The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-11-07

Mr.. Grant cleared bis throat and be-
gan in his still voice. Once he looked
up to find his listener eager, and hgain
to find him grown indifferent He won
dered dimly II this were a pose
IN brief, the last win Of James Il.
Sedgwick bequeathed everything. real
and personal of which he died pos
sessed 10 his only nephew, Montgomery
Brewster Of New York. son Of Robert
and Louise SedgwiclI Brewster. sup
plementlng this all important clause
there was set Of conditions govern
ing the final disposition Of the estate.
The most extraordinary Of these con-
ditions was the one which required
the heir to be absolutely penniless upon
the twenty-sixth anniversary OF his
birth, Sept %
The instrument went into detail in
respect to this supreme condition. It
set forth that Montgomery Brewster
was to have no other worldly posses
sion than the clothes which covered
him Oh the September day named. He
was to begin that day without a penny
to his name, without a single article
Of jewelry. furniture or finance that
he could call his own or could there
after reclaim. At 8 O'Clock, New York
time on the morning of Sept. % the
executor. under the provisions Of the
will, was to make over and transfer
TO Montgomery Brewster all Of the
moneys, lands. bonds and interests
mentioned In the inventory which ac-
companied the viii. In the event that
/ Montgomery Brewster had not In every
particular complied with the require
ments Of the viii to the full satlsfac-
! ton of the said executor. Swearengen
I Jones, the estate was to be distributed
/ among certain institutions Of charity
designated in the instrument Under
4 lying this imperative injunction Of
! James Sedgwick was plainly discerni-
/ bic the motive that prompted IT, In
/ almost so many words he declared that
| his heir should not receive the fortune
/ If he possessed q single penny that had
! come to him in any shape or form
from the man he hated, Edwin Peter
/ Brewster. While Sedgwick could not
1 have known at the time Of bis death
] that the banker had bequeathed ST.
! 100000 to his grandson, IT. was more
than apparent that he expected the
4 young man to be enriched literally by
his enemy. 1t was TO preclude any
! possible chance of the mingling OF his
fortune with the smallest portion OF
| Edwin r. Brewster's that James Sedg
wick on his deathbed put his hand to
this astonishing instrument.
There was also a clause In which he
undertook TO dictate the conduct Of
Montgomery Brewster during the year
leading up to his twenty sixth anniver
sary He required that the young man
should give satisfactory evidence to
the executor that he was capable Of
managing his affairs shrewdly and
wisely: that he possessed the ability
to add to the fortune through his own
enterprise. that he should come to his
twenty-siXth anniversary with fair
name and gecord free from anything
worse than mild forms Of dissipation;
that his habits be temperate: that he
possess nothing at the end Of the year
which might be regarded as a visible
or invisible asset" that he make no
endowments; that he give sparlngly to
charity; that he neither lend nor give
away money, for fear that 1t might be
restored TO him later; that he live on
the principle which inspires man TO
get his moneys worth be the ex-
penditure great or small As these
conditions were prescribed for bat n
single year in the life of The heir II
was evident that Mr. Sedgwicb did not
intend TO impose any restrictions after
the property had gone into his hands.
eHow DO you like ity" asked Mr..
/ Grant as he passed the viii 20 Brew
ster.
The latter took the paper AID glanced
over 1t with the air OF one who had
heard but had not fully grasped its
meaning.
1T must be a joke. Mr. Grant" he
said, stnl groping with difficulty
through the fog
"NO, Mr. Brewster. It Is absolutely
genuine. Here is a telegram from the
probate court in Sedgwick's home coun-
ty, received in response 20 a query
from US. II says that the win Is to
be filed for probate and that AIr Sedg-
wick was many times a millionaire.
This statement which he calls an in.
ventory, enumerates his holdings and
their value. aud the footing shows So,
$4,000 in round numbers. The invest
ments. you see. are gilt edged. There
is not bad penny in all those mil
lions"
"Well it is rather staggering isn't
lt2" said Montgomery. passing his hand
over his forehead He was beginning
TO comprehend.
"In more ways than one What are
you going 10 do about it,"
DO about it2' in surprise. why
It's mine. isn't it?"
1T is not yours until next Septem-
ber." the lawyer quietly said.
"Well / fancy ! can wait" said
Brewster with smile that cleared the
air
But, my dear fellow, you are already
the possessor OF a million. DO you
forget that you are expected 70 be
peuniless year from nowr
Wouldn't you exchange a million
for seven millions, Mr Granty
"But let me inquire how you purpose
doing liz" asked Mfr. Grant mildly.
"Why, by the simple process Of de.
struction. Don't you suppose ] can get
rid Of a million In a yearf Great
Scott. who wouldn't DO ~ All l have
70 do is 10 cut a few purse strings, and