The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-07-01
The Hunters
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Marcus Hunter was left an orphan
when he was seven years old. He had
no brothers or sisters, no home, no
money, no anything. An uncle who
was well to do took him to his house
against his wife's wishes, and the
boys life there was one Of misery
When he was seventeen the uncle died,
and the aunt turned the boy out Of the
house. He found a position as clerk
In a business house. In ten years he
set up for himself.
His relatives who during this period
had ignored him now began to nod
pleasantly to him when they met him
and invited him to their houses. The
aunt, who had made life burden to
him, reminded him of the pleasant
days that he had spent under her roof
and how happy it had made her to be
a mother to him.
Just as Mark was getting on his
feet in business way a commercial
panic came on. He needed little as
sistance to tide him over the crisis
and applied to those of his relatives
who were able to help him. He began
by telling them that he would like to
talk over his affairs with them with
view to getting their advice. He got
no further than this, for each and
every one Of them pronounced himself
incompetent to advise him. This shut
the poor fellow off, as they intended.
He failed. Then his relatives dropped
him again.
When the commercial storm was
over Mark went to work for man
who was a business genius. He took
a great fancy to his clerk and pro-
NOTED him rapidly, finally making him
second only to himself. Then the en-
ployer died childless and left about all
there was of the business to his pro-
tege.
Marcus died a multimilllonaire Just
before his death he made a will, In
which he directed that the house in
which he had passed his lonely life
he never married-should be closed by
his executor from the day Of his death
till one week after the funeral, when
an auction should take place Of every
thing it contained. No one was to be
admitted to the sale except his rela-
tives.
Since he left no direct heirs, most of
the relatives were present at the read
ing Of the will, each hoping for sub
stantial remembrance. When they
heard this singular provision and
hot
legacy to any one Of them they natu-
rally inferred that he had concluded to
remember them by leaving their lega-
cies in different articles of furniture.
But what singular way! Ten thou
sand dollars might be in hollow cane
while but $1,000 had been placed in
rosewood desk. Yet the cane might be
knocked down for dollar, while the
desk might bring 500. Was there ever
such a way devised for distributing
millions of money? The will further
stated that the amount realized from
the sale was to be expended by the
executor for monument to the de
ceased.
When the day of the sale came
around it was astonishing how many
relatives Hunter had left behind him
There were Hunters innumerable botf
by name and in reality. A protes'
was made to the executor that many
of them were not related to the tesla
tor and should not be admitted. Bu'
he argued that by the terms OF the
will the sale must take place then anc
there and there was no time to exam
inc credentials.
The crowd were kept waiting while
articles were first sold that could no
possibly contain anything, such as un
covered crockery. On these there
were only such bids as would serve
to get them out of the way. Blu
when it came to articles in which
stacks Of bills could be placed the bid
ding became furious. AS soon as al
article was knocked down the buye
wished to get at it, but was Informed
that he could not have 1t till after tn,
sale. The bidders had every variet,
of opinion as to what articles wer
most likely to contain large amounts
so that anything wooden or hollow
brought excellent prices. A kitchen
table with a drawer Cooked and n
key brought 500, an upholstered sof
5000 a cane fishing rod $3.50. A stew
pan with hollow handle large enoug
to contain a dozen $1,000 bond
brought 1915. One of the favorite
was a plaster bust of Abraham Lin
coin. Such busts are usually hollow
and this would naturally attract a
ingenious hide. 1t brought $655 an
was the cause of protracted quarrC
between two different branches @
Hunters.
Well, the last article was fnall
knocked down, and buyers were tol
that they might take away their pul
chases. A rush was made for tn
articles, but few We're removed. Se'
eral purchasers had brought hammer
and with these began to smash the
articles. The signal was a crack o
the head of Abraham Lincoln's bus
which dropped into a couple of doze