The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-09-03
sooD sroRtrs or ras rRnsssr DzY.


| coon sToRfEs or TEE PRESENT Dlx
rse strange Dts.pre.r.,.s s.d Rsssvsr1
etSseeh r'eeror's WIN.
| %NfE oys-tyas fsss. ~ cAarr- n Lest.
AZ "a O'Clock on the afternoon Of the 21st day
| Of January. 1877. old Jacob Beeson entered
the Law once Of Henry Patt. In the town Of
Little Falls, and said to the lawyer:
"see here. Henry. we'd better nx ND that
| will this afternoon. You git all ready. and III
| be back In half an hour"
| Jacob Beeson was n farmer and worth about
$4,000. while was studying law with Mr..
| Plat. Twice during the last six months lie
had dropped In 10 talk about q WILL and his
visits we're OF peculiar interest to me- The old
man was widower, and Mary Thompson. his
niece. had lived with him for several years and
was likely to be handsomely remembered In
the will. was 20 years old and Mary was q
year younger. and we were engaged. though
the old man knew nothing about It One OF
his sisters was his housekeeper. and his only
child had grown to manhood and left home
long ago Bill Beeson. as this son was faml.
iurly called, had made tho father no end OF
trouble aud was even then serving out q SEN
tence In State prison. A draft OF a will was
ready against the old mans return. and as he
removed his overcoat. comforter. and yarn
mittens he said:
"Bill has been dretIul bad boy. as you
know. Henry. but I can't forEit that he is Of
my own flesh and blood. Nobody would blame
me II cut him OF with ahilln' but I've
made up my mind to leave him nun to start
on when he comes outer prison. l want 1t
fixed about this way: Say $4,000 to my niece
Mary; $40. 900 to my sister Polly: $4,000 to
Bill: $1,000 to build Baptist meeting house.
aud the rest. II thar should be any. to ilxin' up
the town graveyard and bulldln' free bridge
across Cedar Creek. I cnlkorate I'm wuth be-
tween $4,000 and $75.U00. but we can't tell
how much OF a shrinkage thar may be-"
The will was drawn as he di ctated. and I
went out and got witnesses to sign it. Mr..
Plat had been the old mans lawyer for yenrs
and had kept all his papers in the ofico safe.
This will. when duly signed. was placed In tho
strong box by my own hands. and l felt like
shouting when realized how generously May
had been remembered. When oil was over
the old man. the lawyer. and the witnesses
went out to have drink together. while I re-
manned to care for the office. They had not
been gone two minutes whom I got call from
a tramp. He had an unusually pathetic story
to tell. and as had no change stepped out to
get bill broken. He was not left alone over
three or four minutes. and I knew that tho
money drawer OF the safe was locked He went
away blessing me, and the incident soon
passed out Of mind.
On tho 18th day Of March, almost two m onths
later. Jacob Beeson was killed by his team
running away as he was driving into town.
Within an hour Of the calamity his son. Bill.
arrived home. having served his time. The
funeral was to be held ON the 21st. and the
will was to be read after the ceremonies. Mr..
Plat asked me to 60 out with him. aud 1t was
noon Of the 2lst before he went to the snfe for
the will. We had half dozen wills in cor
tain pigeon hole. and Jacob Beeson's had
been placed on top Of the pile. We were not
ut all upset when We failed to ind It there.
but fifteen minutes later. when every piece Of
paper had been overhsuled and the will was
still missing. We were In despair. Burglars
had never touched the safe. nor was any
other paper missing. The lawyer remembered
seeing me deposit the will. and when l ran out
and brought in the witnesses they also remem-
bered the fact. Mr. Beeson had not been In
the Office since. and there had been no occa-
sion to look at the will. We hunted high and
believe that 1t had been distracted from the
safe. for no opportunity had offered. and no
Fl my love affair with the latter: had eau,
was the explanation made alter the funeral.
that he had reformed and was resolved to DO y
better m an The father might haze aye believed
IL DnbS as aS
hypocrtical demeanor at the funeral. He was
fsthsr. He was probably Hoping that no no viii viii
had been made: for look Of surprise and dis
TO-. know how the property had, been
3 sa Of h to tho
me nigh, through, Eysrythins was investi-
the will had not been found. We were certain
then that ithad been abstracted from ll the safe.
Was IN prison at The time and could not ' have
kp9wn Of the making az OF the e. Will: ,.x,,.u
stranger Visiting the office since the will Was
made. Three men were positive Of seeing me
sa. X nos7e
% sR aS Shf FS w an
the Eli
discharge. Therefore he could not have known
charged to steal III Only three men left the
thoss had come IN contact With Beeso nae
Bill Beeson waited month for us t., find
that will. and he then naturally concluded that
It could not be, found. Then he ordered his
necessary legal steps to be placed In posses.
sion. There was NO getting around the fact
law declared him such. He was told Of the
s VI
to the enjoyment OF the ontire estate. The
tered. and. aside from feeling cut up that Mary
sense responsible for the disappearance Of that
valuable document. I spent hours and hours
in trying to figure out the mystery. and one
night as I sat, sat thinking over (, got the first
bered the, visit Of the tramp He had been left
alone In the ofIice for three or four minutes
The idea that he would go to the safe and
select that one paper from al others was far
to the contrary Ifet certain thar he did 1t. lie
would 30 to tho sale In search OF money. Not
finding any, he might snatch at q paper, hop
ing i would he valuable enough to bring a re;
light. but whom ! asked mysel why. II 1t was
the will. ha hadn't communicated with us. |
could make no answer. II he got 1t, no would
be just as like ely to negotiate With Bill Beeson
.rtfh MAN kn M tnr, ,frH