Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-10-07
! Heirs to the !
! TOntine Fund !
!, By !
: Walter Joseph Delaney f:
Copyright 1915, by W. C. Chapmau.)

tine found ready soil for planting their
policies in and about Ruddendale. AT
the end Of thirty years most of the
investors in the scheme were plant
ed Themselves, as the phrase went
and finally there were only two sur.
/ vivors-Adam Warner and Ezra Moss
Here was the scheme: One hun
dred subjects we're taken at one hun
/ dred dollars each. The surviving
members Of the syndicate, as it might
+ be called, when fifty had died, we're tC
/ receive six per cent on their invest
ment annually up to their death. The
heirs of the final survivor were to re
/ ceive the amount in the pool at his
demise.
4 All this figured out a liberal com,
mission for the agent or trustee and
/ for the bank where the funds were de
} posted. After thirty years all but two
members Of the original group were
/ dead. It was then estimated that
the amount the final survivor would
/ receive would be approximately sixty
five thousand dollars.
But Adam Warner and Ezra Moss
seemed to have no disposition to die
It was true that both were now over
eighty and were not able to go about
much. Warmers heir was a grandson
Cyril Warner, in the navy All the
/ rest Of his relatives had died off. The
heir or rather heiresses of Ezra
Moss were his widowed daughter
Mrs. Newell, and her only child
/ twenty and charming, Marcia.
Mrs. Newell was sordid. She hoped
/ to receive the opulent fund at stake
Mr.. Moss had no income except six
! dollars a year. nothing but his con
/ tingent dependency. Mrs. Newell die
/ sewing and Marcia taught school. The
returns barely kept the household
wheels moving. Again, in her anxiety
to do all that was possible for the
health and comfort Of her father, Mrs
| Newell spared no expense, which was
a serious dram on their limited reve
nue..
Old Adam Warner lived alone, ex
cept for a faithful man servant almost
as aged as himself-David Mack This
man was terribly jealous of his mas
ter. AS Warner grew old and feeble
he shut out everybody from the house
he devoted all his time and care to
| Warner.
One morning the neighbors OBJ
| served Mack come out of the Warner
| home in a fearful state of excitement
| He was wringing his hands and acting
altogether perturbed Bent on his way
| to town. he paid no attention to any
one until a closer acquaintance than
the others hailed him.
why, David" spoke this man
whatever is the matter?"
| ''Its-I mean-n-nothing! STAN
| mered Mack, like one distracted over
some vital matter ana seeking tc
evade any quegtioning regarding it
''Tm-Tm in a hurry. Master is
that is, I want to get some medicine
/ for him., so l can't delay"
You can wait long enough to hear
some news that will interest both you
and Warner, I reckon" submitted
his friend.
Hey! What's that?" demanded
Mack, pricking up his ears.
Ezra Moss"
What about him?"
| 'Dead-he passed away early this
morning, suddenly, but painlessly."
Are you sure! Are you sure!'
fairly shouted Mack, all a-tremble.
Miss Newell just told me, ant
they've sent for the undertaken
'Then-then!" quavered Mack.
Your master wins the Mutual Ton
tine. Sixty-fve thousand dollars
whew That will be great news fol
his son, Cyril, in the navy"
Mack turned like a shot, homewarC
bound.
Hold on" challenged his friend
aren't you going after that medi
cine?"
"Oh, no. This news Of his luck viii
make my master all well again."
The news soon spread over the
town. All due sympathy was ex
pressed for Mrs. Newell and Marcia
for Mr.. Warner had some means anC
they nothing. Mrs. Newell was bit
terly disappointed. Marcia said little
but she was saddened for her moth
er's sake at the struggle and povert!
that doomed ahead for them.
At noon that day a messenger from
the bank arrived at the Warner home
/ He knocked for admission at the well
guarded door. a window was raised
overhead.
Well, what is it?" inquired {
cracked feeble voice, and looking VI
the bank messenger recognized a ia
miliar great shock of snowy white
hair and whiskers, pair of blue cog
giles. the green and white sweater tina
Adam Warner always wore.
"Oh, it's you, Mr.. Warner" erieC
the clerk. We'll. I've been sent b!
the bank to officially notify you that
as the last survivor of the Mutua
Tortine fund, it is at your order"
"Ye-es, I heard that Moss was dead
OUTLINED him, Ell? and me nigh TIVE
years older. Well. I'll come or senC
for the money tomorrow or next day
Two days passed by. The mornin!
of the third saw David Mack rushing
out of the Warner home to shout on
distractedly to his Eeighbors that hi:
master had just died. The statemen
was soon verified. Scores viewed thu
remains. By a strange coincidence the
| funerals of the two veterans happened
within the same week. 1t was an
/ nounced that the Will of Adam War
! ner left everything to his grandson
Cyril. who had been telegraphed t.
and who arrived in time for the obse
quies.
He was a well-looking, inteIligen
young man and made no parade of hi
wealth. He passed most Of his TIM
in the house with old Mack, but on
dav walking in the village uuite eager