The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-07-26
Miss NJ artha's Last
Will
BY GEORGE MUNSON

property.
Martha Grove had had the repu-
tation Of a miser. In addition to
the cottage in which she and Miss
Annie, her niece by marriage,
dwelled, she had nine thousand dol
lars in the bank. And the will that
old Maine produced gave him every
thing except the cottage.
1t was Annie's engagement to
Tom Claflin that provoked the old
woman's rage. When the miserly
old woman heard of it she declared:
mot one penny Of my money will
you get, you ungrateful child. If you
leave me in my old age"
But, aunt, we want you to make
your home with U.S." protested the
girl.
That only famed the old woman's
wrath. She sent for Maine. He was
her only friend. He was an elder
in some primitive tabernacle. and
Miss Martha belonged to 1t.
you'd best stay with your aunt
and give that Claflin fellow the
shake" leered old Jim, the richest
man in the village.
The girl had hoped to escape into
a larger world with her marriage
to Tom.
The week following, her aunt died
suddenly in the midst of one Of
those scolding fits that made the
girls life gall and NORWOOD. And
then Tom came and PIT his arms
around Annie and told her that she
was his.
But Tom was as poor as church
mouse, and marriage would have
been out of the question but for the
money.
Before Tom Claflin had decided
Jim Maine produced will written
by the old woman q month before
she died, and signed by witnesses.
1t left all Miss Martha's money to
him, stating that. on account Of her
ingratitude, Annie was to get oply
the cottage. That was worth two
or three thousand-but 1t was only
a small share in the comfortable
estate.
Tom came to Annie. "That will
is a forgery, my DEAR" he said.
"Those witnesses are men who owe
Maine money. We shall fight 1t
tooth and NAIL"
The case came up before the sur
rogate's court. Maine had detied
and threatened Tom, but the young
lawyer saw that the man was in a
frenzy of fear. Still, he could not
keep his fingers off the nine thou.
sand dollars.
On the day before the trial the
young lawyer received a visit from
a fellow lawyer in the next town.
II heard about your case, Claflin, -
he said. II think this puts Il new
light on the transaction, doesn't it?"
And he threw n document upon the
table. Tom picked it up. 1t was
another will of Miss Martha's.
"She made that about a month
ago." said the visitor. "Came over
to Stapleton to do it, I guess, so
that nobody in this town should
know. OF course, it antedates the
will you are fighting over, but
evening. v
"Tom, won't you withdraw at the
last moment?" pleaded Annie in
court the next morning. "Dear, we
have the cottage-and, after all,
that will may be genuine"
Tom said nothing but clasped her
hand in his. And Annie resigned her
self to her lovers will In the matter.
When the case was called, how
ever, he amazed the court and spec
tators by saying:
1--WE do not accept this will as
genuine, Your Honor, but, in defer.
ence to the wishes Of my client we
are willing to accept the sworn
statement of Mr.. Maine and his wit.
nesses to the effect that the will Is
genuine, and to withdraw"
And the will was admitted to pro.
bate.
Maine was flushed with triumph
He was not the man to let well
enough alone. The revulsion from
his fears of prison proved too strong
for his good sense. He approached
| Tom in the courtroom, after the
court had adjourned.
"Wall," he sneered, II guess yor
did the wise thing in withdrawing
young man. You'd have lost your
case, and I'd have had you driver
out of town, too. 1t takes a biz
man to cross my WILL"
II hope you'll enjoy your proper
IT," said Tom. "But why didn'
you take the cottage, too, while 70,
were about 1t? You threw away
two or three thousand dollars there
And you might just as we'll have
had 1t If you had had the nerve"
"What do you mean?" beloved
Maine truculently.
II mean," said Tom, thrusting hi!
face forward and looking the othe
squarely in the eye, '.that If 70,
hadn't been a thief and a rogue 70,
would have got everything. Here Il
Miss Groves Will. and it leaves 70,
everything. cottage included"
He thrust the document unde
| Jim Names face.
1T does, does it !" roared Maine
"Then I'll have It,"
mo, you WON'T" answered Olaf
lin. "This will was executed thre
days before the forged one that ha
been admitted to probate"
C. 1924 Western Newspaper Union.)