The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-08-17

who had known Townley's father, and
he persuaded tho baronet to make his
will as follows: Mrs. Childs, his niece,
had the property for life; then her chill
dren by seniority inherited, and then
heirs male, and failing them or issue
the son Of Richard Townley to inherit
in fee. AS there were nino of the Childs
children, James Townley's chance Of
gaining the inheritance his father had
forfeited seemed very remote.
Sir Edmund died, leaving large
personal estate in addition to Apley
Park, and the Childs entered into pos
session.
James Townley had no force Of char
acter and was. moreover, improvident
and careless, and he added to his re-
sponsibilities by marrying very pretty
young woman. named Cray, who was O
seamstress i'll one Of those one storied
shops on Eighth street, below SAMSON
Each did their best to make q living,
but the husbands health failed, and
then poverty came. Mira Townley was
delicate and could do little to support
the household, now increased by the
birth Of a sickly boy.
Rachel Barron had known the elder
Townley and nursed his son when i'll
with fever. and she came forward,
took the stricken family to her own
home at the Fourteen Chimneys'' and
cared for them Tho husband was then
dying from quick consumption and the
wife failing in health, and both were in
effect paupers-
In the month Of March, 1927, small,
thin man. evidently English and look
ing very much like ferret, came to see
James Townley. He was, he said. a
friend of his fathers and had but re-
GENTLY heard Of the sons affliotion. He
talked sympathetically, left several dol
lars and promised to call again, and
this no did several times, always giving
Mrs Townley money.
Rachel watched him closely and be-
came very distrustfuL Mrs Townley
had told her something of her husband g
history, and after many injunctions to
do nothing until she returned tho reso.
Lutte Rachel paid visit to tho late Rich
ard Mccall.
He heard her story indifferently, but
advised that Mrs Townlcy should sign
no papers without letting him know of
it The woman hurried home, and ell
tering tho house heard some one talk
ing up stairs She went ut once to the
Townlcy's room and popped in Two
men were mt the bedside. James, prop
ped up 10y pillows, had before him on a
piece OF board paper, and his wife had
just placed a pen In his fceblo hand.
On the table was Il pile of notes and
gold
With q rush the mulatto grabbed the
paper, almost upsctting both men, who
turned OH her fiercely.
BE careful what you no doing, wom-
an. That is a legal document that Mr.
Townley has received money to execute,
and I'll hold you responsible for dam
ages.
"All right This yer is my house
You get out and take yer money with
you We ain't signing anything today. "
And the men were resolutely hustled
down stairs In an hour after Mr.. Nc.
Call and his clerk came walking in and
heard the story
Let me see the paper. All, yes, q
shrewd scheme to get Townley to con-
vey his right to q magnificent estate for
$500. We are just in time, it seems "
= Townley was almost unconscious, but
he lived long enough to know that he
was the owner of Apley Park. This
freak of fortune came about in this
manner
Mrs Childs' husband died before the
baronet, and she was the head of the
family. Shortly after coming to Aplcy
Park the eldest son broke his neck in
the hunting field and was brought home
dead His elder sister was in Germany.
and her mother received letter telling
Of her sudden illness, and with several
children, maid and q man attendant
started at once to cross the channel
posted through Franco and got safely to
Germany, and with two carriages was
driving along the Rhine, when the bank
gave way and all were precipitated into
the river. and the maid and position
alone escaped. Thus the Childs family
was extinguishcd
The attorney for the heir lost no time
in communicating with Mr.. Mccall, ap.
prising him that ono of their clerks
had sailed for America, and that his err.
rand was to make some arrangement fo1
his own benefit with the new heir and
to warn that gentleman at once
Thanks to Rachel Barron, 10 warn.
ing was needed James Townley died
two months after hearing of his good
fortune, and his wife, attended by RAJ.
chel, started for England Inside OF
two years both the widow and son died
Rachel married very respectable white
man i'll the neighborhood, moved tc
Brighton and kept a hotel there, much
frequented by Shropshire people Her
property here was looked after hy Rich.