Year: 1878

Harper, but the subject of his uncle's
will was at such times not mentioned,
although 1 often thought about IL.


Nearly two years more passed, when
one evening after my return home, an
urgent message came for me to go to
Mr.. Harper's as soon as possible. The
messenger said, that Mr.. Harper was
not likely to live long, and might die
before morning, and perhaps 1 would be
good enough to call tonight Under
these circumstances 1 could hardly re-
fuse, and the remembrance of the miss
ing will, made me the more anxious to
go. L was soon at Mr.. Harper's and
was Immediately shown up to his ROOM
found him very low and apparently
near his end. My arrival seemed to
arouse him somewhat, and he requested
the physician who was present to give
him some stimulant and leave us alone.


After the doctor was gone he directed
me to lock the door, and draw the table
close to the bed as he had long story
to tell me.


The story he told me, will tell as
nearly as possible in his own words


MIR. Bruce, / sent for you to write
my will, and wish to leave all my
property to Mrs. Jennie Bradley - but
before doing so will confide to YOU a
secret-you will then understand why /
make the will as do. AS am q bach
elor and have no near relations, no one
will have any reason to be disappointed.
You already know the circumstances at
tending the elopement of my cousin,
and the effect it had upon uncle. Itwas
also severe blow to me, as L loved
Jennie better than anything else in the
world, unless IL was money. 1 was very
angry, however, at her refusal to marry
me, and glad to have uncle take the
course he did. have seen her but once
since that time, and that was about two
months after her marriage, when she
called on me at the store and entreated
me to intercede with her father in her
behalf. Not that she needed any help
from him, she said, but she could not
bear to think her father would die and
not forgive her. told her it was no
use, as her name was never mentioned
in the house. Nothing was ever said by
uncle about Jennie, until a short time
before his death, when he one day asked
If L knew where she was, or if ever
heard anything of her. told him that
L had not seen or heard from her for a
long time. He then said 1 wish YOU
would go to my desk and bring me an
envelope you will find there, marked
private papers, l went as directed.
and finding the envelope, / opened it
and seeing in it will making me his
sole heir, the idea occurred to be, that
perhaps uncle wanted to destroy it, and
make another. therefore put the pa
pers in my pocket, and returning to
uncle, told him / could not find Them
He replied that perhaps he had mislaid
them, and said it would make no differ
ence. He then requested me to call at
the place Jennie mentioned in her let
ter, and see if she was still there. or if
not, learn where she had gone; also, to
call at your office, and ask you to come
to the house, as he wished to see you.-
went to Madison avenue, but found that
Jennie had removed, and no one knew
where they had gone, but they thought
somewhere out West. After you had
gone into the room with uncle, L listen
ed in the adjoining apartment, and
made out by that means to ascertain.
not only that new will was to be made.
but where it was to be put. After Won
had gone, l got the will and read it, and
found that Jennie was left half of
uncle's property. / therefore, deter
mined If uncle did not recover, to sub
stitute the will had in my pocket for
that last made. AS you know, he died
not many days after this, and on the
day after his death, opened the drawer
and exchanged the wills. That ex-
plains why you found the will Won
did, instead of the one Won ex-
pected. And now," continued he, 81
will give you the missing will, and if
should happen to recover, you will see
that Jennie has what are her rights. bv
that, and If die, desire you TO see
That my wishes as expressed in this will
are carried out" Assuring him would.
took my leave. L then, late as il was.
went to the offices of several morning
papers, and had a notice inserted. ask
ing information in regard to the resi-
dence of Charles Bradley or his wife, or,
H. - II