Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-03-28

"Ies, Uncle John, and Harper will,
be ready to cast off lines at the time
desired"
At eight O'Clock Herbert assembled
tile steps to the bank, unlocked the door
and entered. The iron blinds to the
windows were closed and securely fas,
| tened.
He lighted two oil lamps and placed
them on desk, then unlocked the
vault, opened n sman compartment and
took therefrom tin box OF rather small
dimensions.
He next seated himself at the desk
and took out the contents, which con-
sisted of several packages of papers
tied together with tape.
The first one he opened consisted of
insurance policies.
The second, mortgages and notes.
The third, deeds to real estate, with
bills of sale of several negroes owned by
the banker.
There was yet another package of
miscellaneous papers, and in the very
bottom of the box lay yellow en-
velope, on which was inscribed:
Last will and testament OF John
Lloyd"
Herbert arose, took Off his hat and
coat, reseated himself and commenced
careful perusal of the some.
The instrument commenced very
much us did all wills at that period,
or ms they do now, for that matter.
in the name of God, amen. I, John
Lloyd. being OF sound bodily and mental
health. vet realizing the uncertainty of
life. do declare the foregoing writings to
be my last win and testament"
Then followed several small requests
to some who had formerly been in the
bankers service, remembrance to his
slaves, directions as to his funeral and
burial, and then the following clause:
ITO my nephew. Herbert Lathror, now
in my employ, give and beoueath tho
SUN of Ave thousand dollars tsS,ett)"
Here was the first point where Fer
bert halted in his pe1usal OF this will.
but not for long did he hnlt.
"F4ve thousand dollars. Tint will
never do, my uncle. You will kindly per-
nit mo TO make 1T s5o,ooo," which no
proceeded to do by adding one mono
cipher after the Ave and the other
three, changing the to +, running the
Q up and crossing It for t, and adding
y, thus making tho clause in the will
road:
ITO my nephew, Herbert Lathrop. give
and bequeath. the sum OF fifty thousand
dollars ts5O,Ooo)"
THAT will leave me in rather better
shape, uncle. Lots SEQ. That, sup
pose, would be called doctoriH will,
but what says the next clauseT"
"All the residue of my estate, both real
| and personal, monies, stocks and bonds.
lands and slaves. give and bequeath TO
my daughter. Fannie Lloyd, to have and
| to hold forever. and hereby instruct my
| administrator to withdraw my funds
from the banking business, should not
| have done SO prior to my death, and to In
| yost the same in reai estate, stocks and
bonds, for my daughters boneflt: she at
all tirnes to be consulted. and further
| instruct my said administrator to place
| my daughter in fun possession Of my sfore-
said estate on her 18th birthday, and in
case she may have passed that ago, bofore
my demise within SIX months from the
| date of my death. and do hereby appoint
my tried and true friend. as adminis-
TRAITOR of my estatoI ha to act ccnJointly
WIN uduSitofp ulFeCI (l1uSlHsy
implicit confidence m his integrity and
| ability that no bond be required for tho
| faithful execution of this trust.
I'm witness whereof have hereto set my
| hand and seal, In this tho town of Whining
ton, state of North Carolina, this twenty
ninth (2eth) day Of Ootobor. Eighteen TWEEN
| ty-nine QS29). S ain n
Witnesses: (sea,, JOHN t6rD.
Games D. Strange,
Robert L. Bligh."
"Oh, no! my uncle. This Is well, in
deed. Who should be that tried and
true friend, but the cashier of your
bank-Herbert Lnthrop, your affec-
tionate nephew? But let us SEQ, these
witnesses, James d. Strange and Robert
L. Bligh. 1remember hearing my uncls
say that Col. Strange replied to his
request:
"'Do not insert my name in the will,
John, until return from Europe; peo-
pie, you know are some times lost at
sea-
$50 that accounts for the name not
being filed in"
Strange and Bligh both took passags
on the Media some two months later
than this will is dated.
"Their signatures are thero-indis-
putably there.
"The Media is rocking to and fro
somewhere between the surface and the
bottom of the deep blue sea-she never
reached port.
1.-THE witnesses on uncle's will were
lost at sea.
why, trouble and danger disappear
before me us dew before the sun.
"I hereby appoint my tried and true
friend, Herbert Lathrop, as admins
traitor of my estate, to act conjointly
with my daughter, and direct (havina
implicit confidence in his integrity and
ability that no bond be required
1.-THE will is now complete.
"The name filled in is that Of Herbert
Lathrop.
"Now, Uncle John, your time is short
indeed"
Herbert carefully replaced the will
in the envelope and placed all the papers
back in the box as he had found them
then returned it to the vault, put OF
his hat and cont and unlocked the bank
He opened the door, passed out, CLOSED
and locked it and started up Marlse
street, but stopped in n saloon ant
downed bumper Of brandy; thel
lighted cigar and meandered on a
though he were going to quiet slumbers
Meanwhile Angus Bruce had reached
the dock. The knowledge that he wa
loved by Clara Hill had almost mad
him happy, notwithstanding the fac
that she expected to change her nam
to Lloyd within "a hours. He knew
John Lloyd well-in fact, Lloyd was hi
banlser-and he had fully determine
to talk to him plainly and at once, be
lieving that If he knew that Clara we
him only at her fathers bequest an'
while another held possession Of he
heart that he himself would decline tn
union.
He argued that Clara not loving tn
banker, he would thus save her from
life of unhappiness, and perhaps tn
banker also. and in time perhaps eve