The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-17
TRAMP MADE HER HIS HEIR
OMAHA WOMAN BEFRIENDs
KNIGHT OF THE ROAD AND
Is REWARDED
BENEFICIARY OF ORAL WILL
A Little Package Handed to Her
Proves to Contain
Number Of $40
Bills.

Mrs. Emma CargiH. of Omaha, has en-
tertained an angel unawares Prompted
by sympathy. she gave food and shelter
tG supposed tramp the other day, and
when, week later, he died in her house
she found herself sole beneficiary of mis-
oral VIII, which meant a snug sum in
cashmere than she could have made by
keeping boarders in ten years.
An oral will is not valid under the Me-
hraska statutes, but thus far there has
teen no rival heirs to contest her claim,
end the present indication are that she
VIII be left in undisputed possession OF
her windfan
Cne evening during the recent cold spell
poor old wanderer bent under the bur-
den of his years, called at Mrs. Cargin's
: home and asked for a bed He was weak
and sick, and his voice trembled as he
said:
I have been trying all day to find shell
ter, and they all turn me away because
they think I've got the smallpox"
As there was peculiar rash on the
strangers face Mrs. Cargill could easily
believe this.
And I am H." he continued God viii
reward you. my good woman"
Having nothing but. the strangers word
that his ailment was not smallpox, Mrs.
Cargill took him in, gave him bed on
the lounge and such light nourishment as
he was able to take. Then he handed
her parcel wrapped in a soiled newspa-
yer and tied with a greasy string. It
looked much like a jackage of old let
ters
Keep this until I get we'll" he said,
''and if I never get well-if 1 should die
keep it always"
This was the strangers will.
Placing the package on a window sill
the incident, for the time being, passed
from her mind
During the next few days the patient
! spoke but little, but Mrs. Cargin managed
TO CLEAN from him a few facts. She
learned that his name was J. W. Myers,
and that he was seventy-six years old.
He had never married From his broth
Crs and sisters, of whom he had six at
the time he left Connecticut, he had not
heard in the thirty-two years, and he
believed they were dead. During mis-
early manhood he had been wild and later
had kept much to himself having lived
for the last five years the life Of a re-
SclUse on his homestead near Lamar, 10.
When sickness came he converted his
property into money and started for the
city, intending to go to a hospital but
observing that his malady was likely to
be mistaken for smallpox he altered his
plans. He dreaded the pest house, he
said He wanted to die like a Chris
tian," so avoided this authorities and
made a l1ouse-to-house canvass in quest
Of. a good Samaritan, whom he at last
found in the person Of Mrs. Cargin.
On the seventh day after his arrival
at the Cargill home J. w Myers died
Mrs. CargiH notified the coroner, and
while she was gathering his effects prep
aratory to a removal of the body she
CHANGED upon the greasy package on the
window sill.
She tore 1t open with languid interest,
which soon gave way to thrill of ex-
element, for the parcel contained 1000
In treasury notes-10O $40 bills.
Out of this sum she paid the old mans
doctor bills and funeral expenses and the
remainder she has deposited in a bank.
She says she hopes no heirs will present
themselves to claim it, as she wants to
-use it in the education Of her little
daughter, eight years DID, who has dis
played considerable talent in music.