The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-09-14
The Seven RECORDS
BY RICHARD BARKER SHELTON
(COpyrieht)

(Copyright)
There were many conflicting rumors
ahoat concerning old Bill briggs
Some said there was untold wealth
concealed beneath the floors Of the
dismal little house where he had lived
quite alone for more than half cen.
fury; some said he was practically a
pauper, living scantily on the meager
pension the government granted him
az disabled veteran.
II these rumOrs ever reached his
ears. he paid no attention to them: he
neither confirmed nor denied. He lived
the life of recluse in his little wealth.
erbeaten house on the outskirts of the
town; puttered about the little garden
in which he raised his own vegetables;
smoked his black clay pipe, and read
the papers, which he hobbled into
town thrice a week to procure.
He left the world to its own de-
vices. and expected the world to do as
much for him in return. His excessive
economy extended even to his words;
he spoke seldom. and then bluntly and
to the point. 1t was said he never for
got an injury and never forgave one.
In the autumn of his sixty-ninth
year old Bill briggs was stricken with
paralysis. which left him with pair
Of useless legs. 1t was a question as
to who should look after him-his sole
relative, nephew, or the overseers
Of the poor.
The nephew was we'll to do He
owned grocery and a comfortable
house on one Of the pretentious
streets of the town.
1t was probably the fear Of gossip
ing tongues. rather than any prompt
ings CT kinship, that induced the
nephew to take the old man in
grudgingly. 1t is true. for he had no
faith in the reports Of his uncle's
wealth.
Old Bill turned over to his nephew
the ramshackle house, the two acres
of land and his pension, by way of pay.
ing his board for the rest Of his life.
I Then he settled down to pass, as
best he might. the helpless, unhappy
years that must intervene until the
end. And those we're unhappy years
to old Bill briggs.
There was no attempt In his
nephew's household to conceal the fact
that the old man was an unwelcome
burcen. Old Bills keen gray eyes and
his sharp old ears saw and heard far
more than his thin lips ever told.
Three years his unwilling existence
at his nephew's house dragged on:
and then. one October day, the bitter
ness of his heart merged into q great,
unending peace. Old Bill died.
~ month before his death old Bill
SAINT for a lawyer. and for several days
the attorney was closeted with him.
The nephew, recalling the rumors Of
the old mans wealth, covertly endeav-
ored to draw the lawyer out; but the
lawyer was politely vague In his re-
plies. The old man opened his heart
to him and disclosed all its ranking
discomfort and bitterness.
A lew days after old Bills funeral
the lawyer called at the house and
placed in the lephew's hands what
was probably the longest message old
briggs had ever dictated.
Horace briggs huriedly broke the
seals, and read as follows:
Nephew Horace:
l am not the penniless pauper you think
me. l doubt not, II you knew the truth.
my treatment here in your house would be
vastly different from that which Ii now
accorded me- But that is neither hero nor
there.
In the course Of nay life have managed
to make-and better yet to save-some lit
tie money. This l have placed in negotia-
BILE bonds.
All told, there 10 something like $4,000
worth of them. They are stored in q tin
trunk, and where that trunk Is no one but
myself knows.
1 have decided to leave these bonds to
you. l do this from precisely the same
reason that led you to take me into your
homo when I was old and broken and
hslpless-not from any ties Of love or kim
ship. but simply because there seems
nothing else to DO.
Moreover, l do this In the same spirit
IN which you did your part-grudgingly.
The trunk and the bonds are yours when
you ind them. The clue a. to where they
are you will get in this way
Upon receipt Of this you will 60 to the
ONCE of Wadsworth & Barstow. my law
yers, who will deliver to you q phono-
graph. 1 have also left in their charge
seven Photographic records of my voice
Blk Of these will merely impart to you
some good advice. The seventh will give
you the clue to the whereabouts of the
trunk.
On every twenty-five of Novsmber-the
anniversary of the day became a men,
Der Of your family-you are TO go to
wadsworth q Barstow's and select one of
these records-only one, remember II you
try to gain possession Of them In any way
save the one have stipulated, l have the
attorneys promise under oath to destroy
them all. You will select one each year
until you have chosen the one that locates
the bonds.
WILLIAM BRIGGS.
November twenty-third Of that year
found Horace briggs in flutter Of ex.
element. Very early in the morning
indeed, as soon as the lawyers office
was open-he hurried to Wadsworth &
Barstow's, and from seven uniform
packages he selected ono.