Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-09-11

One duty fell to me that found vs-u
difficult. Mrs. Switzerland directed n,
to write every few days Of her conT,
ton to her son. or course she -.
the letters I wrote. ! tried teIIin1 -
young man that his mother was dosrs
we'll and improving steadily. This Il.
ter she forced me to write over. te,l,u.
him that she was no better and yvo.1s
never be any better. obeyed tho -
der, but since / was commissso,.a
with the posting Of the letter I onanaS
it and put postscript stating that ~
health report was his mothers ana
not mi4s. In my next letter stats,
that the patient was feeling poorly
was directed to write It "tolerably war
for broken down old woman,
Since l wrote in the mothers mana
the son replied directly TO her, but hi,
letters invariably contained thanks IL
me for acting as her amanuensls. He
seemed constantly sollcitous abc,;. -.
mother, and it was evident that Ia
was a very good and affectionate son
We reached Switzerland as the ba
weather elsewhere was coming on. and
I took my charge to small hotel On
Lake Geneva l had hoped the svis,
mountain air would do her good. and
do not doubt It would have done "a
had 1t not been that her vitality was
gradually failing.
During our stay in Switzerland was
told by physicians whom I had called
I'm that she would last but few weeks.
I wrote privately to Roy Southerland
of this report.
Roy started at once to Join US, but
arrived too late to see his mother
alive. During the last week Of her life
she became aware that she had but
short time to live and called in a no
tary to draw a will. / was surprised
Mt this, for she had told me that she
had made a will before she left be-
queathing her fortune TO Roy, but had
determined that If he married against
her wishes during her lifetime she
would change it. However, 1t was nat
ural that she should make a will with
death facing her to provide for imme.
date requirements. Indeed. she told
me that she had stipulated in the in
strument that should be paid my sal
airy for year from the date of my en-
tering her service.
A few days after Mrs. Southerlands
death we started on our return to
America. I gave Roy his mothers
will, but he was too much affected by
her loss to open it, thrusting it into his
pocket.
When I reached America I went
directly to my home. Not long after
my arrival Roy Switzerland called
upon me, and from the moment l en-
tered the room where he was 1 knew
something momentous had happened
He spoke TO me in a reserved tone.
Are you aware of the contents Of
my mothers will so far as it concerns
your
"Only what she told me-
what did she tell you:"
THAT l was to receive a years sal
ary"
do you know any thing else that is
in it,"
she would call upon me for one of the
witnesses, but she did not
While he was asking me these ques-
tons he was scrutinizing me. It was
evident he was searching for some 1
truth. He asked me one more ques-
ton.
Did mother ever talk TO you about
how she had left her property"
"She told me she had left a will at
home bequeathing you everything. but 4
added that in case you married with I
out her consent she would change it
When l said this an expression came
over his face which seemed TO indicate
that he had elected what he had been
searching for. He did not speak again
for few moments, then in changed
voice said:
''All my mothers property after
few small legacies is bequeathed T.
you"
1 stood staring at him as though be
had made statement involving an I'D
81 naturally wondered he continued
whether you had exerted any u,
fuence upon my mother TO bring this
about. l am sure you had nothing 10
do with the matter and were ignoraHt
Moreover, 1 have learned from what
you have told me my mothers reason
for leaving all her property TO you.
l was too dumfounded 10 speak loi
awhile, but presently ] asked MN SH"'
hat rea son was.
That you must find out for your
self"
/ did find out. so far as guessing
would enable me 10 do 50. that sN'
lad left her property 10 me becauss
she wished her son to marry the WON
IN of her choice and l was her ehui0s
She was n singular woman. and nav
not known her for some time eOu"
lot have understood her
What followed this denouemepl y
longer story than the one ! hass
old. I offered to give up the ihnelu
nee. That plan failed. Then oue,ss
myself with the inheritance. Ihe on''
vas accepted.
Sept. Il in American