The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1900-06-19
, Mr.. Tompkins' Will
Did the Spirits Cary Out the Wishes
of the Dying Man7


;!
81 never was what you may call SUI
perstitious," said a lawyer from the
country as he sat in the courtroom
awaiting the judge, ''but had an ex-
perience once that has ever since in
duced me not to scoff at what Is called
the supernatural. Mr.. Tompkins was
one of the first clients my father, who
was a lawyer, ever had. He was
wealthy and had, as was supposed,
never been married. He lived In an
old homestead not far from well
known city up the state, and his wants
were attended to by an elderly house
keeper and several servants, male and
female. After ! became lawyer 1t
was my duty to see Mr.. Tompkins
quite frequently in relation to his prop
erty and so forth. He was a kindly
man, somewhat reserved, and, when L
first knew him, probably 65 years Of
age He had a strong personality both
as to appearance and character. He
was over six feet and stout in proper
ton. His face was always clean shay
ed, and he wore his hair long. When
| knew him, it had turned to gray, but
was as abundant as ever. His carriage
was erect, and his general appearance
was such as, if once observed, could
not we'll be forgotten.
s'Mr. Tompkins was in the habit of
spending a good deal of time away
from home, and the impression of my
father and myself was that he was re-
cuperating in Florida. He went and
returned without notice, and his do
mestics, being used to his ways, never
troubled themselves at his absence,
while at the same time they were ex-
ceedingly careful to have everything
ready for his reception whenever he
might return. Neither to me nor to my
father did he ever utter any explana-
ton of his absences from home or
make any allusion to them whatsoever.
Zone day Mr.. Tompkins came to our
office and asked for my father. He
was not In just then, and Mr.. Temp
kins sat down and talked with me. He
asked me how | had spent my time at
college and about my associates and
my age and many other things. After
pause which lasted some moments
he said:
".You have reached that age when
you should marry. The best thing IN
the world for you is to get wife as
soon as you can take care of one. A
man is safer when he marries early
81 looked out of the window and saw
my father coming toward the office.
"My father is coming l said.
"Mr. Tompkins arose and glanced to
ward the street Then he stepped to
one side and appeared to me to be
brushing something off his coat sleeve
The next instant he wheeled right
round, staggered and fell. My father
entered just at the time, and both OF
us FASTENED to raise Mr.. Tompkins and
place him on chair. We sent for his
physician right away, and when he
came he said that Mr.. Tompkins was
suffering from an attack of apoplexy
He was conveyed to his home, and the
best attendance was procured for him.
my fathers impression was that his
client had come to see him on some I'M
portant business, for he never visited
the office unless a matter in which he
was deeply and anxiously interested
impelIed him to dc so. His usual Gus
tom was to send his carriage for my
father when he desired TO consult him
What the subject could be which In
duced Mr.. Tompklns to visit the office
that morning neither my father nor
could divine.