Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-05-30
DAILY SHORT STORY
POST MoRTEM REVENGE.
tOriginall


the reading of the will of the recently
deceased owner Of the property and q
consider4b bic fortune besides The
widow and her son. twenty-five years
old. the issue OF q former marriage, en-
tered followed by Il girl of nineteen,
the daughter of the testator. The
elder woman was dressed in deepest
mourning Her son wore as sOmber
garments as his mother. hiS.studs and
sleeve buttons even being E4ack. So
deep was the grief OF the Stepdaughter
that she seemed unconscious of what
she wore. Her stepmother and step
brother. however left seat for her
between them aud regarded her from
time To time with tender, sympathetic
gIances. few relatives of the de-
ceased followed these principal mourn
ers. the family lawyer bringing up the
rear When all were seated he IN
folded the will and read:
IL. Henry Arthur Clifford, being of
sound mind and body, declare this tn
be my last viii and testament be
questh all my property, real and per
sonal Ia my beloved wife Elizabeth
Clifford, I'm perfect confidence that she
will make suitable provision for my
daughter. Anna Louise Clifford
This Will remark ed the lawyer.
was made two years ago. aud il does
not appear that any other has been
made since. There are no codicils''
II seemed to those present that if
there was any case wherein step
mother should be- thus hOnOred with
confidence it was this. The girl sat
mute. Indeed she seemed To Ice
so overcome with grief that she had
10 thought for the mana cement Of her
interests She allowed herself to he
kissed by her stepbrother and his
mother. Then the three were about
to rise Ia go out when they heard a
voice from behind. at which the widow
| started. In il she recognized her hus-
bands bosom friend.
Il have To offer later WILL
The brief announcement had with
ering effect upon the widow She
! caught at the arm of the chair. from
which she had partly risen, and stared
at the speaker.
There is no later will" she said.
III you have Que it is a forgery"
The man advanced and handed pa
per he carried in his hand To the law
yer, who took it, scrutiniZed it and,
after a careful examination of the sig
nature. said:
This instrument is properly drawn.
bearing date only few days before
| the teStatOr's death ] am well ac-
quanted with his signature and con
| slider It genuine"
Read it, gasped the widow.
R.r{I hn
had offered it, and he proceeded to do
SO. After the usual preliminaries the
document continued:
AT the death of my late beloved
first wife | married. for companion
| ship and for a mother for my little
daughter, woman who from the day
of the ceremony bent her indomitable
will To the work OF getting my prop
| erty for herself and her son. She pos
| sessed the ability to control both my
self and my daughter To the world
we We're singularly united family.
In our home my child and lived as If
| under the spell OF witchcraft. My
wife brought me TO the verge OF
nervous prostration, then demanded
that | should make will at her die
tation. / refused. whereupOn she
| brought me to the verge Of lunacy, and
| | yielded I made the will she wished
that I might escape her prosecutions
and having I'm view this revenge.
am aware that my action stamps me
for a weak man. but l am convinced
that no man can stand against the
cruelty OF woman whom he cannot
get rid Of"
| Then followed a bequest OF the bulk
OF his property to bis daughter. few
small legacies being left to other rela-
| tives In this connection the widow
and her son were not mentioned. The
document concluded as follows: II di-
rect that my daughter shall from the
opening of this will be under the care
OF my lifelong friend. Robert Rivard.
who is hereby appointed her guardian,
and who has promised TO make her q
member Of his family
| During the reading the expression on
the face of Mrs. Clifford was that Of II
disappointed fury She had lived since
| the first will WAS made In the fear
that her husband might make another,
but had been confident that the watch
she had set upon him was effective.
At the conclusion OF the reading she
arose and walked out OF the room
without a word, her son following.
The heiress moved not till the door had
| closed behind them. Then with a pc
culisT cry cry in which there was a
relief from the torture OF years she
arose and threw herself into the arms
OF her guardian. After resting there
la few moments she turned To- others
who were present and received a show
er Of heartfelt congratulations.
While Anna Clifford never thorough
/ ~ recovered from the loss OF her IA
Their. with whom she had suffered SO
many years Of torture, she did recover
| from the persecution OF some seven
| teen years No one ever dared blame
her father in her presence for not hav-
| ing protected her from her stepmOth-
er. This she always stoutly main
Il