Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-12-19

Dalrymple, and little Laure.
l opened the will, and in dead 81
lence | began TO read it. clearly and slow
~ You might have heard a pin drop.
After. the usual preamble, came the leg
acies to the servants, whom Mrs. Yeames
would have packed off with a months
wages, and then began the shifting and
signing and smothered ordinations Of
establishment and pleasure as they learn
ed that there were a hundred pounds and
a gooI suit 3of clothes to come to each
of them out of the fortune of their kind
old master And when these were dis
posed of, 1 came to the Yeames bequest-
ITO Yrs. Anna Maria Yeames, widow
of my Brother, Joseph Flexmore, l give
and besueath the sum of five pounds"
I looked at her over the top of my
glasses as l read this. She folded her
arms, closed her eyes, and assumed
look of injured dignity. l would have
given as much as this bequest to have
been able TO look round and see how the
servants managed to conceal their feel
ngs. However, 1 contented myself with
reading on:
ITO my nephew. Lynn Yeames, stepson
of the aforesaid Joseph Flexmore"-here
turned over the page, and glancing at
Anna Maria, found her eyes open, and
her expression Indicative of assured tri-
umph-'I give and bequeath the sum of
fifty pounds and my glass case Of stuffed
birds"
Lowering the will and looking over my
glasses, l said to Mrs. Yeames Flex-
more:
'As your son is not here, l will apprise
him by letter of this bequest."
That is not all, l am sure. Read on,
if you please" said the lady.
L bowed, and proceeded to read out in
full the clause in which Flexmore con-
stituted John Howard Audrey, NJ. D.,
ETC., sole guardian of his beloved daugh-
ter, Laure Constance Flexmore, and in
recognition and consideration of his SER
vice in the capacity of guardian and trus-
tee bequeathed to him the annual inter
est on such capital as remained after the
payment of the foregoing aforesaid leg
acies, life annuity to myself one hundred
pounds, and all outstanding debts, until
the said beloved Laure Constance Flex-
more should attain the age of twenty-one,
when the whole estate would revert to
her.
l paused here and again looked over
my glasses at Mrs. Yeames. The woman
had risen to her feet; she was white with
passion. | saw she wished to speak. and
waited. Her lip twitched convulsively :;
it was some moments before she could
articulate
''Do-do-do l understand" she fall
tered, that he has left nothing to my son
but fifty pounds"
And a glass case of stuffed birds; that
is all" l said.
"All the property, in fact, goes to DR..
Audrey"
THE bulk of the property goes to Dr..
Audrey, in trust for Laure Constance
Flexmore, who inherits when she is TWEEN
ty-one years of age. Until that time DR..
Audrey will receive from me annual paw
ment of all interest accruing from the
estate in payment of service rendered as
guardian of the child. There is a further
clause providing for the appointment of
new guardian in the event of DR.. Aw-
drey's death, and the reversion of the
whole estate to DR.. Audrey in case of
which | will now proceed to read"
Don't trouble YOURSELF don't wish
to hear it - screamed rather than said
Mrs. Yeames.
Madam" said l, Il am here to read
this will, not solely for your pleasure"
Let me look at the signature of that
WILL" she cried, crossing quickly.
There is the signature duly witness
Cd" l said, showing it; "and the date,
you see, is the fourth of September of
last year."
DO you mean to tell me this is the
will he made last year," she asked.
Il do, madam. Have you any reason
to doubt it?"
Il have" she said, and then stopped
short. For how could she explain the
means by which her son had possessed
himself of knowledge of the affair? She
would have liked to proclaim me a scoun-
drel and forger, as l believe she felt
convinced that l was, but she had just
strength enough to contain her passion
That will shall be contested, she
said. Il will telegraph at once to my
son. We shall put this into the hands
of a trustworthy solicitor
That is the very best thing you can
possibly do said l.
she clenched her teeth, and shook her
head at me with such fury in her face as
l hope never again to see disfiguring the
face of a fellow creature: and then she
turned her back on us and marched out
of the room with as much dignity as
she could command.