The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-10-03


until l met Daniel Draper. After
nv first contact with him I had
no further notions regarding the
proposition. was young law
yer, lust established in practice as
Junior partner in firm with
= big income. l was at the crit
ical point in a most puzzling casa
will case in which I was strangely in
terested. 1t was not the amount in
yolved, but rather the unaccountable
Injustice that seemed to have been
committed that attracted my interest.
Phoebe Parker was the niece of
Simon Gilbert. He had lived with
his books and his daughters un-
til Julia, the elder, took it into
her head to marry Richard Rad
clifte, the broker, and at the same
time Fanny, the younger, fell in love
with Tom Belden. Then the old man
declared himself. He did not propose
to be left alone in his age nor to be-
come mixed up with other families. If
one or both of his daughters insisted
on marrying, well and good. He would
not be unfair. He would give them a
dower-as much as he could spare. The
balance of his fortune, at his death,
would 60 to some person who would
live with him and make him comfort
able. The daughters were determined
and married, and true to his promise
Simon Gilbert gave each of them $5 900
and never entered their houses. He
hunted up niece, Phoebe Parker, and
told her if she would take care of him
while he lived and not marry he would
treat her like a daughter and will her
oil he had. This amounted to some
thing like $4,000.
Phoebe had taken the offer after
some thought and many tears. She
was an orphan without a cent and in
love with Jack Shirley. But Jack had
his crippled father and invalid mother
10 support and it was out of the ques-
tlon for him to think of marrying
while they were alive-unless he could
ouy an interest in the business, and
mat would cost ten or twelve thousand
dollars. So she had gone into the grim
and gloomy house of Simon Gilbert and
mere she had worked and wept, trying
10 make the old man comforta BILE and
pining for kind woodland for Jack,
wi'n whom things did not improve.
simon Gilbert wen. to his lawyer,
VINO was the head of our firm, and
mad his will drawn, leaving everything
to Phoebe.
But after the death of Gilbert what
was the surprise of every person who
knew the circumstances when another
viii was found, dated six months be-
lore his death, in which the estate was
eit TO his two daughters, and Phoebe
,arker was not so much as mentioned.
NY partner had drawn the will. giving
'ne property to the niece, but he could
not question the latter document, forit
was most certainly signed in Gilbert's
nanowrlting. Of that my partner was
sure; ne knew the signature well. He
was equally sure that the old man had
intended to deal honestly and Justly
Win his niece, and on the girls behalf
ne had asked me to look into the mat
&c, and see if there was not a way to
agnt the later will. l was absolutely
0amed as to line upon which to base
aght. was relating the circum-
Stances to friend of mine, reporter,
mnen ne suggested that ca II in Daniel
him. "''e' Win
Daniel Draper-not that crazy,
smith," 'ne o'"
ihe same" replied the reporter.
aho don't bet too much on his being
.fazy' He has helped me out of manv
noie when have had n assignment
,.e. /, couldn't land. You know he is am
0i.ious to become detective"
J, lhe upshot of it was that nv friend
me reporter, brought Daniel Draper
~ see me and l laid the case before
:. n he was a loose-iointed, round
.aouidered young fellow with a shock
.1ow s.u colored hair covering rather a
en-snaped head. His features were
ss s.sractive and no two of them
se 20 match. His mouth wore a