Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1917-12-11
A Scheme That
Failed
kcopyIIsht. l9ll. western Newspapsr Union. }
~ ELNoR MARSH


respectable family, were poor.
An uncle in South America died and
left them coffee plantation. The be-
quest was made with the provision
that they live on the property and
develop II. II was not worth much,
but might be made valuable.
Ben was disposed 10 try a business
scheme at home and forfeited his share
Of the inheritance by remaining where
he was. Jim took up the i,scucrty in
South America.
Ben lived with a widc'red sister,
who soon after died Leaving her broth
er a little four-year-old fir'.
At the age Of fifteen h, girl, Adele
Weatherby, became her Gacle's house
keeper. There was a sincere affection
between uncle and niece, the relation
between them being more like that be
tween father and daughter.
When Adele was seventeen years old
her uncle paid some attention to Miss
Mildred Conyngham, young lady of
the fashionable set.
When Mr.. COverdale was about fifty
years old he fell i'll. Miss COnyngham
visited him frequently and sent deli
eacies. He was devotedly nursed by
Adele for months, when unfortunately
she also fell Ill. II was then that Miss
Conyngham betook herself, bag and
baggage to the Coverdale home to
care for the invalids, not waiting for
an invitation or even their permission.
Both .invalids were Ill a long while
and Miss Conyngham was unremitting
In her attentions to them.
Meanwhile Jim CoverdaIe in South
America had prospered.
The only knowledge Of Jim Cover
5ale's growing wealth that ever
reached his native town came In this
wise: A man who had been to South
America met Miss Conyngham and she
asked him II he had ever seen or
heard anything of a Jim Coverdale liv-
ing in Brazil7
"Yes," was the reply, 81 have been
On his plantations"
"His plantationsT
"Yes, 1 suppose he has a dozen OF
them. Jim Coverdale is an enormously |
rich man."
At this point Of the story several |
important matters connected with It
occurred very near together. jim |
Coverdale sold out his property in Bra |
nil and left for his former home in the |
United States. Before his departure |
he made will leaving all he possessed |
10 his brother This will he sent, by a |
- fho
which he sailed. to his brothers lawyer. |
John Williams, with instructions to |
say nothing about II. The ship on
which Jim Coverdale sailed was lost
On a storm and all on board went down
With her.
Ben COverdale died a month after !
the arrival of the will, but he never !
Knew Of his inheritance. Then came
news Of the shlpwreck and Jim Cow
terdale's name In the list Of passengers. |
When Ben Coverdale's will was
opened it was found that his small
property was left to Adele.
When Miss Conyngham heard Of the
death of Jim COverdale she felt GER
Tain he had left his property to his
.-lhrotAer. Ben. Hearing of Jim Cover
s,Ie's death. Mr.. williams opened the
VIII ard announced to Adele that she
was the owner of princely fortune
Then came Miss Conyngham with
statement that Ben Coverdale had told
Aer that in a codicil to his will he had
left her a third of his property.
The fact was, Miss COnyngham
knowing that Jim COverdale was rich.
that he was dead and had doubtless
left his property to his brother, tried
10 induce Ben Coverdale to marry her.
Failing in that she used all her ener-
gies to induce him to leave her a por-
tion of his possessions. Coverdale
finally yielded and sent for his so
DeltOr.
When the will was admitted to pro-
bate it was evident that something
lad been torn from 1t. This soon be
came a matter Of general knowledge
and Immediately the friends Of Adele
Weatherby and those Of Miss Conyng-
ham were pitted against each other.
Up to this time the contents Of
James Coverdale's will were unknown
10 anyone but Adele and the attorney,
who had It in his keeping.
For a time neither admitted nor de-
HE'D that any codicil was attached to
the will. Later the attorney acknowl-
edged that there had been a codicil and
that It had been torn OF, but this adj
mission was made only to Miss Conyng-
ham. She was assured that she would
not be benefited by It's production and
she was advised not to compel him to
produce 1t.
This was the end Of the matter TIL
the case came into court and Mr.. VIII
Hams was called upon to state II the
win had been mutilated. He produced
80 will and a fragment, which he
show had been torn from It by the