Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1906-12-27
THE HERITAGE =
THE ELLIS ESTATE
fOriginal.l

service Dora I.araway. aged twenty
two. her duties being that OF COM
panlon He promised to leave her
something In his Willie was rich--but
died without having made any will.
Meanwhile Dora, who had endured
him for ten years. had passed out Of
her youth and found herself on the
world for living. The disposition Of
Ellis property promised to be peculiar.
A wife, child. a brother or sister
would have inherited 1t all under the
law. Ellis had had only one child-a
son-who had gone to the Spanish
American war and was OH the list OF
killed In the fighting before Santiago
There being no near relative to inherit
the Ellis estate. it was pounced upon by
remote cousins.
Cla maits came in great numbers
from far and near. There was no una
nlmity bciW cen them. each striving TO
make his OF her own claim paramount.
Dora I.araway was inclined to put in II
claim for services. but was advised
that such claim would not hold good In
law.
Among those claiming a share OF the
estate was Il middle aged man who
called himself Leonard Ellis. He had
come from South America. where he
lived. and, as no one had ever heard of
the deceased having Il relative in that
PARKWAY country. he was looked upon
with suspicion. He seemed rather discon-
ccrted at the clamor Of claimants and
apparently disincined To enter the lists
The reason for his was apparent
when he was asked from what Ellis he
had descended. lie named Leonard
Ellis. captain in the Revolutionary
war. The cousins hunted the matter
up aud found that the said Ellis had
never been married.
Since none of the claimants wished
the care OF the deccaScds house and
household effects, or rather, since they
all wished TO go in and appropriat, the
effects, il was agreed that Dora Lara
way should remain in charge Mean
while the cousins were busy hacking
at the ELLIS genealogical tree, each
desiring TO cut Off for himself the big
gest branch. All filed their papers eX
covery that his ancestor had died child
less, or, worse, that he was illegitmate
had taken Il back seat among them
Once, and only once. he yentured to
open his mouth Then he proposed
that in view of Doras services to the
deceased and the promise that had
been made her one eighth of the estate
be signed to her His proposition was
met with such II torrent OF abuse.
especially coming from one whose
claim was fraudulent, that the poor
man was abashed. But when 1t be-
came known that the deceased d. aslsema
bodied his intention to Dora in a letter
there was Il hush among the claimants.
and she was considered as one whose
claim should be bought up. When.
however, bora made no use Of the evi-
dencc she possessed the weathercock
shifted again, and it was limited among
them that the letter was forgery
Dora herself admitted that she had
been advised by the stranger Leonard
Ellis not To press her ella I'M This move
legitimate descendant from the man
he claimed for progeuitor would have
come in ahead of them all puzzled
them, but when it was announced that
Leonard Ellis had taken up his quar-
ters In the house that had hcca occS
fact that some coup d'etat had been
sprung on them
Simultaneous with this information
came an invitation from Leonard Ellis
to each and every one Of them to meet
Kim the next evening at the house an
when he would display genealogical
tree that would settle all dispute with
regard 10 the Ellis property. All ac-
ceptcd and were ushcrci into the
drawing room. where the tree" was
hung on the wall Mr. Ellis advanced
to the map. holding Il cane in his hand
for pointer The Ellis whose name
stood first and from which all the rest
on the tree were descended was sam
uel Ellis, father of Captain Leonard
Ellis and Edward Ellis. the GRANDPA
Their OF the deceased. Beneath the
name of the deceased was Captain
Leonard Ellis
Cousins" said the cxpounder. point
ing to this name. Edward Ellis had
a son who was named for Captain
Leonard Ellis, who heads this tree He
Went to the Spanish American war.
having quarrelcd with his father, who
wished him 10 remain In business.
which he disliked. lie became cap
tain and was enormously reported Kill
ed, Taking advantage of the error 70
remain a dead man to his father tenn.
porarily, he went to South America.
where he has since been engaged In
coffee planting, He put Off declaring
himself longer than he had intended
ana ut the time of his fathers death
was on mis- way home. lie found n
babel OF claims for his fathers estate.
none Of the claimants knowing OF his
identity \ few years before he left
home his father had taken Il compnu-
Ion ami by this companion the son
had been refused. furnishing an add
tioual reason for his leaving ana re
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