, 1898-12-16
B0GLE.

80 " AAAL ~
elor.-worth his hundreds of Thousands
and Absalem Boyle died. During all
his life he mad been known to form but
M strong friendship and that was for
his only bfother, who, i'll the other
years, had helped him to prospect in
the coal mines-his brother Jeptha.
This Ieptha, unfortunately for himself,
had not been n misanthrope. He had
loved and had been Tilted, and Just
when his prospects of success with his
brother Absalom had been Frightening
he had thrown up all ibis business aud
gone to farotf parts-to parts so far
away that not a word had been heard
of him from that time.
And Absalom Boyle died. He depart
ed this mundane life on the fourth day of
opened, which wen t%ranspired in the
presence of many relatives. its provisions
were found TO he very simple. First, be
bequeathed everything of which he
might die possessed to his fundly re-
membered and well beloved brother,
Jeptha. But in case said Jeptha did not
present himself and claim the benefit
within one year from the death of the
testator then the property was to be
divided among his other relatives. ac-
cording to :heir rank of kin. 2
Only in one direction. setting aside
his brother Jeptha, did the tide of Tela-
tionship to Absalom Boyle flow. There
were no nephews or nieces, no unCles,
or aunts, but only cousins. There were
two first cousins, four or five second
cousins, several third and fourth cousins,
and so on, in increasing ratio as they
We're farther and farther removed
Sidney Spooner. ESP, was the attor-
ney whom Boyle had selected to hold
in trust his estate. When the frosts of
October had begun to trace their deli
cate pencilings upon the crisp foliage,
Mr.. Spooner sent his clerk around
among the relatives of Aksalom Boyle
to bid them prepare for presenting their
claims at the appointed time II the
long absent brother did not show him
self OH or before noon Of the fourth day
of the coming December, the property
would be theirs.
This clerk of Mr.. Spooner was a
quaint old fellow, answering to the
name of Jededinh Spruut He never
hesitated to acknowledge that the at
torney had taken him in out of charity,
ard in his humble way he sought to
serve his patron faithfully But the
most wonderful thing about ,Jedediah
Sprout was that he claimed to be a near
relative of Absalom Bogle-nsarer by
far than any other living. He claimed
descent from n brother Of Absalom-an
elder brother, much Older than either
Absalom or Jeptha-who had died in
South America many years ago. The
cousins looked up the family history
and found that the ancient brother in
question had been one Solomon Boyle,
n wild. maynard fellow, who Under a
cloud had changed his name, to Sprout
and who had left no record of having
ever married. .Iedediah acknowledged
that the said Solomon had never mar
ried, and yet he had the hardihood to
claim TO be his son.
Could anything be more impudent2
The cousins, from the first to the six
teenth remove, held up their hands in
holy horror. That a man in possession
of his senses should unblushingly ac-
knowledge such shame, aud. above all,
that from such a slough of ignominy he
should thrust himself into relationship
with honest people!
And yet Jedediah Sprout worked il
his humble station for Mr.. Spooner. He
visited the cousins with his instructions
from his patron, and TO each lie tear
fully presented his own claim
II ask not for a prime share of the
wealth of my fathers relative" he
said. II am very poor, ard a mere pit
tance will serve me. Let me share with
the very least.
But they secuted and ieered and would
not listen They received the legal in.
siructions which he brought from the
attorney, and then kicked him ont.
In a n%eighboring town lived Kate
Winthrop. She had been Kate Wether-
bee, bue during the very last summer.
while other cousins bad been cultivat-
ing their golden expectations, She had
married Jat6 Winthrop and had settled
uONu III u sHuS, IulSt uOnie, ptbrtiul
and happy Her husband worked hard
for n living, and she helped him, and
she was grateful and glad that she had
the strength so to do.
.Jedediah Sprout called upon Kate
and presented the attorneys instruc-
tions.
Come Income in and rest said
Kate. in her winsome, CHEEKY way.
.sCome in and stop for dinner. but don't
say anything about the Boyle property.
! don't cafe to hear it.
"Bnt. urged ~.ledediah. you are a
relativei'
my mother was q cousin, some four
or FIVE times removed. " answered Kate,
"but / found no claims upon that cir
cumsiance. My poor %pittance wouldn't
be worth the %wraneling and tangling !
should have to endure, and, moreover,
Jack and mysalf have concluded that
we had better paddle our own canoe.
BY and by Jack anne in. ami to him
Jedediah presented the subject. But
Jack was as emphatic as his pretty wife
had been. He didn't care to mix in the
feverish, scrambiine mess
"Bnt, said ho. TN tell you what