Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1904-09-22


was the larger part? His ledgers. you
know. were in a state of coHSidera bic
confusion, and he might have kept
some two or three hundred thousand
dollars without anybody knowing 1t
From that time the Owens and the
| Bays We'd with each other in obtain
ing the goodwill and, withal, the good
| possessions of old Mr. Owen. They
deluged him with rare and precious
! presents, which he would put away
| nobody knew where; but before long
the sagaciOus Mrs Owen guessed that
he was placing them where he kept
his treasure, and that ultimately it
would all return to them. They conse
ouently began to bestow attentions or
him with greater and greater fire.
quency, waiting for their restoration
with more than compound interest.
One day he asked for a sum of money
which amounted to a moderate for-
tune They hesitated, but Mrs. Owen
affirmed that she observed he was
waning from day to day, and as this
was probably his last probation Of
them, they would forfeit all by declin-
ing to comply with the present re-
quest. Still Mr. Bay faltered, but the
Owens agreeing to give threefourths
of the sum, the father ut last received
the money, which went, as Mrs. Owen
asserted, to the mysterious place where
he boarded his vast treasures.
Eight months have worn on since
the incidents related above, when MIR.
Owens family are gathered near his
death-bed A gloomy hush relgns IN
the chamber, while all eyes are fixed
OIL the cadaverous, griZzled head OH
the pillow, whose heavy, irregular III
halation, like the tolling Of a funeral
knell, heralds the proximity Of death.
For some time previous, his unrest,
together with brief. indistinct eXclama-
tons, has shown that his memory has
been lowering amid the scenes of his
past life. At length his cOuntenance
assumes a more placid aspect, his
fcverish tossing ceases, his inspiration
becomes nearly inaudible, and it is evil
dent that the worn man is lingeringly
dying. Softly nearing the bedside.
Mrs Owen, having caught his luster-
less eye. lisps in her gentlest notes:
dearest papa, haven't you, perhaps,
something on your mind that you'd
like to impart on such a moment, that
your undoubted hopes Of coming COM
fort and bliss have made you forget
something, for instance, touching
will"
The half-dead features suddenly
CLEAN up, the emigrant from the tenn
poral world, forcibly struggling a few
steps back from the boundaries Of dis
solution, raises himself in bed, and
even something very like sad smile
crosses his withered lips.
Ties ta-ta-ment" stammars he,
with his last breath, testament at
at Mr.. Du-Duban's."
Mrs. Owen, highly displcased that
the testament should be in stran-
gers hands, although Mr.. Duban is an
old friend Of the Owens, makes wry
face; but it is of no use protesting, for
old Mr.. Owen is de d.
Hardly, however, had the corpse
grown cold, when both pious couples
hurried away to Mr.. Duban's.
TO what happy luck met them
that gentleman, IAN 1 indebted for
the pleasure Of receiving such worthy
guests? [ hope my good old conlrade
is better?"
I'VE have come for his WILL"
vociferated the f1ushed.N Mrs. Owen.
Our loved father has departed this
morning." said Mrs. Bay.
Mr. Owen dead! And you here
about the will SO soon"
We'll hear q sermon next Sunday,
but now we demand our fathers tesla
ment," Mrs. Owen said impatiently.
Without another word, Mr.. Duban
fetched a large sealed envelope and,
with the concurrence Of his visitors,
Enclosing it, took out neatly folded
sheet of paper in which he read as fol
lows: In the name Of God, Amen!
81 deem it unnecessary to proceed
IL the legal style Of last will and
testament. as what I have to bestow
will probably be accounted of cheap
value by the legatees; it is no more
indeed, than dearly bought advice.
The best mode for impressing and en-
phasizing this advice is, 1 think, by
relating the circumstances by which
acquired it myself. When l perceived
that my children were getting tired Of
me and disposed to treat me harshly,
I resigned myself to the Most Merci-
full humbly and devoutly implOring
Him to protect and direct me in my
helpless old age While thus praying
one midday with more than usual fer
vor, because 1 had just undergone a
great indignity, l was suddenly struck
by an excellent idea-at the time l
thought it an apocalypse. Obeying the
heavGn-sent counsel, l borrowed hun
dred dollars from a crony of mine, Mr..
Duban, and purchased handsome suit
of clothes and prepared to move out,
thus making my daughter-in-law be-
lieve that the poor old sugar-maple was