HALF A MILLION OF MONEY.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 245, 23 April 1866, Page 3

HALF A MILLION OF MONEY.

BY THE AUTHOE OF " BABBAEA'S HISTOEX." » PROGOGUE. A.D. 1760. Jacob Tbefalden", merchant and alderman of London, lay dying in an upper chamber of his house in Basing-hall-street, towards evening on the third day of April, Anno Domini seventeen hundred and sixty. It was growing rapidly dusk. The great house was full of gloom and silence, and the shadow of death. Two physicians occupied two easy-chairs before the fire in the sick man's chamber. They were both notabilities in their day. The one was Sir John Pringle, Physician Extraordinary to the King — a brave and skilful man, who had smelt powder at Dettingen, and won the soldiers' hearts by his indomitable coolness under fire. The other was Doctor Joshua Ward, commonly called " Spot Ward" from his rubicund face ; and immortalised by Hogarth in thatbitter caricature called "The Company of Undertakers." These gentlemen did little in the way of conversation. When they spoke at all, it was in a whisper. Now and then they compared their watches with the timepiece on the mantelshelf. Now and then they glanced towards the bed where, propped almost upright with pillows, an old man was sinking gradually out of life. There was something very ghastly in that old man's face, purple-hued, unconscious, and swathed in wet bandages. His eyes were closed. His lips were swollen. His breathing was slow and stertorous. He had been smitten down that day at noon by a stroke of apoplexy ; was carried home from 'Change in a dying state ; and had not spoken since. His housekeeper crouched by his bedside, silent and awestruck. His three sons and his lawyer waited in the drawing-room below. They all knew that he had not two more hours to live. In the meantime the dusk thickened, and the evening stilness grew more and more oppressive. A chariot rumbled past from time to time, or a newsvendor trudged by, hawking the London Gassette, and proclaiming the sentence just passed oa Lord George Sackville, Sometimes a oeighboup's footßoy earn© to the dee?

passengers loitered on the opposite pavement, and glanced up, whisperingly, at the curtained windows. By-and-by, even these ceased to come and go. A few oillamps were lighted at intervals along the dingy thoroughfare, and the stars ahd the watchmed" came out together. " In the name of Heaven," said Captain Trefalden, "let us have lights!" — and rang the drawing-room bell. Candles were brought, and the heavy damask curtains were drawn. Captain Trefalden took upthe Gazette; Frederick Trefalden looked at himself in the glass, arranged the folds of his cravat, yawned, took snuff, and contemplated the symmetry of his legs ; William Trefalden drew his chair to the table, and began abstractedly turning over the leaves of the last "Idler.|' There were other papers and books on the table as well — among them a little volume called Rasselas, from thelearnedpen of Mr Samuel Johnson (he was not yet L.L.D.), and the two first volumes of " Tristram Shandy," written by that ingenious gentleman, the Reverend Laurence Sterne. Both works were already popular, though published only a few months before. . . These three brothers were curiously alike, and curiously unlike. They all resembled their father; they were all fine men ; and they were all good-looking. Old Jacob was a Cornish man, had been fair and stalwart in his youth, and stood five feet eleven without his shoes. Captain Trefalden was not so fair; Frederick Trefalden was not so tall; William Trefalden was neither so iair, nor so tall, nor so handsome ; and yet they were all like him, and like each other. ' . ' Captain Jacob was the eldest. His father had intended him for his own business ; but, somehow or another,' the lad never took kindly to indigo. He preferred scarlet — especially scarlet turned up with buff— and he went into the army. Having led a roving, irregular youth; sown his wild oats in various congenial European soils; and fought gallantly at Dettingen, Fontenoy, Laffeldt and Minden, he had now, at forty years of age,, committed the unspeakable folly of marrying for neither rank nor money, but only for love. His father had threatened to disinherit Captain Trefalden for this misdeed, and, for five months past, had forbidden him the house. His brothers were even more indignant than their father — or had seemed to be so. In short, this was the first occasion on which the worthy officer had set^ foot in Basinghall-street for many a long day ; and all three gentlemen were naturally somewhat constrained and silent. Frederick, the second son, was thirtysix; William, thirty. Frederick hated indigo almost as cordially as his brother Jacob ; William had scarcely a thought that was not dyed in it. Frederick was an airy, idle, chocolate-drinking, snufftaking, card-playing, ridotto-haunting man of pleasure. William was a cool, methodical, - ambitious man of business. Neither of the three had ever cared much for the other two. It was not in the nature of things that much affection should exist between them. Their temperaments and pursuits were radically unlike. They had lost their mother while they were yet boys. They had never had a sister. The sweet womanly home-links had all been wanting to bind their hearts together. And now the brothers were met under their father's roof, this memorable third evening in April ; and in the dark chamber overhead, already beyond all help from human skill, that father lay dying. They were all thinking the same thoughts iv the silence of their hearts, and in those thoughts there was neither prayer nor sadness. Poor old man ! He was immensely rich — he was pitiably destitute. No one loved him; and he was worth Half a Million of Money. Mr Frederick Trefalden took out his watch, swore a fashionable oath, and declared that he was famishing. " Have somewhat to eat, brother Fred," suggested the captain; and so rang the bell again and ordered refreshments to.be taken into the dining-room. The two younger Trefaldens exchanged glances and a covert smile. Their elder brother was already amusing the master, it should seem! Well, well, Lawyer Beavington is there, and the will has yet to be read. In the meantime Mr Fred and the captain go down together ; for the latter has ridden up from Hounslow, and will not object to join his brother in " a smack of cold meat and a bumper of claret." Mr Will, like a sober citizen, has dined at two o'clock, and only desires that a dish of tea may be sent to him in the drawing-room. H anything could be more dismal than that gloomy drawing-room, it was the still gloomier dining-room below. The walls were pannelled with dark oak, richly carved. The chimney-piece was a '.ponderous cenotaph in black and yellow marble. The hangings were of mulberrycoloured damask. A portrait of the master of the house, paintedgforty years before by Sir James Thornhill, hung over the fireplace. Seen by the feeble gimmer of a couple of wax-lights, there was an air of sepulchral magnificence about the place which was infinitely depressing. The very viands might have reminded these gentlemen of funeral baked meats — above all, the great veal pasty which lay in state in the middle of the board. They were both hungry, however, and it did nothing of the kind. The captain took his place at the head of the table, and plunged his knife gallantly into the heart of the pasty. " If thou hast as good a stomach, Fred, as myself," said he, growing cordial under the influence of the good things before him, " I'll warrant thee we'll sack this fortress handsomely !". The fine gentleman shrugged his shoulders somewhat contemptuously, " I detest such coarse dishes," said he. « I dined with Sir Harry Fanshawe yesterday at the Hummuins. We had a yagput of youag chicks, aot ft *%eek out of \ . tk w» mi Mm *& m & wto

would have taken thy breath away, brother Jacob." 'a " I'd as lieve eat of this pasty as of any ragout in Christendom," said the captain. "Mr Horace Walpole and Mrs Clive were at dinner all the time in the next room," continued the beau; "and the drollest part of the story is that Sir Harry and I adjourned in the evening to Yauxhall, ( and there, by Jove! found ourselves supping in the very next box to Mr Horace and Mrs Kitty again !" " Help yourself to claret, Fred, and pass the bottle," said the |captain,|who, strange to say, saw no point in the story at all. ■'-..... •** '* Not bad wine," observed Mx Fred, tasting his claret with the air of a connoisseur. " The old gentleman hath an excellent cellar." "Ay, indeed," replied the ...captain, thoughtfully* 1; a-. " But he never knew how to' enjoy his money." "Never.'-- , ■"; 'Aj- : . -"Ax ,-. "To live in a place like this, for instance," said the beau, looking round the ; room. " Basinghall-street — faugh ! And to keepsuch a cook; and, never to have setup his chariot!. 'Sdeath, sir, you and I will .know better what to .do with the guineas !" „. „ a "I should think, jso, brother' Fred —l should think so," replied the cap'tain,^ with a touch of .sadness in his voice. "'Twas a dull life — poor old gentleman! Methinks you and I might have helped to make it gay ex." x . ■■,;<*., ._ . ■..,<. i "Curse me, if. l know how!" ejaculated Mr Fred. ' .';, " By sticking to the business — by living at horne — by doing like' young Will/" yonder," replied the elder brother. " That boy hath been a better son than you or I, brother Fred." . . : y Mr Fred looked very grave indeed. "Will hath an old head on young shoulders," said he. " Harkee, Jacob, hast any notion how the old man hath bestowed his money ?" -' - ' " No more than this glass of claret," replied the captain. They were both "' silent A footstep went by in the hall. They listened ; they looked at each other • they filled their glasses again. The same thought was uppermost in the mind of each. "The fairest thing, Fred," said the honest captain, " would, be if 'twere left to us, share and share ahke." " Share and share alike !" echoed Mr Fred, with a sounding oath. "Nay; the old man was too proud of his fortune to do that, brother Jacob. My own notion of *this matter is — Hush ! Any one listening ?" Captain Trefalden rose, glanced into the hall, closed the door, and resumed his seat. "Not a soul. WeU?'; " Well, my own notion is, that we younger sons shall have a matter of sixty or eighty thousand a piece ; while you, as the head of the family, will take the bulk." ' " -* " It may be, Fred," mused the captain, complacently. " And that bulk," continued Mr Fred, "will be some three hundred and forty thousand pounds." " I shall have to ask thee, Fred, how to spend it," said the captain, smiling. " Then thou shalt spend it like a prince. Thou shalt buy an estate in Kent, and a town-house in Soho ; thou shalt. have horses, chariots, lacqueys, liveries, wines, a pack of hounds, a box at the Italian Opera- — " " Of which I don't understand a word," interrupted the captain. " A French cook, a private chaplain, a black footboy, a suite of diamonds for thy wife, and for thyself the prettiest mistress " .''.." " Hold Fred," interposed the captain again. '•' None of the -last,' I beseech thee. My days of gallantry are over." " But, my dear brother, no man of quality " "I'm not a man of "quality," said' the other. " I'm a simple soldier, and the son of a plain City merchant." .....■■ " Well, then, no man of parts amd fortune " * " The fortune's not mine yet, Fred," said the, captain, dryly. " And as fpr my parts, why I think the less said of them the better. I'm-. no scholar, and that thou knowest as well as myself. Hark ! some one taps. Come in." The door opened, and a'bronzed upright man, with something of a military bearing, came in. He held his hat and cane in his hand, and saluted the brothers courteously. It was Sir John Pringle. "Gentlemen," he said gravely,' "I grieve to be the bearer of sad tiding^." The brothers rose in silence. Captain Trefalden changed color. "Is he — is my father dead ?" he faltered. The physician bent his 'head. "'A Captain Trefalden turned Ids face away. Frederick Trefalden took out his handkerchief, and ostentatiously wiped away a tear — which was not there. "Dr Ward is gone," said Sir John, after a brief pause! "He desired his respects and condolences. Gentlemen, J wish you a good evening." " You will take a -glass bt claret, Sir John ?" said Mr Fred, pressing forward to the table. But almost before he could say the words, the physician had waved a civil negative, and was gone. Mr Fred . shrugged his shoulders, filled the glass all the same, and emptied it. " Zounds, brother," said he, " 'tis of no use to be melancholy. Remember thou'rt now the head of the family. Let us go up-stairs and read the will." In the meantime, William Trefalden, like a methodical young man of business, had been up to his father's room to find his father's keys, and down to the counting house to fetch his father's deedbox out from the iron safe. When Mr Fred and the captain came into the room, they found Lawyer Beavington with hie spectacles on, and the box before him, <« Oeatlemen,'' lie said, with c&lgi ua«

— -X* J . ■••...-.. : : j : — So the brothers drew their chairs to the table, and sat down ; all silent ; all somewhat agitated. The man of law unlocked the dox. It; was full of papers, leases, transfers, debentures, agreements, bills i of exchange,'*' and so forth. These had all to be taken out, opened, and laid aside before the will turned up. That important document lay at the very bottom, like Hope at the bottom of Pandora's casket. " 'Tis not a long will," observed Mr Beavington, with a preparatory cough. As he unfolded it, a "slip of paper fell out. . \ '■ "' '•* A memorandum, apparently in your excellent fathers own hand," said he, glancing through it. " Hm— ha— refers to the amount of his fortune. Have you, gentlemen, framed any ideas of the extent of the property ?" " j'Twas thought my father owned half a million of money," replied MJr . Fred, eagerly. . "More than that," said the youngest son,- with a shake of the head. " You are right, sir. The memorandum rum thus : 'Upon a rough calculation, 1 oeleive I may estimate my present estate at about five hundred and twentyfive thousand a pounds. (Dated) January the first, Anno Domini seventeen hundred and sixty. Jacob Trefalden? A goodly - fortune, gentlemen — a goodly fortune!" ' The three brothers drew a deep breath of satisfaction. " Five hundred and twenty-five thousand pounds!" repeated the captain. "Prithee, Mr Beavington, proceed to the will." The laywer folded up the memorandum very •- slowly, drew the candles nearer, wiped'his spectacles, and began- — " "'ls* the .i name of God, Amen, I JACOB TREFALDEN born in the town of Redruth in the County of Cornwall ..and now a Citizen of London,.. Merchant (a Widower) being at present in good health of Body, and of sound and disposing Mind; and .Memory, for: :: which I bless God," Do this eleventh day of January one thousand seven hundred and sixty make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and form foUowing (that is to say) IMPRIMIS I DESIRE to be interred in my Family Vault by the side of my lately - deceased wife and with as little Pomp and ceremony as maybe. ITEM I give to such of my Executors hereinafter named as shall act under this my Will Five Hundred pounds Sterling each to be paid to ; or , retained by, them within si^ Calendar Months after my decease. I -* GIVE to my three sons Jacob, Frederick and William Five Thousand pounds Sterlingeach. I GIVE " " Stay ! five thou please to read that again, Mr Beavington," interrupted Captain Trefalden. '" Five Thousand ' pounds Sterling each,"' repeated the lawyer. "The arhount is quite plain. But have patience, gentlemen. . We are but at the * preliminaries. This five thousand each hath, doubtless, some special purpose. The main business is to come." "Very possibly — very .possibly, Mr Beavington," replied the captain. "I am all attention." ' '"ITEM I GIVE to my Cashier Edward Prescott Five Hundreds ; pounds Sterling. I GIVE to my other clerks One Hundred Pounds Sterling each. AND I GIVE to my Household Servants Two Hundred, pounds Sterling to be divided among them in equal shares. All which last mentioned legacies I direct shall be paid within three Calendar Months next after my decease. I GIVE to the Minister for the time being ,of . Redruth aforesaid and to the Minister for the time being of the Parish in which I shall happen to reside immediately previous to my decease " One Hundred pounds Sterling each to be paid to them within One Calendar Month after that eveiit shall happen and be by them forthwith distributed in such manner and proportion as they shall think proper among the poor Widows belonging to tbeir Parishes respectively. ITEM I do hereby direct and appoint that my - : Executors shall as soon as possible after my decease set apart out of my Property which consists entirely of Personal Estate, and is chiefly in-^ vested in the Government Stocks and" Funds pf this Kingdom, so much of my Funded property as shall be equal in value to the sum of Five Hundred Thousand pounds Sterling '" "Ha ! now for it !" exclaimed Mr Fred, breathlessly. ■ " ■* — the sum of Five Hundred Thou sand pounds Sterling,'" continued the lawyer, " ' which I give to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London for the time being and thei* successors for ever IN TRUST for the purposes hereinafter expressed and I de* sire that as to this Gift they shall be called "TREFALDEN'S TRUSTEES" and that the amount of my Funded Property so to be set apart shall immediately afterwards be transferred to them accordingly.'" The lawyer paused to clear his glasses. The brothers looked blankly in each., other's faces. "Good G;od! Mr Beavington," gasped Captain. . Trefalden, " what does this mean?" * " On my word, sir, I have no more notion than yourself," replied the lawyer. " The will is none of my making." « Who drew it up ?" asked Mr WiH» peremptorily. " Not I, sir, Your father hath gono to ; some stranger for this business. JJut perchance when we know more— —" "Enough, sir, go on," said Mr 3?ra4 md Mj will together, Tkft&wywoQAfefcd*

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