Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1900-11-02
Mr.. Tompkins'Wi
Did tie SPIRITS Cary Dat the Wishes
OF the Dying fianl

7
Il never was what you may call SUI
perstitious.' said n lawyer from the
country as he sgt In tho courtroom
awaiting the judge. but | had an ex-
poricRcc nu"c that hus ever since in
hit:eil mt not to scOn at what Is called
the supernatural. Mr.. Tompkins was
one Of the first clients my father. who
Mas Il lawyer. cVcr had. lie was
wealthy aud had, as waS supposed,
never hccn married. He lived in ar
pld hotucsteHd not far from a well
ki;owh city Up tic state, aud his wants
were atitnGcd to by an elderly house
Keeper and several servants. male and
fcrrale. After / became "a lawyer Il
Mas NY GEiy 10 see Mr.. Tompkins
quite frequently in relation 70 his prop
erty aad 80 forth. He was n kindly
ilan. somewhat reserved. aud. when /
FIRST knew him. probably % years of
age. lie had n strong personality both
M 70 appearance aud character. lie
"A over six feet aud stout in proper
ton. HIS face was always clean shay
ti Ind lc wore his hair long. When
hncw him, II had turned to gray, but
Wa5 ~ abundant as ever. Ills carriage
was erect. aud bis general appearance
ha4 such as. II Once observed, could
nGt Hril lie forgotten.
Mr.. TuiErkirs was ia the habit of
spending - good deal Of timc away
from home, ana the impression of my
Tatlirr and myself vas that hc was re.
~tupcr:tius in fiorida. He went and
Tctt!snrd without notice, and his do
inea;ics. being used to lils ways, never
troubled themselves at his absence,
White al the same time they were cx-
tdCil,nelf careful to have everything
tcady for his reception whenever he
might return. Neither TO me nor to my
Father did lie ever utter any explana-
t.Or OF his nhacnces from home or
make any alluslon to them whatsoever.
"Onc day MIR. fOmpkins came to our
oliirr ana asked for my father. lie
Eds hot In just then. and Mr.. Temp
kihs sgt down and talked with me. He
asked me how | had spent my time at
college and about my associates and
my s and many other things. After
\ InIusc which lasted some moments
he slid:
You have reached that ngc when
you should marry. The best thing in
the world for you Is to get Il wife as
Room rs you eau take are of one. A
ma Is snfer when lie narrles early
81 looked out Of the window and saw
my fnther coming toward the office.
"'My father Is coming | said.
"Mr. Tonipklns arose and glanced to-
ward the street. Then he stepped 10
iIiu side and appeared TO me to be
brushing something of his coat sleeve.
The next instant inc wheeled right
round. staggered aad fell. My father
entered just ut the time, and hoth OF
us FASTENED to raise Mr.. Tompklns and
place him on n chair. We sent for his
physician right away. and when he
came lie said that Mr.. TOmpklus was
suffering from an attack Of apoplexy.
He vas 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 2 matter In which he
was deeply and aBxiously interested
impclled him I do 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 otfiee
that morning neither my father nor
could divine.
ffWEa NultrnI nNar NIta tnpfIant Iona
and carefully. and In the ursc of the
conversation | mentioned to my father
some facts which II had not struck me
before were Of sufficient importance e
nnentlOn. IL was not often that ut that
fine In my history ! visited New York
In fact. up TO the time Of which
speak ! had been to the city only twice
II wns a circumstance which occurred
on my last visit that | mentioned &c
my father. The business that took me
20 the city was IN relation to some doc.
nmehts affecting wooded lands up the
state In which a client was interested
l met an old college friend. and one
. day he and ! went down TO Ions
Branch together. After taking In the
sights we were naturally hungry and
went to the best hotel we could select
Seated at a table ncar 10 us wns n par
~ consisting OF an elderly gentleman
and lady and several young people OF
both sexes. ranging from 8 to IS years
The gentleman was seated With Ills
back to Ine. and II struck me that
was familiar with the contour OF the
head. I tried h7rd TO get a sight Of tbs
face. but did not succeed until | was
leaving. when I so managed 40 to pro
cure a pretty good view OF the gentle
mans rOuntenancc.
why faid ! TO my friend. n'at Il
Mr. Tompkipa. 81 cd client Of my 70
asey.'