Select Literature.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 1, Issue 3, 21 January 1867, Page 15

Select Literature.

THE WILL. A TALE OF THE LAST CENTURY. «HE old lady who related the outline of the following story heard it told in her-youth, by no means as a fiction, but as a real occurrence. She even once knew the name of the old northern family concerned in it, but that, with'the exact dates, she has now forgotten, if she ever knew the latter, ~ and having never written down the story she has no possibility, of recovering them. However, from her express mention of a tight wig, worn by the benevolent old hero of the tale r we have fixed the strange occurrence not earlier than the last century. Towards the endof 4 gusty October day, about the year 1730, a barrister of the Temple was sitting reading, when the opening of the door, and his servant’s announcement of “ a gentleman,” interrupted him. He rose to receive his visitor, who proved to & person of very gentlemanly, but extremely old-fashioned, appearance. He was dressed in a grave-colored suit, of antique cut; a neat tight grey wig surrounded his serious and even solemn physiognomy ; silk stockings, rolled at the knee; enormous shoe-buckles of gold: a cane, headed with the same metal, and a :, broad-brimmed and uncocked hat, completed his equipment, which was in the fashion of the last years of William TTT, or the'first-of hisi successor. Having stiffly bowed, in the exact style prescribed by the etiquette of the era to which he seemed to belong, he : took possession of the chair offered to hitu by his host; and, after a preparatory Tuem, thus' began in* a slow and serious manner—“l think, sir, you are the lawyer employed by the S— family, whose property in Yorkshire you are therefore aware is about to he sold;” .. “I have,' sir,” answered the• barrister, “ full instructions and powers to complete the disposal of it, .which, though a painful duty to me,, must be performed.” “It is a duty you may dispense with,” said the visitor,- waving|hishand, “the property need not be sold.”, “May I presume to ask, sir, whether you are any relation to the family ? If so, you must be, acquainted with the absolute necessity of selling it, 'in consequence of "the claim of another branch of the family, just returned from beyond . sea, who, „as . heir-at-law, is naturally possessor of the estate, in default of a' will to the contrary; ' -and who desires itß value in money, instead of. the land. The. present possessor is unable to buy it, and must therefore depkrt.” “You are' mistaken,” replied the old gentleman ;- “you seem not to know of the will. of Mr S . , — ; *s great-grand-father,. by which he not only left t&at, his estate, to his favorite grandson, this gen; tleman’s father, bus even entailed it ,qn hisgreat-great-grandsop.” . ' f . “Such a will, but,” said the barrister, > ; *xist ; V; and; virtue of it, Mr ——— '' has,, until now, peaceably enjoyed the property; ; button the claimant’s.application , a rened tearch having been made for it, - either the belief proves 'wholly "unfounded, or it ’has been loßt or - ■ Cabinets, chests; every room, inhabited; and . uninhabited, have beenrunsecke^in.vain.‘ n Mr ;.} —rjbas now,given up.all hope of . findingitj the £q“be completed'in

the course; ind the fine old place mustjliands of stran- ’" u aTe ' Bua *“ e ® i agam, young man,” said the stranger, striking his cane on the floor; “ I say, sir, the will exists. Go immediately,” continued he, in an authoritative tone; “travel night and day. You may save au old family from disgrace and ruin. In the end room of, the, west wing, now uninhabited, is a closet in the wall.” “We have looked there,” interrupted the barrister. “Silence, sir;, there is a closet,<T say. In that closet is a large chest; that ohest has a false bottom, and underneath that is the deed. lam certain of what I say. I saw it deposited there; no matter when, or by whom. Go ; you will find it worth your trouble... My name, sir, is Hugh S . I am not now personally known to the proprietor of S Hall ; but I am his relation, and have his welfare at heart. Neglect not to follow my advice.” So sayings the old gentleman arose, again bowed, and at the door put on hia hat, in a fashon which would have enchanted an elegant of Queen Anne’s day; and sliding the silken string of his cane on the little finger of his right; hand, on which the' lawyer had remarked a very fine brilliant ring, he de-sconded-the stairs, and departed, leaving the barrister in the utmost astonishment. At first he felt half inclined to consider the whole as. a hoax; then again, when he thought of the old gentleman’s grave manner, and the intimate knowledge he must have possesed of the house, to be able to describe the room so exactly in which the chest was, he could not but believe him to be sincere. • At length after much deliberation, he desided upon immediate departure; and arrived, on the evening of the fourth day, at S- Hall. The sale had . been the only theme of conversation at every place he had passed through, within twenty miles of his destination ; and much and loudly was it lamented, that the squire should be leaving bis house for ever, and that poor Mr: John would 'never enjoy his rights; as they persisted in calling the possession of the estate. On his entrance into the mansion, signs of approaching removal everywhere met his eye. Packages filled the hall; servants with sorrowful countenances were hurrying about; and the family were lingering tadly over the last dinner they were ever to partake of in their regretted home. Mr. S greeted his friend with a surprise, which changed to incredulity, when the barrister, requesting his private ear, declared the reason of hia appearance. “ It cannot be,” said he, “ Is it likely that no one should ever have heard of the hiding of the deed but the old gentleman you mention ? Depend upon it, you have been deceived, my dear iriend; lam only sorry, you should have taken so much trouble to so little purpose.”, The barrister mentioned the name of his visitor. “ Hugh S———!” exclaimed the gentleman, laughing* ** I have not a relation in the world of that name.” “It is worth the trying, however,” said the lawyer; “ and since I have come so far, 1 will finish the adventure.” Mr. S—■■ seeing his friend so determined, at length determined to satisfy him, and accompanied him- towards the apartment he specified. . A® they crossed one of the rooms on; their way, he'suddenly stopped before a large full length portrait, “ For heaven’s sake,” cried he, “ who is this?” : ; “My granduncle,” returned Mr. S . “a good old fellow as ever lived. I wish with all my heart he was alive now ; but he has been dead .these thirty years.”, “What was his name ?” “ Hugh S . The only one of the family of that name.” “ That is the. man who called..upon me. His dress, his hat, his very ring are there.’’ They proceeded to the closet, lifted the false bottom of the chest, and—found the. deed. The kind old uncle was never seen again.