Year: 1878

call on him as soon as con venient. /
accordingly went to his residence and
found him greatly excited at the elope-
ment Of his daughter. After i was
seated he said he had sent for me as he
wished to make will, and handing me
note requested me fret to read that and
see how children sometimes showed
their gratitude. The note read as fol-
lows:


DEAR FATHER. you would
not consent to my marriage with the
man of my choice, have decided to
marry him without your knowledge,
| and trust to your love for forgiveness
| you would not wish dear father, to make
me miserable all my life, and such
would have been the result of marriage
with cousin James. / love Charles
Bradley dearly, aud when you receive
this, shall be his wife. For the pres
ent we shall reside at No. 100 Madison
| Avenue, where l hope to receive letter
sending fathers forgiveness to his
his daughter Jennie"


"And now," continued, Mr.. Harper,
/ have written her q note stating that
as she has taken her own way she need
neither look for help or forgiveness from
me, and that henceforth 1 have no
daughter, and that any letters she may
send will be returned unopened. You
will now if you please, Mr.. Bruce, draw
up a will leaving my nephew James
Harper my entire property"


l endeavored to persuade him to wait,
and perhaps he would after little time
feel more kindly towards his daughter.
l told him that 1 knew Mr.. Bradley to
be q young man of fine ability and of
good habits, and that he would un-
doubtedly make his daughter a kind
husband. My advice had no effect ex-
cept to make him angry at me, and he
replied that he sent for me to draw up a
will, and not for advice upon any other
subject. therefore drew up the will as
directed and calling in witnesses had it
properly signed, when took my de-
parture.


For nearly two years heard no more
of the Harper family, when one eve
ming l was again sent for TO visit Mr..
Harper at his residence on Union square.
This time his nephew came for me, and
said that his uncle was quite poorly and
would be pleased to have me call at once
If possible. Not being very busy I i'm
mediately went to his house and found
him much broken down and very feeble.
He seemed well pleased to see me, and
said:


Had taken your advice before, Mr..
Bruce, should not have had to send for
you now." After some further CONVEX
sation he said: 81 have finally decided
to make another will, and divide my
property equally between James and
Jennie. The will 1 formerly made L
have mislaid, but this having a later
date will, of course: annul that"


was much gratified at this change of
feeling,as Charles Bradley whom Jennie
had married, knew to be worthy
young man, and one in whom felt an
interest.


After completing the will, Mr.. Har
per requested me to place it in secret
drawer in his desk in the library. By
his direction 1 readily found the drawer
and deposited the will. took my leave,
feeling much better satisfied than upon
the former occasion.


1t was only two weeks afterward that
read notice of his death. The day
succeeding his funeral / called on James
Harper and told him that his uncle had
made will at the time / was last sent
for, which by his direction l had depos-
ited in secret drawer in his desk, and
with his permission would now get it,
to which he readily assented. You NAV
imagine my astonishment upon open
ing the envelope in which L had placed
1T, to find the will drawn nearly two
years since-the one making James his
sole heir-and no trace of the later one.
told James that his uncle had said this
will was mislaid, and that the last will
divided the property between him and
Jennie.


He replied that perhaps his uncle had
again changed his mind, and unless the
other will could be found he should feel
1t his duty to carry out his uncIe's
wishes as here expressed.


could not dispute his right to do this
and as all search failed to discover the
late Will, was, with great reluctance,
compelled to allow the nephew to take
possession Of the entire property.


After this occasionally met James