Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1904-10-07

instantly they were both on their knees
before the hoary father, and plunged
into violent entreaties Of pardon and
promises Of repentance. He listened
with eQuanimiy, and, after multiplied
supplications and opportunities, was
prevailed on TO stay, saying, however,
with q wistful smile. that IF at any
time they think they'd rather live
without him, they have merely TO say
SO, and he will depart with all his be.
lonHnss" When nearing the last few
words Mrs. Owen nudged her husband,
and then almost fell In fainting At
declaring Il would Asnceforth be the
business o< her life 70 nurse and cheer
her dsar papa-
Coming the ne1t day On q visit to
de Owen family. Mn. Amelia Bay
was informed By hsr sistsr-tn-hw Of
the DrocseAiAss Il Ast night
"Rut l DON'T quite 80 the reason
Of youF afsctinS such 0bseauious re-
spsct FEC the aotAra."
"Iou ars ampis minded indeed.
whsrs esull he get money to buy such
q suit Of clothes and hire ledsings, had
he not retained q large part Of his
property, and who knows but what 1t
was the larger part7 His ledgers, you
know. were in q state Of considerable
confusion, and he might have kept
some two or three hundred thousand
dollars without anybody knowing it"
From that time the Owens and the
Bays WED with each other in obtain
ing the goodwill and, withal, the good
possessions Of old MT. Owen. They
deluged him with rare and precious
presents, which he would put away
nobody knew where; but before long
tho sagacious Mrs. Owen guessed that
he was placing them where he kept
his treasure, ana that ultimately Il
would all return to them. They conse-
Quently 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 q sum of money
which amounted to q moderate cor-
tune. They hesitated, but Mrs. Owen
affirmed that she observed he was
waning from day to day, and az 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 three-fourths
OF the sum. the father at 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 ineidsnts related above, when Mr..
death-bed. A gloomy hush reigns IN
the chamber, while all eyes are hxed
OH the cadaverous, grizzled head OIL
the pillow. whose heavy, irregular in-
halation, like the toliing Of 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 more placid aspect, his
feverish 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 moment, that
your undoubted hopes Of coming COM
fort and bliss have made you forget
something. for instance, touching a
w1ll%
The half-dead features suddenly
gleam up, the emigrant from the tenn
poral world, forcibly struggling few
steps back from the boundaries Of dis
solution, raises himself in bed, and
even something very like a sad smile
crosses his withered lips.
Tes-ta-ta-ment," stammers he,
with his last breath, testament at
at Mr.. Du-Duban's"
Mrs. Owen. highly displeased that
the testament should be in a stran-
gers hands, although Mr.. Duban Is an
old friend Of the Owens, makes a wry
face; but it is of no use protesting, for
old Mr.. Owen is dead.
Hardly, however, had the corpse
grown cold, when both piOus couples
hurried away to Mr.. Duban's.
ITO what happy luck" met them
that gentleman, "am l indebted for
the pleasure of receiving such worthy
guests? 1 hope my good old con,rade
is betterT
1--WE have come for his WILL"
vociferated the flushed Mrs. Owen.
"Our loved father has departed this
morning." said Mrs. Bay.
"Mr. Owen dead. And you here