Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1900-06-26
NEW SERIES, VOL. XXXv. No. &c.

81 faced round and looked the gem
tleman square In the eye but he never
WINGED or gave the slightest Indication
of recognition. Then 1 went away
with my mind in turmoil. If 1 had
been called upon to swear to the mans
Identity in n court of law, would have
done so without hesitation but for the
fact that, though returning my glance
with one as prolonged and steady as
my own, he had shown no sign of rec
ognition.
Now, 1 needn't tell you how my IA
ther and myself began to speculate or
what thoughts We're exchanged. Suf-
fee to say that none of our surmises
approached the truth.
And now, to so back to Mr.. Tomp-'
kins' sudden seizure and the events
which followed. OF course our inqui-
ries after the sick man were frequent,
and my father called several times. but
Mr.. Tompkins did not for some time
recover consciousness. At length he
began to evince some slight intelli-
gence, and my father or myself was
thereafter with him day and night, so
that IL he recovered his senses we
might be ready to do anything for him
he might desire in relation to the ar
rangement of his affairs. He had no
relatives near at hand and, in fact,
none with whom he ever directly COM
municated. He had younger brother
who had disgraced himself and been
convict and was occasionally helped
through us by Mr.. Tompkins, but al
ways in SO indirect manner as to pre-
vent his discovering the whereabouts
of his benefactor. So far as we knew,
Mr.. TompkiTs had made no viii, and
yet we knew that he must be worth
over 81, 100000.
But will come to the occurrence to
which l alluded at the outset. 1 was
sitting in the sick mans room one
night reading before the fire. He grew
restless, and arose and saw that he
was moving and struggling as though
trying to rise. l spoke to him, and he
tried hard to respond and gripped my
hand with extraordinary vigor for so
sick person. Seeing that he was using
every eXertion to sit up in bed, helped
him as well as could. but just as he
had acquired an apparently upright po-
RAAAOA LlS lASlluG IGldACNls uuu-nG LGlA
back. l stood by him for some min
utes, and, as he seemed to be breathing
easily, 1 resumed my place at the fire
side, once and again casting glance
at the bed.
Suddenly / experienced n strange
sensation, and, on looking up, saw n
spectral figure standing right opposite
me. rose with an exclamation of sur
prise and approached the form, won
dering how the sick man could have
left his bed and passed me without my
having observed him. l did not lose
my presence of mind, but took n step
toward the dimly outlined figure. Then
l saw that one hand was pointing to-
ward small, old fashioned desk which
stood on the top of bookcase. AS
my eye followed the direction indicated
the form disappeared. l turned. ex-
Dectlug to see the figure moving to-
ward the bed. Nothing. however, was
visible went to the bed and gazed
upon a corpse!
The man was dead beyond question.
1 summoned the housekeeper and other
attendants, and when the body was
properly disposed all of us quilted the
room. locked the door and gave the
key into the custody of the housekeep-
er, directing her to allow no one to Gu
ter the room until my father came next
day with the undertaken.
Next morning accompanied my IA
ther to the house. L had already in
formed him what had occurred, and as
soon as some other matters were ar
ranged my father took the desk, and
we retired to another room. ON open
ing the desk there was apparently
nothing in it but quire of note paper
We made close examination; but, as
it was simply desk to be carried in
the hand or in a trunk, we found moth
ing that would indicate any secret
drawer. l took up the note paper and
carelessly turned over the sheets. A
surprise was in store, for on the inside
sheet there was writing. It turned out
to be the holographic will of the de-
ceased-that is. will wholly written
by himself. 1t bore date the very day
when lie last visited our office and was
struck down by apoplexy.
''The will left all in trust to n certain
woman for the benefit of the testator's
five children. mentioned by name, with
their places OF abode The name of the
trustee l cannot, of course, mention,
nor would 1t be right to give the ad-
dress. The will was duly admitted to
Drobate The trustee did not hear the