Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-03-23
THE LOST VIRGIL.

glance fell on worn. dog cared copy
| of Virgil. which the schcolboy in the
seat in front of me was busily studying
The trainboy stopped Say. young
feller. will you let me see that Virgil a
minute
The schoolboy looked up with some
surprise but silently handed over the
book The trainboy turned the leaves
quickly till he came to the last few
pages. which he looked at more care
fully; then he passed the book to its
owner with disappointed air
Thanks, tain t the one He went on
his way through the car New month
ly magazinesl This weeks comic pa
pers-Puck. Judge
At the next station the schoolboy left
the train A few minutes later the boy
with the papers entered the car again
As he was passing my seat | stopped
him "Will you tell me why you want
ed to look at the Virgil2'' asked
81 thought it looked like a second
hand copy. said the trainboy. and /
never can see copy of Virgil without
wanting to know if ii could be the one
l used to have. I'd give good deal to
get hold of one lost =
How is that 2 | asked
The boy hestitated well. it's IS
minutes to the next station | shall
have time TO tell you about it if you
care to hear it
II eo+ Jr,r-,, t,<-sgl, 49, I 1~V.fl
get my old Virgil. he said slowly, .'in
the same condition it was when lost
it, it would be worth $50. 900 to me. !"
He paused moment to note the eff
feet of his words. The commercial trav
eler in the seat across the aisle laid
down his magazine and began to listen
/ silently offered the boy cigar.
| "Thanks, he said; '.I'll smoke it
later
Then he began his story
Three years ago was at boarding
school in Connecticut. and Uncle Sand
ham was paying the bills He WASH t
really my uncle wasn't any relation
at all, in fact, worse luck-hut ever
since my father and mother died he
had sent me to school. paid all the bills
and given me plenty of pocket money
Uncle Sandman as he liked to have me
call him. was rich old bachelor. who
spent most of his time travelling |
guess he must have been kind of
queer chap He told me once that he
was bachelor because my mother had
said No to him 30 years before
'sWell, one day in March three years
ago Uncle Sandman turned up at my
boarding school. told me he was going
to be in Boston for few days. and
might have a week 5 vacation and come
up with him. ! had been getting very
low marks in my studies for some time.
and the principal of the school made it
a condition of my being allowed the
vacation that / should work out mum
ber of problems in algebra and do a Ger
tain number of pages of Virgil during
the week
''Well, coming up in the train, I'm
Gle Sandman talked with me for awhile
and then went into the smoking car
got out my Virgil and began to work
at it had promised to do certain
number Of pages. and knew that my
uncle would insist ON my doing it. so
thought I'd get some of it done on the
train and SO have more time to myself
in Boston. After half an hour or so
got tired of it and went into the snok
ing car to find my uncle He was swap
ping yarns with two drummers Pretty
soon they began to talk of d great will
case that was in the papers that day
Some disappointed heirs of million
aire had contested his will and it had
been set aside
4 tell you, said my uncle. putting
at his cigar, there ism much use now
adays in mans making his will If
any Of his relatives or step relatives
are dissatisfied with their share. all
they have TO do is to break the will
ANY respectable lawyer ought to be able
to draw up will that no one could
break
My uncle went on smoking, I've
never made a will. he said there s
plenty of time for that yet-but when
do think shall be able to do it with
out calling in any fool of lawyer 1t
won't take long to write my will
mean to leave all have to that boy
there nodding at me that is-if he
behaves himself
HE puffed at his cigar for few mo.
ments in silence and then said Just to
show how easy it is. III write a will
now He took fountain pen from his
pocket Let me have your book, San
dy
Il handed over the Virgil and my
uncle, turning over to one of the back
fly leaves, wrote few lines There
he said 1 think that will would stand
He read it aloud AS nearly as re
member it. il was worded like this
March II. Iso-
Il hereby give, devise and bequeath every
thing Of which die possessed both real estate
and personal. to Alexander Sandman schwns
Eenberg, son Of the late John and Rarhel
Hchwarzenberg ALEXANDER SANDHAh.
'Therel' said my uncle. passing the
book TO one of the dIummers DO you
see anything the matter with that7'
= That's no goodf said the drum
mer.
sit isn't9 said Uncle Sandman
I'D like TO know why it isn'tl
Tt isn't witnessed. replied the
commercial traveller
I. Oh said my uncle Well. you
two fellows just put yonr names down
as witnesses
s'They dsd SO with some joking, and
then my uncle called brakeman who
was sitting near and who had heard the
talk Just put yonr name down there.
Johnnie, be said We might as well
do the thing ID style and have three
| witnesses.
THE brakeman signed bis name and
/ then Uncle Syndham. closing the book,
handed it over to me Take care q
| that. Sandy. my boy. be said There !
I