The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-05-03

who had disgraced himself and been a
convict and was occasionally helped
through us by Mr.. Tompkins, but all
ways in SO indirect a manner as to pre-
vent his discovering the whereabouts
Of his benefactor. So far as we knew,
MI, Tompkins had made no will, and
yet we knew that he must be worth
over ST 100000.
But will come to the occurrence to
which alluded at the outset. was
sitting IN the sick mans room one
night reading before the fire. He grew
restless, and arose and saw TINT he
was moving and struggling as though
trying to rise. spoke to him. and be
tried hard to respond and gripped my
hand with extraordinary vigor for SO
sick person. Seeing that he was using
every exertion to sit up In bed. helped
him as well as | could. but Just as he
had acquired an apparently upright POI
sition his frame relaxed, and he fell
back. ] stood by him for some min.
utes and, as he seemed to be breathing
easily, l resumed my place at the fire.
side, once and again casting a glance
at the bed
Suddenly experienced strange
sensation. and, on looking up, saw a
spectral figure standing right opposite
me. i rose with an exclamation Of sur
prise and approached the form, won
dering how the sick man could have
left his bed and passed me without my
having observed him. | did not lose
my presence of mind, but took step
toward the dimly outlined figure. Then
| saw that one hand was pointing to-
ward small, old fashioned desk which
stood on the top Of a bookcase. AS
my eye followed the direction indicated
the form disappeared. turned, ex-
pecting to see the figure moving to-
ward the bed. Nothing, however, was
| visible went to the bed and gazed
upon corpse!
The man was dead beyond question.
summoned the housekeeper and other
attendants. and when the body was
properly disposed all of us quilted the
room. l locked the door and gave the
key into the custody of the housekeep-
er, directing her to allow no one to en-
ter the room until my father came next
day with the undertaken,
Next morning accompanied my ia
Their to the house. had already in
formed him what had occurred. and as
soon as some other matters were ar
ranged my father took the desk, and
we retired to another room. On open
ing the desk there was apparently
nothing in 1t but quire Of note paper.
We made close examination; but, as
it was simply desk to be carried in
the hand or In a trunk, we found moth
ing that would indicate any secret
drawer. took up the note paper and
carelessly turned over the sheets. A
surprise was in store, for on the inside
sheet there was writing. 1t turned out
to be the Photographic win of the de
ceased-that is, will wholly written
by himself. 1t bore date the very day
when he last visited our Office and was
struck down by apoplexy.
1.-THE win left all in trust to certain
woman for the benefit of the testator s
five children. mentioned by name, with
their places of abode. The name Of the
trustee cannot, Of course, mention
nor would 1t be right to give the ad.
dress. The will was duly admitted tt
| probate. The trustee did not bear the
name of the testator. but all the chill
/ drcn did.
How do account for the spectral
form? Well. think he had felt symp
| toms of the attack which carried hin
Off and wrote the viii and came direct
| " to our office. intending to inform my
father Of the fact of its existence. Al
the point of separation from the body
the spirit obeyed the last impulse OF
the dying man. Brooklyn Citizen.