The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1912-12-05
MY UNCLE'S
WILL
By STEPHEN c. HARDWICK

at my house to party Of friends.
when the coffee was brought on and
cigars were passed l noticed that
one of my guests, Major Tlsdale. did
not help himself from the box offered
him.
Don't you smoke, majorT' l asked.
NO" he replied, Il do not"
He was the only man in the room
who did not smoke, and the others
looked at him with some curiosity. /
was about to turn the subject when
he gave us his reasons for not doing
so in the following story:
was brought up by an uncle who
was very rich-my parents both died
when was very young-and since he
had no children Of his own it was
understood that was to be his heir
My life was not very pleasant one.
for persons whose experience IN bring
ing up their own offspring is nil are
at great disadvantage in bringing up
the offspring OF others. child is
utterly devoid OF reason and a sense
of his duties toward n parent. In
deed, Ii is remarkable that parents
should tolerate their own children.
This | think is the reason why adop-
tons are not usually satisfactory.
When l was ten years old a boy
taught me to smoke dried leaves. One
day my uncle caught me at this and
for the first time spoke to ME with
great harshness. 1t was evident that
he had a great prejudice against to-
bacco. He told me that II he ever
caught me smoking again he would
send me away.
l passed a couple Of months after
graduation at my uncle's home As
young soldier l was very attractive 10
him, and he petted me without stint.
l had no desire. especially after my
experience at West Point, TO offend
him by the use Of tobacco, which did
not use in any form. He seemed
charmed to have me with him and
spent a great deal Of the time talking
TO me about his estate, explaining his
projects for its increase. telling me
what property he intended to improve
and what to dispose of.
He was getting old. he said, and he
thought | would better resign and be-
come accustomed to the care OF the
property that would fall upon me at
his death. had no wish to leave the
army to live under the tutelage of an
opinionated old man, so l told him
that having been educated by the gov
eminent didn't consider IL honorable
to resign my commission at once, but
in three years, IL he still maintained
the same disposition toward me.
would accede to his wish. He COM
mended me very highly for my sense
of honor and assented to my remain
ing as I was.
A couple Of years after that fell in
love with the lady who became my
that I realized the benefit that would
accrue to me in my uncle's fortune.
He had never said anything to me on
the subject Of marriage, but I knew
that I should consult him before the
matter was settled. deferred 1t, how
ever. to a convenient season, for my
uncle had remained a bachelor all his
life, and ! knew him to be a woman
hater. If he should take the same
view for me I might be put In the
position Of giving up the girl loved
or a fortune. ! could not In honor do
the first. and II married the fortune
would mean much to me.
AS luck would have 1t, the old rascal
beg pardon. gentlemen, you will under
stand better at the end Of my story
why / speak so disrespectfully Of the
man who had educated me and was to
leave me his estate. AS l was saying,
my uncle rendered 1t unnecessary for
me to say anything to him about my
love affair by very conveniently being
taken i'll and showing every evidence
graphed for to come at once and be-
fore going told my love Of my passion
for her. of my expected Inheritance,
and invited her to share 1t with me
when got it. This could not be long.
She returned my affection and accepted
| me.
| When l reached my uncle 1t was not
expected that he would live through
l the night. He rallied, however, and
the next day was slightly better. His
physician remained at the house most
Of the time, especially at night. and
when he was not with his patient he
and sat in the library below, keeping
each other company. He was a very
good fellow. and l grew fond Of him
He liked his toddy, in which | Joined
him, but when 1t came to smoking he
was obliged to smoke alone.
My uncle fingered between life and
death for several weeks No one could
tell Just when he would drop away
The night he died the doctor and
were keeping ourselves up by an occa
sional potation. The doctor pulled two
cigars from his pocket and. offering me
one, said:
Smoke He's too far gone to know
anything about It."
accepted his proposition, lighted thu
cigar and smoked just enough Of 1t T.
cause me to feel bad. Then a nurse
called me to my uncle. | ran upstairs
and he was telling me about some
improvements he advised making In