Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1910-08-27
| GOT EVEN
WITH BOTH
By T. ANTHONY TW1NINC
Copyright, 1870 by American Press
Association.

My uncle, George Chatsworth. was a
very eccentric man. AS he grew older
his eccentricity exhibited itself in VIC
lent prejudices He disliked every
thing that was in his time and advo-
Gated anything that was not. He was
very rich and had no children. ! was
his only living relative and his heir
expcctant My position was rather
trying. l must agree with him in all
his odd ideas or run the risk Of of
Tending him and thereby losing for
tune.
The most deep seated prejudice Of
my uncle was against the medical pro-
fession. When i'll he would not have
duty to interfere, and on one OCCASION
taking the matter into my own hands,
! sent for physician. My uncle or
dered him out Of the house and was
so wroth with me that feared he
would change his will, cutting me off
entirely.
He changed his will, but did not cut
me off. He put in a codicil that II
when he again at any time fell Ill l
should call In a doctor his property
should all go to an old friend Of his
who had as many violent prejudices as
he had himself This old fellow, Peter
Newman, always took the opposite
side Of every question from that taken
by my uncle and had no fear in fore
ing his opinions The strange case OF
these two curmudgeons being warm
friends was like two opposing winds
meeting and clinging to each other In
cyclone | was told of this pro-
vision Of my uncle's WILL but Mr.. New
man was not Since my uncle abused
the doctors his friend defended them.
! think my uncle did not dare tell
Newman that he had disinherited me
in case did what he would approve.
Well, my uncle was taken down with
a malady which was sure to kill him
II he did not have medical attendance,
and he would probably die anyway. l
confess l was not anxious that he
should live, but his injunction that l
should not call In a doctor placed me
in very delicate position. No one
but I knew Of the conditions Of his
will, and IL 1t became known | would
be berated by friends, neighbors and
relatives for permitting the old man
to die rather than oppose him by call
ing In medical attendance. But 1t was
! who was to be rich or remain in pow
erty and not they. l omitted to call
= u 81
son for not doing so-that would lose
an Inheritance If did.
As soon as 1t was known that my
uncle was dangerously Ill people be-
gan to wonder that / did not call In
q doctor. Then they began to ask me
the reason. When l told them my I'M
Gle would not have doctor they all
agreed that 1t was my duty to force
one upon him. From that they passed
to insinuating that l wished him to
die that might get his money. Final
ly threats were made that IL | didn't
do my duty" word would be sent to
the police that | was slowly murder
ing my uncle In order to possess my
self of his millions. The strain be-
NdhlC oo great thul thihh ~ IoSoAp'S
I might have yielded II his fortune
would have gone to any one else than
old Newman. whom l hated,
Finally Newman himself, having
heard Of his friends Illness, came
around to see him. Uncle was too Ill
for his friend to attempt to force
doctor upon him, but Newman had no
sooner left the sickroom than he loos
ened his tongue upon me, bringing
forth imprecations upon me for per-
hitting my uncle to die for the sake
of coming into my inheritance.
Cant you wait a few years, you
young villain, for a fortune that will
surely be yours? One would suppose
that If only for the sake of appear
ances you would give him the medical
attendance he needs. He will prob
ably die Of this illness anyway, and
you'll get the money. Then why not
do your duty?"
II will not take the responsibility"
! said, ''of disobeying my uncle's
wishes"
Then will take steps to make you
disobey his wishes, since 1t is evident
ly your desire to let him die for a pur-
pose. ! sSall at once make this mat
ter known to the authorities. l shall
bring a charge against you of will
fully
He was moving away when stopped
him. "Holdw l said. You are my
uncle's best friend. aren't your"
~ am"
well. will you take the responsible
ity Of calling in doctor?"
II will"
"Then sit down and write out an
order for any doctor you wish to call
and l will take 1t myself"
I'm not afraid of the old man." he
said, his face red and blue with in,
dignation, and. sitting down at my
desk, he wrote the order. l carried
1t myself and after showing 1t to the
doctor put 1t in my pocket.
My uncle died. and few days after
the will was opened | met Mr.. New
man on the street. He knew Of the
codlcil and how he had unwillingly
prevented the possibility of his inherit
ing his friends money. He gave me
a grim look and passed me without
any other recognition.
My uncle had not stopped to think
that in forcing me to keep the doctors
away from him he was comforting
benefit upon me. He was n very es-
Unable man, but | was not sorry 70