The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1916-01-20

: word Throughout the English y
Il speaking world. Real names of q
Z persons ana places are some Z
: times disguised. IL ali other re- !,
= sreGss shs amazing, often thrill !,
s ing, always s-ipoias facts are &
: reeorSez gs<s as tssy happened. !,
4SSSSsSSSSSSsSsSSSSSSSSSSssSSsssss
srs were 1avsaa - $Sss one that faced.
across Hazards ws5s t&ols-desk. two
AsgA- 1zea-g2szs,s windows Thus
were SsS52sazusas persons placed at
; GssS SR7x11&Se- so- she glare beat
unon sAen @se SsATchlisht, while
Hazard. LIS sa,eS 81 Ike windows. was
in ooz F4ras5pe $3a23ow,
As he -ssz-1ss3 - afs own seat the
girl srzvssy s1zTsys3 him
This Is i zersl experience for me"
she began 2z3 ho2s hAyent been
driven 10 calling On yoa because of my
stupidity a2i, really, BIZ AZ my wits
end
Hazard s-ilinEsy encouraged her.
Suppose ron tell ne what is worry
ing you Sometimes it is possible to
clear away anoshsr's troubles by a
word
The fair visitor appeared thoughtful
for 8 moment. then she asked:
is the name Of h Sydenor Gray
familiar to your
Il have heard the name" was his
reply. but it is not familiar to me-"
Well" the girl pursued, he was my
uncle. He was an active man Of af-
fairs until about eight years ago. when.
his health failing with advancing
years. he returned to the old family
home at Unaminee, where he remained
till his death last May.
MIR. Gray never married, but dur.
ing his life he acquired a considerable
fortune-or, at least, he was so reputed,
and he led others to believe that he
had but if he left any fortune nobody
has been able to find it.
Before we go any further l want to
make my position clear. When Mr..
Gray returned to Unaminee l was thir-
teen years old, living with my wild
owed mother in the old home place.
We were very poor and unable to
maintain the property in anything like
the style it was intended for, and it
had run down shamefully, Indeed,
mother made no attempt to keep it up.
1t was much too grand and imposing
to attract tenant in small town like
Unaminee, and we were obliged to
cling to two or three of the smaller
| 10 hal I'll 81
go.
well, all this was changed when Mr..
Gray appeared. A landscape gardener
and a host of assistants were hired
and the extensive grounds cleared and
beautified, and the house was repaired
and refurnished throughout. In short.
he spent money lavishly to put every
thing in order. and l daresay there is
no country place anywhere more beau
tiful than Gray Gables.
Poor mother enjoyed the restored
splendors of her old home little more
than a year, when she died. 1t was
then uncle informed me that was to
be his heiress. intimating that it was
in his power to make me rich. l have
much to be grateful for to my uncle.
He provided the best musical educa-
ton available, so that l am now able
J to make a fair living I'm not a grand
opera star, nor ever shall be; but sum-
mer chautauquas and lyceum engage
ments during the winter keep me en-
ployed
During the last three years | have
been much away from home. and some
thing over year ago nephew of
Mr.. Gray's. Edward Gray, showed up
at Gray Cables Years ago Edward
got into some sort of trouble that in
volved uncle: but he must have given
promises of reformation and in some
way made amends so that uncle for
gave him
Uncle, however, repeatedly assured
me that Edwards coming in no way
would affect my position; as a matter
of fact, he told me less than year be-
fore he died that he could provide suit
ing my Inheritance.
y am going into this so fully be
cause l want you to see clearly that
from the beginning | was imbued
with the idea that some day should
inherit the bulk of uncles money. and
he made no secret of the fact that it
was no inconsiderable fortune. In
deed, nobody could have kept up an
establishment like his without ample
means.
Now. to be entirely frank. uncle in
many respects was-well, queer, &C.
centric. Practically nothing was
known of his past life. and he always
avoided talking about it. He used to
rail at banks. a firm belief Of his being
that their chief aim was to defraud
their depositors.
so where was his money?
THE sequel showed that his bank
balance was comparatively small.
The rest can tell you in a few
words. Four days before he died he
summoned Edward and me together to
his room. He handed each OF US a
sealed envelope. instructing US that
they were not to be opened until he
! was dead There are your legacies,
said he. in effect L have converted
everything into money and negotiable
securities; there's no use paying heavy
probate and inheritance fees and be
ing mulcted by INSCRIPTIONS lawyers
Tho old home already has been trans
ferred 20 you. Crystal, and the deed
recorded
Well. after uncle was buried Ed
ward and opened cur envelopes-and