The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1910-11-04
G,randpa's Money.
BY NJ QUAD
Copyright, 1910. by American Press
Association.

money. A brother whom he had not
seen for years died and left him $780,
600 in cash. For the five years preced-
ing the old man had been widower
and lived alone He had four children,
two sisters and half dozen more dis
tant relatives living around him. but
no one had offered him a home. 1t
was seldom that any Of them came
near him. He was referred to as "the
Id man." and the few acres of his
stony old farm were not coveted by
any one.
When It became known through d
lawyer that old Jacob had struck It
rich there was hustling. His Oldest
son, Henry. was the first to reach his
house. He brought his wife and three
children along. and he galloped his
horses for the last mile. 1t had been
two years since they had been in the
old mans house. Now they shook
hands with him. The son patted him
on the back and called him a glorious
old father. He must give up his farm
and go home and live with them. For
the rest Of his days he could sit In a
rocking chair and have custard pie
three times day.
On the way to Henry's home James
and his family were met as they came
driving. James was the second son.
He had often been heard to wonder
why the old man man didn't turn up
his toes and get out of the world. but
he wasn't bad son--that is. he had
never thought Of killing his father
with q club. James leaped from, his
wagon to embrace bis father and offer
him a home for the next hundred
years. he should have fried chicken
and milk toast every day, and the best
bed In the house should be his at
night. No one should rout him out In
the morning, and fresh tea should
await him when he deigned to arise.
Henry and James were squabbling
when Hannah and Mary, the two
daughters, drove up with their nus
bands. They had come for father.
They had heard that he was Ill and
were going to take him home and
nurse him more tenderly than baby
with measles.
There was a row on the highway be-
tween those devoted children that was
heard a mile away, but Henry gained
the victory and bore the father away.
That night his house was surrounded
by the two sisters and other relatives.
and they had to be menaced by shot
gun.
! At the beginning Of the row there
was only one lawyer in Glendale. the
nearest village. Within a year there
were three. 1t required at least three
to keep track Of the suits and motions
that came up. ....... ...s
One stipulation that old Jacob made
was that he should be privileged to see
his lawyer as often as he wanted to.
That was respected by all, but from
purely selfish motives. It came to be
believed that every time he saw his
lawyer he changed his will. 1t turned
out that this belief was well founded.
When death came at last it was found
that he had made forty-two wills In
all. They had bobbed from Henry to
James, from James to Betsey and from
Betsey to Hannah and back to James
They had taken in the two sisters and
cast them out. They had enriched
nephews and nieces and impoverished
them again. -Four times in one yeaI
the father was kidnapped by relatives
Once he was chloroformed In his bed
at midnight and lowered from win
dow. Once he was kidnapped and hid
den away In an old barn for week.
That neighborhood became the i've
lest in the state. There was Fourth
of July going on all the time. Ever
a circus could not draw against 1t. NJ
old man ever lived who was eoddiec
and cared for more A hundred times
a day, no matter who he was with. ht
was asked If anything more could b.
done for him. In summer a child wal
appointed to fan him, and In wintel
they bought stoves with iookint
glasses set into the top that he nigh
see himself as he toasted his toes. I'M
doctor said that he would have hvet
three years longer If left to care 10
himself on bis farm. s. ~.
Queerly enough. he did not die IN tn
house of a relative, but was stricken u
the Office Of his lawyer just after max
ing his forty-second will. The gan
!, came on the wings of love as soon a
the news went out. They squabble'
as to where the funeral should be held
as to where he should be buried. as
who should pay for the coffin, as
who should weep the most.
RI The will was not read at the hous
of any relative. They wouldn't haV
It 50. They assembled in the villag
hall, and there were scores Of outsic
ers There were quarrels for fron
seats. At last the reading began, an
II took two constables to protect tn
i lawyer from being massacred on tn
J. spot. .--
:. "As all my relatives from my olde'
e son down to my youngest niece hav
a been equally kind to me-" read 90
:: paper. IT hereby will and bequeaSil
each and every one the sum Of $lP
And the balance Of that $4,000 wer
to the county Of Hope to improve II
highways. There were six or seve
= suits to break the will. but It couldn
q be done. Jacob Brown had read h
man nature right and had made II
best disposition possible Of his 70
IS tune. It may be said in conelusic
l. that every single relative took bis dc
lar.
y nka Swat Girla.