The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-18
The Widow PrimIey'S Will.

! The lawyer climbed out of his buggy
and tied the horse to the fence by the
gate of the farmhouse, and with his old
black bag in his hand slowly walked
into the front room of the Primley
house.
He was met by the doctor. whose
buggy was tied further down the yard
one of two women neighbors of Mrs
Primley. who was nearing her end. sat
around and eyed the two men in their
professional black and exchanged whis-
pered comments and anecdotes of the
dying woman.
IT'S a lucky thing for Lawyer jim
kins that Sarah Primley can't see him
putting that old dirty bag of his on top
of her parlor chair covering" said one.
Yes" said another. 7 do declare
she'd come right downstairs now if
| she knew about it. Sarah was always
a determined soul, and mighty careful,
too" The woman seemed as though she
had been about to use some other word
in place of careful some such word
as close" or near" but changed her
mind.
We'll Jinkins.'' said DR. Towley, Il
guess you'd better waste no time in
seeing the old lady. or she'll be getting
herself in such a state of temper that
she'll hurry on the end"
She's pretty near the end is she 2"
She is, but you never can make up
your mind about anything where
Widow Primley is concerned. She's
| lived out two husbands and about
everybody else born along the same
| time as she; but I guess she's going
now; yes, l think this is the end. It's
the first time she ever made up her
mind to have her will drawn up in all
the years that I have tended her when
she's been sick so I guess she's made
up her mind she's got TO go. But it is
a puzzling case, very pulling all the
way through. She is certainly slipping
out of life, and yet I can't see that she
has any fatal organic complaint
| odd age, suspect" said the lawyer,
as he prepared to go upstairs.
| I suppose So" said the doctor
When the lawyer entered the Widow
Primley's room he found that a chair
and table had been placed for his use
by the bedside and that the patient had
been propped up with pillows. He
glanced apprehensively at the pale
sharp features as though anticipating
an outbreak of the shrilI wrath the
widow was noted for on account of his
hardness in obeying her summons; but
she seemed strangely resigned, and in a
calm voice said that she wanted her
will drawn up. He got out his fountain
pen and wrote the formal Introductory
phrases The doctor softly entered the
room, but with a flash of her old time
vigor the widow commanded him to
/ clear out right away, you Towley, and
come when l call you. Send in Mary
lApplewaite when I ring the bell and
John Dowd to sign this document Now.
Judge" she continued in her faintest
voice. first of all I want you to set
down that I leave the farm to my sons.
] William and jeremiah, both now of
New York. Just you put that down
while l think about the rest"
The lawyer chewed the tip of his folln-
tain pen and looked worried, He had to
tell the Widow Primley something. and
he didn't want to draw down her wrath,
for the lawyer was gentle soul, and he
felt terrified when he thought that ex-
! element might bring on the end right
away. But he had to tell her, so he
said: Mrs. Primley, you'll have to ex-
cuse me. but you can't do that: the
farm isn't-isnt yours to give away"
What's that, Lawyer Jinkins!" cried
the widow in much stronger voice,
| the farm amt mine?"
No, ma'am. You have only life
interest in it, given you by your second
husband"
The Widow Primley raised herself up
and cried out:
You mean to set there like wooden
| ln1un. like ! dunno what. Jinkins. and
calmly tell me to my face that this farm
that I've run for goin' on to Is years
amt mine to do what 1 like with? You
lawyers are chOck full of tricks I know
that. but you look out for foolin me!
I'd jest like to know what you meant"
! why, ma am" said the little law
yer, soothingly. you see. it's like this:
When Silas Primley died he left you a
life interest in all his property and at
your death the farm goes to his only
son. Thomas. and your children get the
4 city houses"
The widow looked at him in silence
for a time
And when I die. Tom Primley, that
idle. lazy, good for nothing loafer is to
have this farm that I have shaved TO