The Irish standard., 1894-04-28

or, well understanding his soft, feeble
words Of greeting, after shaking hands
passed on to the fireplace, where his
mother was sitting, took a chair and
chatted with her about several matters
in the town. In little while he said:
''Missis Carruthers, everybody seems
to have their opinion about the way
old man Anderson left his property,
and thought I'd ask what you thought
of it."
"Why, Mr.. Rachels, do think it's
the very outrageousest and the mean
est will that ] ever heard of anybody's
making, be they respectable or disre-
spectacle"
"But, map cried Owen, as if Impatient
at another of her oft-repeated ex-
pressions. in the matter, 'you won't
consider that the law It the land lets
everybody do what they blame please
with their property when they've done
with it themselves
"So1 I've heard you say often, my son,
and been told so by other people. But
l can't help from having my opinion
that it is pity for man to give
3 mighty nigh every bit of his property
10 one child, and him not a-deserving
of it nigh as much as the other that's
cut down 10 what in comparison is q
little scrap.
You are perfectly right, Missis
Carruthers,'' said Rachels, turning a
look of mild rebuke towards the
couch. ''Such as that is pity, and
gently it's founded on some sort of
devilment, some'res; and it's another
pity that devilnent can't always be
found out. People all over the county
is Disguised with such treatment of
Cullen Anderson, who was worth more
than cow-pen Of the sort of Vile,
and. him now dead, but leaving a
widow and child-Owen,' and he
turned directly towards him, 'you
ought to know something about that
will business. You was one of the
Witnesses
eyes, Gus. I was. AS for the old
man Anderson not being in his sound
senses, there weren't any sort of doubt
about that
Nobody denies that; but the ques-
ton is how come he to make such
will, and the question is what he done
with it afterwards. Did you know
what was in it when you signed it?''
''That I didn't, no more than Billy
Lilly and old man Flint, not one
grain
'Din't you never hear the old man
and Wiley talk anything about it?''
"Well now, GUS removing the COW
erlet from off his breast, there's such
a thing as that a man ought to be ruth
err particular in the way fellow talks
about anything that he wasn't expect
ed to talk at ALL
''Owen, just right here, before just
me and your mother, you might as
we'll come down off that high horse,
which it's no occasion for you to be
matter. You know I'm after no mean
ness in trying to git you to say what
you oughtn't. You've got to tell some
time in the court house what you
know. can tell you as a friend, that
never tried to do you any harm in your
life, that your telling me what you
know won't hurt you, and it may do
good when it's mighty plain some
good ought to be done if it can be
done.'
"Lord, Gus Rachels,'' he answered,
with some scorn, yet showing that he
felt that he was with his superior, ''I'an
on no high horse, and dom want to be.
You know know you're a friend to
me-and ma--the best we've got: and
I'm not afraid you want, to get me into
difficulties. / know monst'ous little
about the thing anyway, and
"What did the old man say to Vile
about making the will?"
"You interrupt a man that way,
when | was going on to say that did
happen to hear the old man say, one
time, and not but one time, that if that
any of his property, she'd find herself
disappointed. She might disgrace the
family, he said, but she'd get nothing
by it. He said them words, or some
like 'em, one day as he came in the
office room when was busy writing,
from out the back room. where him
and Mr. Anderson had been talking to-
gether for some time. don't think he
saw me. If he did, he didn't notice,
but went on out. That was the day
before the will was signed. That's
every blessed thing l know about it.
When he come in the office with Billy
Lilly and old man Flint, he just called
for that paper from Mr.. Anderson, and
then signed it, ard called on us to wit
ness it. and then him and the other
two, when the thing was over, they
got up and went straight out the
Office
''He left the will with Wiley, didn't
he? and you saw what was in it after
wards, didn't you?''
Eyes. OF course did. l had to do
with all Mr.. Amerson's papers what
times was with him, copying, and do
ing one thing and another
"Copying?"
Eyes; he keeps copies of nearly every
business paper he's got; letters and all.
You don't know as particular a man as
Mr.. Anderson is about his papers.
ibid you ever hear the old man say
anything about the will afterwards"