The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1911-11-16
G,randpa's Money
By M. QUAD
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

Jacob Brown, farmer, had come to
/ be sixty-fve years old when he got his
money. A brother whom he had not
seen for years died and left him $780,
600 in cash. For the five years proceed.
inc the old man had been a 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 home. 1t
was seldom that any Of them came
near him. He was referred to as "the
old man." and the few acres of his
stony old farm were not coveted by
any one.
When it became known through a
lawyer that old Jacob had struck 1t
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 a bad son-that Is. he had
never thought Of killing his father
with a club. James leaped from his
wagon to embrace his 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 hus-
bands. They had come for father.
They had heard that he was i'll and
were going to take him home and
nurse him more tenderly than baby
with measles.
There was row on the highway be-
tween those devoted children that was
heard 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.
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. 1t came to be
believed that every time he saw his
lawyer he changed his will. 1t turned
out that this belief was we'll 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 impov erished
them again. Four times in one year
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 III an old barn for week.
That neighborhood became the live
lest in the state There was Fourth
of July going on all the time. Even
circus could not draw against it. No
old man ever lived who was coddled
and cared for more. A hundred times
day, no matter who he was with. he
was asked If anything more could be
done for him. In summer child was
appointed to fan him. and in winter
they bought stoves with looking
glasses set into the top that he might
see himself as he toasted his toes. The
doctor said that he would have lived
three years longer If left to care for
himself on his farm.
Oueerly enough. he did not die in the
house Of relative. but was stricken in
the office Of his lawyer just after max
Ing his forty-second will. The gang
came on the wings of love as soon as
the news went out. They squabbled
as to where the funeral should be held.
as to where he should be buried. as to
who should pay for the coffin. as to
who should weep the most.
The will was not read at the house
Of any relative. They wouldn't have
It so. They assembled in the village
hall. and there were scores Of outsid-
ers. There were quarrels for front
seats. At last the reading began. and
It took two constables to protect the
lawyer from being mastered on the
snOt