The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-05-13
\ New Way Of
= Settling Accounts.
Copyright, 1909, by American Press Asso-

John and Martin Stokes. brothers,
were in business together for many
years They made money, but when
John died Martin found great diff
Guilty in settling up the business.
Johns oldest son Peter, fearing that
his uncle would absorb the dead part
ner's interest, bothered and delayed his
uncle in such fashion that. u financial
panic coming OH, what was left of the
firms assets was so entangled that it
could only be liGuidated after Il patient
management. Martin Stokes breaking
down in health. turned the whole mat
ter over to his nephew and left for
parts unknown.
Ten years later he reappeared a
sicllly looking old man, but with some
appearance of having prospcred. Peter
Stokes had meanwhile saved some
$4,000 from the wreck, half of which,
of course, belonged to his uncle. But
Peter furnished accounts to show that
the firm had been insolvent. His uncle
looked them over, studied them and
w
the remark:
I'm sorry, Peter, that you got moth
ing out of it. But, after all, may not
have been away SO long for nothing.
have no children to enjoy what have
accumulated and have determined to
leave it to you and your sisters. will
place it in safety deposit company's
vault and tell you where keep the
key. After my death you can unlock
the box containing the securities. and
they will be yours without any will
and testament OH my part. All ask
from you is bare pittance so long as
live. which will be at most but few
years."
He took n long, fat envelope from
his pocket sealed with his own seal
and wrote on it. 81 give this property
to my nephew. Peter Stokes, and his
sisters. Lydia and Grace Stokes" The
words bore that days date and was
signed by the donor
This plan" he said, leaves at my
death nothing to be settled. BY will
an estate must be liqudated the same
as business. And you know that in
winding up 4 business there is a lot
of shrinllage. You have done all the
work in settling the affairs of John
& Martin Stokes with no pay. What
ever there may be between us of a
business nature connected with these
affairs is settled now by this transac-
ton. The envelope goes into-a box of
the Fidelity Trust company, and here
is the key on my ring
The nephews and nieces accepted
rity. The envelope was fat enough to
contain some twenty or thirty bonds,
or if the property was in stocks there
might be twice as many certificates.
Those to whom the gift was made
desired their uncle to come and live
with them. This he declined to do.
He rented a little cottage, where he
kept house by himself. He said moth
ing to his nephew or nieces about the
payment of the rent, but it was paid
by them. He said nothing about sup
plies, but they opened accounts for
him at provision stores, though they
secretly instructed the tradesmen to
keep them posted as to the amount
the old man was being credited with.
At the end Of the first year Peter
Stokes figured up the amount eXpend-
ed at about $780, But the owners of
the estate, which could not be used till
after the donors death, fearing that if
they appeared niggardly the donor
might take back his gift, expended for
him an additional $500, making a to-
tai of $1,000 This they considered
keeping within bounds.
The old man remained for a time
very delicate. Indeed, the doctors bills
amounted to several hundred dollars.
His loving nephew and nieces begged
him to come and live with them, that
they might the better administer to his
comfort But he said he didn't wish
to be burden on any one, assuring
them that they would not be the loser
by q cent for what money they OK.
pended upon him. After the first five
, years his health became very good
+, and remained so for three years, when
he died rather suddenly. Before the
old man brea thed his last Peter Stokes
figured up that the amount expended
upon him had amounted to exactly
$3.50. But there were funeral ex
penses to be paid amounting to abou
$50. However, since his uncle was
dead. there would be no need to hl
extravagaEt in this respect. ard he re
solved to cut the amount down to SIS
The first thing Peter did when hi
uncle was pronounced dead was t,
take his key ring from his poke
and, detaching the safety deposit key
start for the trust company. His sis
tiers exacted promise that he woult
J not open the envelope till the day afte
. the funeral. the same as in case Q
wills. Bringing the packet home. b
locked it In his desk and waited.
. The morning after the funeral til
family gathered in the library, locke,
: the door, took out the envelope an
2 tore it open. Within were folde
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