Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-08-27


worth money, that is-after his fathers
death. How much do you suppose?"
Il have not the slightest idea.
Gust one thousand pounds. II Miss
Mainwaring thinks that sufficient to
keep house on, see no objection to her
having him for a husband. Only as
your professional adviser, and'-Mr.
Woolet would add creditor" but with
holds the unwelcome word-"as one
whom you have honoured with the le-
gal management of your affairs, |
would say such marriage would be
very imprudent on her part; indeed
| quite sacrifice"
"You astonish me, Mr.. Woolet!" re-
turns the widow who has been grasping
with impatience to speak. MIR. Henry
| Harding worth only one thousand
pounds!"
mot yet even so much. In all pro-
liability he will be, after his fathers
death However, that's not likely to be
delayed. From what certain medical
man has told me, the General is not a
good life; constitution broken down in
| India, liver gone threatened congestion
of lungs, appopleXy, and all that sort OF
thing
"But how is it his younger sons to
p, have only the small sum you men
tion?'
Il can't tell how it is. That's puz-
zle, l admit, though there's an expla-
nation easy enough, when one takes in
to account the Generals peculiar charac-
ter As you know, he's altogether I'M
like the generality of mankind-high-
tempered, capricious, domineering, OBJ
stinate. His son Henry has been lead
ing rather a fast life, and possibly
that's displeased his father. | can
think of no other reason for his being
disinherited.'
"Disinheritedi"
"Well, it's scarcely worth calling it
by any other name, giving him one
thousand pounds out of an estate val
ued at two hundred thousand pounds,
leaving one hundred and ninety-nine
Thousand pounds to his brother. That's
disinheritance, l should say, or some
thing wonderfully like it,
But has the General done that? sure
ly it can't be? It's but some tale that's
got abroad, probably not word of
truth in it."
I'm sorry to tell you, Mrs. Mainwar-
ing, that you're mistaken both ways.
It's tale that hasn't got abroad, and is
true, every word of it. It's a secret, so
far as l know, confined to General
Harding himself, and two other indi-
viduals; one your humble servant, the
other my Office clerk. And to prove to
you that it is true, propose making
third person privy to it."
who, sir?"
yourself, Mrs. Mainwaring. If you
do me the favour to peruse this docu-
ment, you'll see whether I'm justified
in what I'm saying
The lawyer hands the lady a sheet of
folded foolscap, labelled, Last Will and
Testiment of Gen. Harding, of Beech
woods Park, Bucks" For it is that
made by Mr.. Violet himself; clean
copy drawn out by his clerk from the
stenographic notes surreptitiously TAX
en-.
"Astounding!" exclaims the widow,
after unfolding the sheet, and running
her eye over the contents. But is this
a real WHIP"
NO. not the thing itself, only
copy. Verbatim, however, as l can as
sure you, having made it myself. The
signatures of the attesting witnesses are
real-my own name and that of my
clerk, Mr.. Jenners. The Generals is
only in fac simile. He has the origi-
nal draft in his possession, duly signed
and delivered"
But such a scrap of writing as this
for an estate Of
Good as If it were six sheets of
parchment: equally valid at law. Leav-
es General Hardfng's youngest son no
more claim on his estate than I have
beyond that paltry one thousand
pounds"
When was it Why, it's dated
to-day"
80 it should. 1t was made this very
himself debating it. He signed the or
morning at my office, Gen. Harding
iginal on the spot, had it witnessed as
you see, and carried it away with him,
without even waiting for the ink to get
dry. After he was gone lost no time
in coming here. In fact, his carriage
was just turning tinto the park gates as
mine came in sight of them. l suppos-
ed it of some Importance for you to
know what's been done
1T is answers the lady, in the ex-
element oversaying herself. THAT is
| it might be. l need not tell you, Mr.
Violet, how much l feel obliged for
your thoughtful communication.
only my duty, madam; nothing be-
yond. OF course, as a regular client,