The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1909-06-05
Their
+, Brothers
Will
BY SIMON z. STERN
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"A most extraordinary WILL" said
Lawyer Van Tine. "In fact, l have
no hesitation in pronouncing it the
most remarkable instrument I have
ever perused; quite typical Of Rich.
ard Wingate.
Il am most anxious to learn how
his three brothers will take it. After
al it is really more than they have
q right to expect. None of them has
spoken to him during the last twen-
not spoken to each other during the
same time. Happy family! Jarvis"
this to his clerk, bell-summoned, Il ex-
pect three gentlemen at o'clock. AS
soon as they arrive usher them into
my private Office
At five minutes before three Mr..
John Wingate entered the sanctum.
Two minutes later he was followed
by his brother, Joseph, who took a
chair beside him without offering or
receiving recognition. Then the clock
struck three and on the instant the
third brother, Henry, came into the
room. He was clad in the very lat
est metropolitan fashion. and present.
Cd q strange contrast to the other two.
They sat next each other, almost
touching elbows, but, for al thai
they spoke to each other, they might
have been utter strangers.
j Presently Lawyer Van Tine entered.
4 am about to read to you, gen.
uemen,' he said, In matter-of-fact
tone, the last will and testament of
your deceased brother, Richard Win
gate. He has left you everything.
Tbeee are cob1ltiens attached which
you will learn presently.
You may not be aware Of the fact
that for the past ten years your broth
er has lived the life OF recluse. Dur
ing that time he attained great fame
as a metal worker. He executed or.
yders for several of our banks and
trust companies, but suffered no per-
sonal associations or friendships. He
Dad q workshop in one of the suburbs
Of the city, and there he worked as
he nved-alone.
, Among other things he in
vented metal so hard that
he was offered a hundreds
thousand dollars to part with the seq
ret OF its composition. This he RI
fused to do; as far as we know his
secret died with him. AS far as we
know he left no tangible property of
any kind. On going through his
house after the funeral we came upon
large vault which filled the cellar
almost completely. Standing outside
OF the vault were three cubes-three
cubes constructed of the metal
which made him famous. The want
was Of similar composition. So far it
has successfully resisted all efforts at
opening 1t.
Three experts who were called to
our assistance before we found ais
win, gave up after week and pro
nounced the vault the toughest ven
ture they had ever encountered. The
front wall is perfectly bare save near
the centre, where It carries curious
y shaped trefoil keyhole.
'.As your late brother vas consid-
cred very wealthy Il u Of utmost i'm
portance that We st II IN contents
u the vault. That rests with you.
= you will see when I have read the
VIM"
Then followed the reading Of the
vim The. tAtee brothers listened In
tently and IN silence. It recited that
tie deceased left al he had In the
world locked up n the vault. He
ia ccnvsrted It into gOid-as gold
~ ~ one thattel Of stable signin-
e1nce.
44Is had hem unable to choose ! |
1sneAciary fron among his three
nn2Aere ma - ln5 nrnvj6ad n0at-