The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1909-09-30

IaVeo, ana invested my money, and sent
for my brothers and sisters, and when the
right woman came along I got married.
You remember Annie, don't you Bill7 All,
1t is the fine woman she was! Then the
baby came; pretty little Annie, 5r., and we
We're happy as canary birds before cages
were invented. And then-but you know
how they died. Bill, and how I was left
all to myself and the mercies of a cold
world-which, maybe, isn't quite so cold,
anyhow. when you get to know It. And
then there was nothing left for me but
the saving Of money and the spelling of
my nephews and nieces-especially the
nieces. It's a fine crowd they are, If I
do say 1t myself, seeing as how they're
my own relations, but I hate to see peo-
pie too expecting. Not that they're more
expecting than, maybe, they have a right
to be, but a fellow hates to think that
there are people who think that his death
would be a windfall to somebody, and that
somebody is willing to look at it that
way. That's why I got you to draw up
the irst will and read 1t to them.
oh, but 1t was the great joke! They
had che hardest time trying to act nat
ural with me after my unnatural trick,
but the effort they made was creditable,
I will say that. There's nothing mean
about the McGinnises. I got nervous at
other will made up, and / guess 1t was
inside q week when I landed In here again
and had the new will drafted. witnessed
and signed.
1T want you to keep the first will, Bill.
You know what you've got to do with 1t.
I'll take the other one home, with me and
hide It. I don't know just what I'll do
with It, but I'll let you know tomorrow.
That,n be time enough, 1 guess, for I
hain't got no intention Of dying for a good
many years yet"
well, it's your own business" said Mr..
M~cSwainson, with q laugh. Here goes
the one will in my safe, the other in your
pocket, and then we'll both go for a
drink.
They went to Moneys. took two An
gers each and parted.
That night McGinn.s died suddenly.
Apoplexy, the doctors said. The next
night relatives sat up with the dead. The
day following McSwainson, c~orrowfully,
and with no heart in the joke in which he
was participating, read the will in which
all the old mans property, real and per-
sonal, was left to the Home for INDECENT
Spinsters. The relatives were a little
hurt, II must be confessed. but McSwain-
son wal forced to admit that they took
the dose like the ladies and gentlemen.
Sure. 1t was his own money. anyhow
said Michael McGinnis. brother OF the
decreased, a day laborer, and improvi-
dent, II the other agreed.
Mc6wainson's Instructions had been to
read the later VIII the mex day. He
wondered how he was going to do 1t since
he didn't know where Il wal to be found.
He resolved to stay with the relatives
during the night. He could get his bear
ings and might get an idea how best to
conduct his search the next day. He re-
solved to consult VIII McGinnis. a sturdy
young man. who wal already beginning
TO make q reputation for himself as q
speedy telegraph operator.
As the evening wore on, therefore, ne
took occasion to converse with viii. and
tnAlly beckoned him out Of the room. TO-
gethsr they went to the bed room which
McGtnnis had occupied and In which he
had died.
WILL threw himself ON the bed, which
crsakad a. he did 70. The two smoked In.
silence.