Year: 1879


lied considerable fortune from the
business to which he had devoted the
greater part of his life. Five years
since, however, he had retired from bus.
mess, and since then had lived in COM
parative quiet.


Having been disappointed in love in
early life, he had never married, and
therefore had no children to inherit his
fortune. He had not even nephews or
nieces, having been an only son. But
he had two cousins, or rather the sons
of two cousins, whom he had always
regarded as nephews, and to whom he
intended to leave his property.


The names of these two heirs expect
ant were Thomas Lawrence and Benja-
min Temple. Each were between thirty
and forty years of age, and each. more
over, had family. One kept village
store and was thought to be doing
very good business. The other had
fair law practice. Neither Of them, as
it will be seen, stood in need of be-
quest, though both were money-lovlng
men and would be very glad to receive
one.


| have said that Mr.. Morton had re-
tired from active business. But he
found that the care of his property con-
tinued to involve great deal of labor,
and this led him one day to say to him.
self, Why should l wait till my death
before dividing the estate between my
cousins All it amounts to is that am
burdening my old age with taking care
of the estate for them. They could do
that as we'll as l, and would gladly re-
lieve me of the trouble. Why should
l not at once give them the property,
and spend my time alternately at their
houses ? They will be delighted to have
me do SO, and should enjoy myself
with them and their children.


Robert Morton was of frank, social
temperament, and the more he thought
of this plan the more it commended it.
self to him.


He accordingly sent for his legal ad-
wiser and propounded it to him.


Mr.. Burdick. for this was his name,
did not appear to look upon it as faTOr-
able light as his client.


Do you propose to divide Jour whole
property in this way 3: he asked.
Certainly .hat is my intention, was
IT, .eply. Why since --;nh +n frnn
myself from anxiety and care, should l
not do so thoroughly, and without res
ervation?


You will be placing yourself complete
at the mercy of our cousins, and you
will have no resource in case they neg
lect to treat you with that consideration
which your generosity entitled you to
expect.


You are altogether too suspicious,
Burdick, said his client. Now l have
more faith in the native goodness of hu-
man nature than you. | have not the
the slightest fear but that my cousins
will treat me with every consideration.


You must make allowances, my good
friend, for the sel6shness which exists
in every heart, to a greater or less ex-
tent. Don't place yourself in the power
of your cousins. That is my advice. Al
all events, don't do so all at once. Take
a year to test them in, and then if you
see fit to follow the course proposed,
will not intefere.


1 don't think it at all necessary, Bur.
dick, but you are an old friend, and il
is only fair that should concede some
weight to your advice. Let me hear
, then, what course you would advise.
Let me first ask if your cousins arr
: acquainted with the amount of YOU


property?


5 They are not.


| Could they tell within a few thousand
7 dollars


They have no clue sufficient to decid'
@ them in this matter.
S Will you then listen to my recapitu
t lation, and tell me if am right. First
there is this estate, worth, at the least
: ten thousand dollars.


Well.


: Then you have ten thousand dollar
s out on mortgages?
8 Yes.


J. And besides that. you have twent
a thousand dollars on deposit in differen
e banks.


n Yes.


u Then let me advise you only to SUI
J. render half your fortune to your cousins
e To one give this estate, to the othe
l. your mortgages, and reserve the ban
t. deposits for year in your own hand
q Let them suppose, however, that 20
!" have surrendered your whole propert
v to them, and the better to favor th
Ie mistake, stipulate that you shall dra
ID from each hundred dollars a year, fc
8 your wardrobe and other little expense
Is Is They will conclude that you have r
,e other means, and will, therefore, sho
IL what they are.


b. Yes. Burdick, they will show no