The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1893-02-09


miserable end.
For several minutes nc Que spoke. A,
last, the lawyer said:
"Gold is worse than an enchauter; it
is n demon. As you said, judge, men
will sell their very souls for its posses.
sion. II any one OF us could be given
the power OF seeing all the passions aud
motives of men laid bare, it would drive
him crazy in day. II what men con-
ceal could he opened to the light, how
men would Iecoil from their own 1oings /!
1t is only by conceament that the petty,
the mean, the dishonest can be satisfied
| with themselves"
VERY true" said the judge, still in.
| c.ined to be silent.
! Another spell of musing, which was
| broken by the lawyer. IL once had
queer experience in my own practice. in
iact as odd a case as ever knew. One
of my first clients in New York was
wealthy, retired merchant, named Ber.
, iiand. He lived very simply, alone ex.
, cept for his housekeeper, IN a retired,
but very respectable part Of the city. lie
had nephew, Frank Bertrand, broth.
, cr's son, whom he regarded rs u scape.
grace, and with whom he was not ut all
ON good terms.
Frank seemed to me 10 be modest,
scnsiDle sort of fellow, tn wondered
at the old mans .iselius towards hiw,
when he was tide only relative he had in
the world. My curiosity aroused, pom
dered the matter somewhat, and came to
the conclusion that the fault was the old
mans, not Franks. He was rather high
spirited and wiliul about making his
own way in the world and doing as he
pleased with himself, instead Of allowing
his rich uncle To dictate what he should
do. This seemed 10 be the cxtens of
his offence, 50 fur as could learn. The
old man was teSty and chOiCric, and
childish about having his own way &
family trait, guess), and not only for
bldc the nephew the house, but required
me to II AXE bis will, cutting Frank oil
with only a very Insignificant sum. All
the rest OF his large property lac gave to
his housekeepor, because, as lie said, she
had been kind TO him, and would take
care of him rs long us he lived. | talked
with Frank about this disposition OF the
property and advised him not 10 throw
away such chance but 10 attempt
reconciliation with his uncle, SO he might
change hls will. The young fellow was
obdurate and would promise nothing.
lie was an artist and his whole soul was
IN his work. THIS bis uncle de,csted
more than all else as a species of yaga-
bond!sm be could never tolerate. No
reconciliation was possible while this re.
E'aincl, ana | could not help admiring
the boys energy and spirit when he de.
cared he would not give up his proie;.
sion for all the fortunes in New York.
lie said he had no III will against his
uncle, his property was his own to do
with rs he pleased lac spoke pleasantly
Of bis uuclc's peculiar notions, his TEN.
per aui his weaknesses, and mentioned
the housekceper kindly as ono who had
treated him well. A he left my Office /
SAID &c myself, We'll, Frank Bertrand,
you deserve a fortune il you don't get
one. A man has reason TO be proud OF
such a nephew as you
"Not q month after that interview
word was brought me that Mr.. Bertrand
had been found murdered in his library.
! summoned the best detective | knew
Of and fastened TO the spot. An en-.
trance had been made through the OF.
binary passages Of the house, As there
was no breaking. The victim had been
struck from behind as he sal in his chair.
The Instrument used was heavy one;
the skull had been crushed and death
was instantaneous. At hrs, we thought no,
thing in the room had been touched,
but the housekeeper called my attention
20 the fact tnat nugget Of gold which
remained attached to piece of its quartz
matrix, the single geological specimen
aud curio which adorned the library,
was missing, as we'll as the little velvet
lined box in which it had rested Every.
thing else was in its usual place as il
nothing had happened there. This was
our only clue, aud 10 my astoDishment
and iismay 1t speedily led to the arres.
oil Frank Bertrand as The murderer.
IL had formed 80 good an opinion OF
the boy, and his msnliness seemed 50 Ger.
taiu, that found il hard TO believe that
be WIS eyea accused OF numbering his
uncle. That he was guilty was 10 my
mind Esyond the bounds Of probability.