Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1908-07-10

| OlQ. AS L nave SdlQy my lnlulllOuS SCI
dom fail me.
The library was little room at
some distance from the dining hall. II
was beautifully furnished, like the rest
of the house, and big fireplace took
| up one side of the room. Before it
was a massive armchair, worn and
old, as If the barons of Wyckhoff for
ages back had sat in It, On the large
| table were some legal-looking papers,
and as we entered Mrs. Armistead
| arose and placed her hand upon them
| The secretary closed the door and took
up her position beside her mistress
while we stood before them, Ill at
ease and expecting we knew not what.
Gentlemen" began Mrs. Armistead
with great gravity, II am right, am l
not, in presuming that you are candi-
dates for the hand of the Honorable
Agatha Wyckhoff?"
Yes, that's just what she said: Can
| tidates for the hand of the Honorable
| Agatha Wyckhoff." It took my breath
away, and before had time to speak
and ret her right heard Vincent calm
ly assuring her that we were candi-
| dates! AS he had thus rashly COM
mitted himself l couldn't go back on
| him, so l let him make all the other
answers that were necessary.
Then you wish to hear the will 2"
continued Mrs Armistead and Vincent
assented
Read the WILL" said Mrs. Armistead
to the secretary, and the young lady in
gray picked up one Of the legal-looking
papers.
This is to certify" she began, and
read to the finish, while / held my
breath, for, when / had heard the
whole of that extraordinary document,
| was filled with amaZement and curl
osity, not unmixed with a certain ex-
element. In brief, the provisions of
this remarkable will ran thus:
Fletcher Boyd, stepfather of the
Honorable Agatha Wyckhoff, had left
her his entire fortune Of about $40, 000,-
600, provided that she obey the condi-
tons of his will. Should she disregard
them the whole sum was to go to the
endowment Of Presbyterian hos
pital at New Bedford, Mass, his native
town.
The will then vent on to say that
wishing to protect the girl, who was not
yet Fl years Of age, from fortune hun
tiers, her stepfather desired her, at
the completion of her education, to Sc
cure not less than three, nor more
than six, girls from Is to % years of
age, each bearing the name of Agatha,
who would be willing to live with the
Honorable Agatha at her castle in
Shropshire near Wye, England, for
two years; in return for which they
were each to receive generous
monthly stipend, enjoy luxurious
lodgings and rich fare, and to live a
life Of idleness, with ample entertain
ment.
1t was further directed that, before
| the girls left for England, some Eng
| ish lady of rank or position be Sc
cured to dwell at Castle Wyckhoff In
the capacity Of chaperon, in consider
alton of handsome salary, this lady
| to be, preferably, Mrs. Armistead, sis
| ter Of the real Honorable Agatha 8
mother. For the first year after Mr..
Boyd's death the Honorable Agatha
was to observe mourning by not go
| ing to London festivities; but during
this time she was to be permitted to
amuse herself and friends by enter
tanning at the castle any young men
OF whom the chaperon might approve.
| Mrs. Armistead (should she be the
| chaperon securely was likewise
| charged to keep the castle supplied
with guests, the best young men that
England could boast, as her large &C
| quaintance permitted her to do. Each
| visitor in the role of sutton for the
! hand of the Honorable Agatha was
limited to six weeks stay at the castle,
as Mr.. Boyd considered that length OF
| time sufficient for him to find out
whether be loved any of the Agathas
or not and the sutton was not to make
his declaration until the very last
day of the SIX weeks allotted him, and,
OF course, was limited to one proposal.
In the event of any of the young men
proposing to any Of the Agathas who
was not the stepdaughter of Mr.. Boyd,
the will permitted her to marry him, If
she desired, but with the distinct un-
derstanding that she was not the Hon
orable Agatha Wyckhoff. In that case
Mrs. Armistead was to secure another
Agatha, and the girl who desired to
marry was to receive dowry amount
ing to the full sum Of the monthly
stipends which she would have re
! ceived had she remained at the castle
for the entire two years. The same
| provision for her companions was
made in the event Of the real Agatha's
marriage before the expiration of the
time. II any young man proposed tt
the real Agatha, ignorant of hel
] identity, and she accepted him, she
was directed by the will to produce
and wear upon the third finger Of hel
left hand the betrothal ring of hel
mothers family, a gold ring set with
a big cross Of emeralds, rs p. oof Of hel
identity as the real Agatha. Mrs
Armistead and all the girls were to be
bound by oath not to reveal the identi
ty of the real Agatha, and each of the
latter was to be likewise addressed al
the Honorable Agatha Wyckhoff," BY
suitors and servants, in order to pre-
serve the secret. This condition could
be carried out without fear of recogni
ton by the servants, as the rea
Agatha had not been IN England since
her early childhood. Thus her identi