The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-01-21

and | signed as witnesses. put down for an adj
dress. after my name, a street and number that
looked all right, but that " tell the truth | had put
down Just as they happened 10 come " me. Tho
old lady was the boss Just the same, but Ia got
used to things there a little in the fifteen or twenty
minutes that I'd been there, and | couldn't leave
her my real address on that paper
After the signing there wasn't much 70 do
The straight old lady told me, in the front room
again, where we'd gone, she picking up that lanip
from the shelf as she passed it, that when he should
die the will would in the course Of time have 10 be
proved; and then she would want me 10 come ana
swear % my signature. as a witness Then she
gave me some good advice and $40, and let me
out the front door. and she didn't lock it either,
We'll, now. as a matter Of fact | never expected
dress ia lei, wouldn't help a letter TO reach me
very, much. and then If had heard from her
should have been very doubtful about appear.
that house, / though, to myself that. that was
about as strange an experience os l had ever
had, but ! thought that that was the end OF Is
say, in one chapter; but eleven years after tina.
eleven years, mind you. and. this was more q
six years after | had retired from business. |
read this advertisement one day In a news
WITSEss-Pleaso call for letter a. General Post
Now there WAS about one chance in a million
that I'd happen 10 see that advertisement, and
i thought about the same chances that that let
ter was for me; but | went and asked for a letter
10. my name, and got one and II was from the
old lady; she'd tined my address ana got the let
ter back and then advertised and written this
one; and the old gentleman had only Just died.
after all. Now the will WAS 10 be opened and she
wanted me to come on a certain date and hour 10 so
with her TO the county seat where the court was
and verify my signature. Well, don't you SEQ
| could do this now. | had a name. now. my
real name, that I'd signed and had \ home and
an address. was q respectable citizen and !
went up.
The old lady was softened a little, she was
gentler. but not weakened a bit; she was straight
and reSolute as ever III bet she'll die that way,
II she isn't dead yet The other witness had
long been dead, lie died only = year or two
after the signing, long before the signer did.
But there wasn't any trouble in getting reasonable
proof Of the other witnesses signature. Plenty
Of people had seen II and knew il well. ] could
have sworn 10 il myself. though ] neyerd seen
II but once, When | came 10 look at IT, after all
those years, every crook and turn IN Is was as
familiar as though | had seen IL every day since.
! swore TO my signature, and that's al! there was
90 It. | guess in this case, anyway, 1t was
all more or lessa matter Of form. There wasn't
anybody TO contest the will. and | guess IL would
have gone through somehow all right anyway,
but they had TO find the vi illnesses II they could.
Well, that was the last Of the business for
me, except that three days after ! got home ! got
q letter from the old lady, a kind letter. with
more good advice and a check for $500. II was
the most money | ever made out ~ one house.
I've gathered up and carried of stuff that cost 4
good deal more money, but | never got that much
out 81 It. And IL always seems kind o curious
whenever think Of IT, TO think that ] made my
biggest haul after d gone out OF business