-
molished and the end OF the mansion
badly shattered but no fire was dis.
covered.
I'VE carried Edward home. and
the three bodies lag in state till the
day OF the funeral when all were
buried in the lot over there on tho
hill
AT the funeral Alice was accom-
panied by tine-looking young man
who was n stranger to all the town
people. Many conjectures were made
as TO whom This stranger IN ght be
especially as he rode home with Alice
in the Edmunds carriage.
'The next day after the funeral
Alice received note from the lawyer
summoning her to call at his Office.
Good morning. Miss Edmuad.
said Lawyer Atwood. as Alice APP.
peared in answer TO his summons
i beg pardon for iutruding in the
midst of your sorrow; but there is a
matter OF business which must be at
tended to very soon. believe your
2lst birthday will occur next Monday.
will IL notP
Yes. SIR answered Alice.
land l suppose you understand
that the desire of both your father
and your uncle was that you and your
cousin Edward should be married.
and so keep the property in the
family?'
81 do. Alice replied.
Now continued the LAWYER
your Uncle Roberts will provides
that Edward shall inherit all his
fathers property at the age of 81. In
case he died before that age 1t should
come into your possession on your
2lst birthday. That gives your
urce's half OF all the property to you
next Monday. But your fathers share
stands in peculiar manner. In case
OF your death before the age of q it
was to go to Edward; that part OF the
will is clear; but knowing that the
objection TO the union was all on your
part and wishing to make this union
su your father intended to make
provisions that IL you passed your
2lst birthday without marrying Ed :
ward the property should pass into
his hands. OF all this you are aware
but your father also willed that at
Edwards death your portion OF the
property which he had inherited
should go to the town to found a hos
pital and public library.
&" According TO these provisions
you would inherit your uncle's part Of
the property next Monday and your
fathers part would go TO the town.