Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1917-07-12


clips. nail scissors and other such
articles.
Hard times came on. and my law
business became much reduced Ny
wife was a good manager. and we
lived economically. The few hundred
dollars she expected to get for her
share in her uncle's estate would have
been welcome, but month after month
passed and we heard nothing of a d.
vision. Either a new relative had
turned up or piece of property must
be sold before the estate could be
closed.
i have always been sportsman,
and in the Season | often went duck
shooting. While on the water need
ed IA pocket compass and usually took
one with me on my outings. One day
when | returned from n hunt | threw
my compass into the pigconhole where
/ kept odds and ends When | took It
out again l noticed vibration OF the
needle. Being curious as TO the cause.
| put It back into tie pigeonhole and,
bringing n light to bear on II. saw
that it was detected from the pole.
Every one knows that metal is re
Qulged 10 defect the magnetic needle.
But l was sure that my desk had been
mortiscd together and that there was
not n nail in it. I removed every arti-
Gle from the pigeonhole and put back
the compass. The needle was still de-
Elected
Now. take very little interest In
what ! know. but great deal OF in
terest In what l don't know. | didn't
know what detected that needle. and
l was bound TO find out # | had to
pull the desk to pieces in order 70 do
so. l moved the compass about as
near as possible TO the desk, and the
needle always pointed in the same di-
rection-that Is, 10 the upper left hand
corner 4 careful examination of this
part OF the desk told me there was
space there that had been left unused
by n drawer or pigeonhole. ! raped
on it. and the sound given out indi-
Gated that it was hollow Neverthe-
less my compass told me that there
was metal there
Resolved TO get into that space.
though ! regretted to injure my desk.
began 10 take off the woodwork at
the fore part This revealed a circu-
lar steel plate about half an inch in
diameter. ] pressed my thumb upon
it. and out popped steel drawer.
There was but ono article in the
drawer--a paper ~'r-S.' q. 90. ~7-.'~-
Something told me that my wife
was the person 10 examine that paper.
called her. and she came into the
room. on seeing that had mutilated
the desk we both priced SO highly she
uttered an exclamation of rebuke
showed her that had discovered a
secret drawer and there was paper
in it, II was for her. as the nearest per-
son TO her late uncle. 10 see what that
paper contained She took it out. open
cd ii ana read words written In her
uncles handwriting and signed 10y him
and two witnesses:
give and bcGncath all my property.
real and Personal. % my beloved niece
LaYgarct Girard.
Z could not resist the temptation 10
,oo,l over my wifes shoulder and knew
what she read IS soon as herself. She
turned and threw her arms around my
neck, and we remained locked together
without speaking. | don't know which
of the two was the happier. doubt
IL either surpassed the ether.
That was Il joyful evening both for
my wife ana myself Not the least
source Of pleasure 10 me was that the
will had not been discovered sooner.
| had married my wife when she was
poor ana partly that | might take care
OF her. A long while had elapsed be-
fore fortune came 10 her like sum
mer shower in the midst of drought.
But we could not dismiss from our
minds the one chance out OF thousands
OF finding the will. Had / not been
sportsman | would not have needed
pocket compass. Had the secret drawer
containing il been made of wood still
would the important bit Of paper have
been hidden. 1t was the unerring
finger OF science that pointed 70 the
key 10 wealth.
We'll" said my wife when our first
transports had passed. you began by
being my attorney when l put in n
claim for nursing my uncle; You may
as well continue in my service and
present the will TO the proper authorl-
ties"
And there will be no need for me
to return the fee in fruits or flowers"
was my reply.
Great was the establishment of both
officials and heirs eXpeetant when more
than two years after Mr.. Girards
death will was produced giving his
property 10 the person it was presumed
he intended TO give il and cutting off
host Of distant relatives Some of
these. who would not have received
more than few hundred dollars had
there been no will. had been long
counting OH n rich legacy.
The inheritance turned out TO be
much larger than had been expected
Some investments Mr. Girard had
made shortly before his death during
the long period that the chancery au-
thoritics we're hunting up his relatives
had increased tcnfold I'm value. Con-
sidering the disappointment suffered
by 50 many persons my wife called
for list OF those who would have
been benefited except for the will and
set aside q fund for the relief Of al