The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-11-13

ing 1t, read:
PARISH OF !tvoYE;Lcs, LOUISIANA May G, 1861.
], Horace Cakfcil, CT 'LEspera2ce' plantation,
in the parish and state above written Of lawful age
and without forced heirs, being OF scC:.! health
both in mind snd body but knowing the GER
tanty OF death and the uncertainty CT the time
thereof and especially having in view the pcris OF
war, into which am about to enter, 60 make this
nv last will and testament in the olo:rapl;c
form.
l give and bcGueath unto NY brother. Evaristc
Oakfell, one-hait of all ny estate OF whatsoever
Lind and wheresocyer situated which | may pos
scss at the moment Of my death.
give and EcG3eath unto Estellc Latioials,
granddaughter OF Leonidas Latiolais Of the parish
all state above written. the remainder of my cs-
tate OF whatsoever kind and wheresoever situated
which may possess ct the moment OF my death.
appoint my said brother, Evariste Oakic!l, sole
executor CT this testament and dispense him fTcnI
giving bond, and direct him 10 make partition
Of my estate by licitation within one year after
probate and deliver to said ES;ele La;ioiais her
share in gold money or lis equivalent in interest
bearing securities to be approved By Tie parish
Nudge.
This testament has bcca dated. written ard
signed by me en- one sheet OF paper at ore writ
ing. HORACE OAEFELL-
So intense was the shock he expert
enced from this perusal that his head
fell forward. and for moment his
state was one Of semiconsciousness.
But rage, bitter, unspeakable rage, sent
the blood surging hot from his heart.
The veins Of his neck and temples
gorged; his face grew livid. Had he
been Of full physical habit he would
have died in the tempest of wrath
which burst within him. AL hour he
sat motionless except for the witch
ings of his counten2nce, like those Of
an anasthetiZed patient under the sur
geon's knife. But one thought was de-
fined in his Gazed, co2gested mind, and
that took the form Of an infinite. malis-
nant curse upon the brother who
thwarted him even from his unGiscov-
erable grave. Exhausted, weak as
child coming out Of cataleptic s2asm,
he tottered across the room and fell
painting upon his bed. The calmness
Of collapse came upon him, bringing q
gradual return Of connected thought.
In his view HoraceS malevolence to
him was manifest. The purpose of the
bequest Of half the estate to EStelle
was so to burden the conscience Of the
sentimental girl with weight Of graf
itude to his memory that the bestowal
Of her hand to another would to her
seem the basest Of crimes. He had
sought to make her life one of virgin
widowhood or religious seciusicn. The
plain animus was to bafie the suit
which he anticipated that E7ariste
would press. The latter would not ad-
NIT that his passion was unknown to
Horace How was this stroke to te
parried? Now, If ever, was the crisis
out Of which his boasted cunning, tie
gift Of his Latin ancestors, should bear
him victorious. What was this weapon
used against his life's life? what was
the character Of an Geographic will?
What was his status without the will,
no living person but himself having
seen it?
He dared not consult q lawyer. No
one Of the craft known to him possess
ed the degree o. sccretivencsS to in
vite his trust. Rising and borrowing
strength from a decanter OF brandy, he
took down the civil code of Louisiana
and, turning over the leaves, every one
of which bore the pen notes and thumb
marks of bis brother. rested his eyes
upon these lines:
Article 1851. The Geographic testament is that
which is written by the tcstator himself In or.
der to be valid it must be entirely written, dated
and signed by the testator. It is subject to ho
other form and may lie made anywhere, even out
Of the state.
Article 164S. The Geographic testament Shall be
opened il il be scaled and it must be acknowl-
edged and proved by lhe declaration Of two cred
lille persons w!ic must attest that they recognize
the testament as being entirely written, dated
and signed in the tes:ator's handwriting, as hav-
ing often seen him write and sign during his
lifetime.
'The perfection Of simplicity" Eva
.riste muttered, "anG from all the forms
O." testament allowed By the law be
has. deliberately selected this one for
my discontinue. Shall l suffer it to
wreck my hopes? Shall not strangle
It before it sees the light? What would
be the effect of that? Let me look fur
ther."
Del7ing again into the code, he found
that he, though only half brother,
would have inherited the whole estate
to the exclusion Of other collateral
heirs had Horace died intestate.
"Oh, Horace, you stupid American
dolt," he soliloquiz;ed gloatingly, "to
leave in my hands this cursed instru-
ment Of your i'll will and expect me to
turn it upon myself-to commit suicide
with It! You never understood me.
You never tried to understand me. It
Is too droll Between me and success
stands only this finsy barrier, erected
by a stolid mind, and away it vanishes
in smoke"
He seized the will and struck a
match, when he was startled BY
sharp knock at bis door.
Throwing away the match and
thrusting the will into his pocket, he
demanded:
"Who IS there"
"It is l." Mrs. Wyley answered. -.
letter has been brought Ey a messen-
ger, who says an immediate answer is
required"
He opened the door and received the
following note:
Come to Dedc's at once Matters CT Importance
REQUIRE consideration and action now.
GCli:Ec::ET.
sTell the messenger, please, that l
will come" be saiu TO Mrs. Wv;ay. and
then to himseli: Perhaps this IS for
tunate. It may be we'll g" rAe 20
breathe fresh air and get back to the
normal, possibly to consult QUiliebert,
before taking steps which could never
be retraced. He is Gil expert Oh all
matters of this complexion
He was soon at the cabaret ard seat
ed in the rear room with Quiilebert.