‘THE MEYERSDALE COMMERCIAL, MEYERSDALE, PA. The Bassett 2 Will oF By ALICE E. IVES (Copyright, 1917, by W. G. Chapman.) The will had been read, and the dis- appointed nephew and niece, who had received much smaller legacies than they expected, rose to take their de- parture, each trying to assume a de- cent air of friendliness to Richard and Esther Stone, the more fortunate heirs, but inwardly raging at the in- justice of Uncle Charles, the testator. Charles Bassett had not been pos- sessed of a large fortune to leave. The home where he died had for sev- eral years been occupied by his niece Esther, and her husband Richard Stone, his board being considered an equivalent for rent. Richard earned a small salary as a bookkeeper, and they had not been able to save much. He was steady and reliable, but with the small confidence in himself, and the lack of initiative which keeps a man traveling in a rut to the end of his days. He, as well as Esther had had high hopes once of getting on in the world, but they were now both over forty, and their financial progress was scarcely perceptible. They had set- tled down to the conviction that any greater degree of prosperity was not for them, their very attitude of mind helping to keep them there. But if they were ignorant of this, they were to be pitied rather than blamed; such a large share of humanity are in the same boat. They had made a comfortable home for Uncle Charles Bassett, and .had cared for him in his last illness, and certainly had some right to hope he might leave them the house. It was a two-story brick building, in good re: pair, and with pretty grounds in one of the best neighborhoods of the small, western town. The will gave them this house and all furniture that had belonged to Charles Bassett, the residue, after fu- neral expenses, to be divided equally between the other two heirs. This amounted to only about fifteen hun- dred dollars apiece, and was deposited in a city bank. All the heirs were surprised that so small an amount had comprised the old man’s fortune. The lawyer who had drawn up the will some five years before, when Mz. AE had first gone to live with the Stones, also wondered, because he inferred the old gentleman had considerably more; still it was known that he told nobody about his affairs, and was considered eccentric. But: what was still stranger was the Was Just About to Hold a Paper to the Flame. lawyer's statement that he had always understood a later will had been made, having been drawn up by another at- torney who was shortly after killed in a railway accident. The probating of the will had been delayed some time in the effort to find the later one, but as all search proved fruitless, it was thought Bassett had destroyed the missing document, and wished the oth- er to stand. Melvin Bassett, the nephew, was for contesting the will, but Jennie Marvin, _ the cousin, opposed it. “That property wouldn't fetch: five thousand, if it had to be sold,” she reasoned. “And the most of that would go to the lawyers, so we wouldn’t be much better off, after all.” Bassett saw the logic of this state- ment, though neither of them were pos- sessed of much, they being poorer if anything than the Stores, and the mon- ey looked large to them. Esther Stone wondered also about this other will. She had not had any knowledge of it, and she knew her husband had not. She had never in her life had cause to doubt the hon- esty of Richard. His fine integrity had been the rock upon which her re- spect for him was built. If that should ever fall? “No,” she said to herself, “that would be impossible. Richard could never do a dishonorable thing.” Then she thought of the saying that there is some point of temptation at which every human soul will yield. x 1e said to herself. “Not He would not yield.” Now that they were alone in the ’ house, which had more room than they | needed, Esther conceived the idea of | adding to their income by taking some boarders. She began to overhaul, and renovate the bedrooms. In the room where the old man had died was an old-fashioned secretary, a desk and bookcase combined. It had been thor- oughly ransacked in the search for the missing will, and Esther with a touch of tenderness began removing the con- tents of the drawers and pigeon holes. She found nothing she had not seen before. Last of all she took off the sheet of soiled blotting paper fastened with thumb tacks to the writing desk. At one side, as though shoved in hastily, she saw a folded paper. She opened it. It was the missing will. In it the house and lot, and all money in bank were to be divided equally between the three heirs. A codicil disposed of some small articles: of personal property which she scarcely noticed, so stunned was she with the benumbing blow of the discovery. The pleasant home she had learned to think of as her own, the plans she had laid for adding to their income with boarders all sudden- ly melted into nothing. It was too horrible to consider with -reason and calmness. She had only removed two of the tacks, and putting the will back, she replaced them. She felt she must have time to gather her wits, to be able to think. Then came. the tempter. Why should she give up that which was really hers? Had she not taken care of this old man as though he were her own, never leaving undone anything she could do for his comfort. Had she not at the last spent days and sleepless nights ministering to him? Yes, clearly it was hers. He had seemed to grow more and more to re- gard Richard and her as his children, and she had come to love the old man almost as a father. But why had he made this will? She remembered now that before he had lapsed into unconsciousness, when she had thought him delirious, he had sev- eral times asked her to take up the tacks, and she had thought he had meant the carpet as he had intended to have a new one. Perhaps he want- ed fo destroy the will. Then she would only be carrying out his wish if she did. She heard her husband coming in, and rose hastily, leaving the room. She did not mean to tell him just then. If she decided to destroy the will, he must never know. She was sure he would never consent to such a thing. But the most unthinkable of all was the idea that he should know she had even thought of doing such an act. His condemnation would be the un- bearable thing. That evening,she went to a commit tee meeting.. She could not spend the time alone with him till she had decid- ed what to do. She came in quietly, thinking he may have gone te bed, but he was not there. She saw a light upstairs. Some- thing prompted her to go to the old man’s room. The door was ajar. She looked in. Richard sat at the desk, he had lighted a candle, and was just about to hold a paper to the flame. She rushed into the room, and he quickly thrust the paper into his pocket. “Richard!” she cried. “Give me that paper! Give it to me!” “What paper?’ he asked, trying to put her off. “The one you were about to burn! You have no right, unless I see it!” « He looked at her, his face dropped, he sat an instant, not speaking, then he handed her the will. “God!” he cried. “You came just in time to save me! Suppose I had done it—what an awful thing to carry with you through life!” “Yes,” she answered. awful thing!” There was to her now no waiting to decide. “We will go together tomorrow, and hand it to the lawyer,” she said. In the codicil among some little keep- sakes was a small box in a safe de- posit drawer, the contents of which were willed to Esther. “Some old jewelry, perhaps,” she said to the other heirs at the second reading of the will. The contents of the little box turned out to be seven thousand dollars in good bonds. “What an Lived in Cellars Two Years. Between 7,000 and 8,000 of the in- habitarts of Lens, which is in the oc- cupied territory of France, remained there and lived in their cellars for more than two years, says Elie Reu- maux, manager of the coal mines there, who recently arrived in Paris. The former population of Lens was 40,000. All the cellars in the town, M. Reumaux says, have been armored with «ce- ment by the Germans, so that they con- stitute so many little fortresses. The entire civilian population is obliged to work at road mending and railroad building, according to M. Reumaux. The coal mines of Lens, which are among the most important of the re- gion of the Pas de Calais and produced 20,000,000 tons a year before the war, have been idle since the invasion and have suffered immense damage, says M. Reumaux. Corn Belt Pushed Northward. Securing a gain of a week or ten days in the ripening of corn means a great gain for farmers located near the northern limit of the corn-growing districts of this country. A new va- riety of corn which has been bred for early maturity by the Wisconsin ex- periment station is thought to be about ten days earlier in maturing than any other strain of corn that has been pro- duced by this state—Farm and Fire- -will announce. side, ARMY DRAFT LA\ NOW . ERECT tions for the Guidance of Officials Concerned. GOVERNORS TO HAVE CHARGE Chief Executive of Each State Made Head of Registration Therein— Mayors and Selected Boards Given Authority in Cities ~ “of More Than 30,000. Washington.—Instructions Ing the methods of carrying | the mandates of the army ( The president is authorized to ¢ call upofl all public officers to as- sist in the execution of the law. The plan is, however, to rely on the people for the proper execu- ‘tion of the law. It is expected ¥ that patriotic citizens willl offer & their services free as registrars. Such services will be greatfully acknowledged. Volunteers for this service should communicate immediately with the proper offi- 4 & There was a time in’ the country’s hi-story when military enumerators, becked by bayonets, went out among the people to take a compulsory serv- ice census. Today, under the principle .of universal liability to service, the ex- ecution of the law is put Info the hands of the people. 4 The approval of the new national army bill and the president's proclama- tion thereunder have been coincident. All persons within the age limits pre- scribed are required to preser selves for registration at the cust voting places in the voting presets homes, on a day which the p The governor of each state chief of registration therein. chinery of registration in each is in charge of thi sheriff, he' et clerk, and the con Ing ex officio, en shall be announced by the g cities containing population than 30,000, the registration wi ‘be’ ander the control of the mayor and se- lected boards of registration. that the - disignated county and city officials, and the people generally, can get a clear understanding of the cen- sus methods the following brief out- line is given: The sheriffs, or other designated offi- vials, immediately upon receiving no- tice from the governor, shall appoint registrars for each voting precinct. Apportionment of Registrars. The proportion of registrars shall he one for each 170 persons to be regis- tered. Each age to be registered will vomprise about 1 per cent of the popu lation. If, for instance, all men betwéen nineteen and twenty-five years of age, inclusive, are to be registered, the reg- istrar would have to enroll about 7 per cent of the precinct population. It is desirable to accept the services of competent volunteer registrars to serve without compensation. All reg- Istrars must be sworn. The voting place in each precinct must be prepared for registration. Full printed instructions covering every de- tail of registration will be in the hands of sheriffs and mayors on the fifth day after the president's proclamation. Cities of Over 30,000 Population. The mayor of a city containing more than 30.000 inhabitants, or the officials designated by the governor therein, shall, with approval- of the governor, appoint for each ward or convenient minor subdivision containing about 30, 000 people one registration board, and shall designate one officer of each board to perform duties similar to those imposed on the sheriff, as here- tofore outlined. If the mayor desires. he may appoint a central board to eo- ordinate the work of minor boards. Duties . of County Clerks, and sof Clerks of Cities of Over 30,000 People. On the fifth day after the president has issued his proclamation, clerks of counties and cities of over 30,000 must secure a supply of blanks and copies of the registration regulations from the sheriff or from the mayor. Absen- tees and the sick will apply to such clerks to have their registration cards filled out. In no case shall such per- sons be given registration certificates. They are to be instructed by the clerk that the burden is on them to see to it that the cards reach the registrars of In order their home precincts by registration day. Absentees and the Sick. counties may be registered by mail. If so absent, & man should go to the clerk of the county where he may be staying, on the sixth day after the date of the president’s proclamation. If he isin a city of over 30,000 population, the city clerk is the official to whont’ to apply. The absentee will be told how to reg- ister, but he must mail his ecard in time to reach his precinct by registra- tion day. : Persons too sick to present them- selves for registration must send a competent person to the county or city clerk on the sixth day after the is- suing of the proclamation. The clerk will give instructions for registration. Colleges, Universities, Homes and Oth- er Institutions. Officials of educational, charitable | and other institutions should apply for instructions to the county or city clerk on the sixth day after the date of the proclamation for instructions as to a convenient method of registration. The wardens of jails, penitentiaries, and reformatories should apply to the county or city clerk for instructions on the sixth day. ident’s proclamation complete regula- tions will be in the hands of all sheriffs and of the officials of cities of over 30,000 population. BANKS ASKED TO CO-OPERATE Secretary Authorizes Financial Insti tutions to Receive Subscriptions for the Bond Offerings. Washington.—Secretary McAdoo tele- graphed the entire list of 27,5613 nation- al and state banks and trust companies in the United States, authorizing them to receive subscriptions for the $2,000, 000,000 bond offering, enlisting their co-operation, and requesting them to telegraph a rough estimate of the amount of bonds each would take for itself and its patrons. “You can render an invaluable serv- ice to your country,” Mr. McAdoo told the banks, “by receiving subscriptions and co-operating with the federal re- serve bank in your district.” Loan Subscriptions Pour In. To all ciearing house associations in the country Mr. McAdoo sent a tele- gram in which he said: “The amount of the initial loan has been determined by the needs of the government and not arbitrarily. The enthusiastic: and patriotic ¢o-operation of the banks and bankers of the coun- try will guarantee the success of the undertaking.” ol the loan has been a deluge of sub Bo of thesescame in by wire to the resented. Lend $100,000,000 to Italy. Negotiations . continued today with ‘representatives of the nations to which the United States is extending credit. Count di Cellere, the Italian ambassador,’ received the full amount of the first $100,000,000 loan made by this government to Italy. Subscriptions to the second offering of treasury certificates were received during the day by the federal reserve banks. Indications are that the secre tary will call for the proceeds within a week, possibly a few days. The $100,000,000 loan to France will be turned over to Ambassador Jusser- and, in whole or part, within a day or SO. MAY CENTER IN WASHINGTON Probability That One Committee Will Purchase All Supplies Needed by the Allied Countries. Washington.—Creation of a central purchasing committee in Washington for all supplies bought in the United States for the allied governments was forecast here by Sir Hardman Lever, financial expert of the British war mission, The committee will supplant J. Py, Morgan & Co. Discussing the world financial situa- tion, the British expert expressed the opinion that Germany will be practical- ly bankrupt in the credit markets after the war. “Our enemies,” he said, “for all their boasted efficiency, have never had the courage to face their financial prob- lems, with the result that when the war is over they will be hard put to it.” The Teutonic governments having pyramided one internal loan upon an- other, he explained, their interest charges would be so great that he be- lieved they would either have to repu- diate a large part of their debt or face inability to buy the enormous quanti- ties of material they would need for reconstruction. : The allies, he added, had paid their way in the war “by the straightfor- ward and natural means, by pouring out their gold, by selling enormous masses of American securities, by rais- ing loans.” As a result, he predicted that the end of the war would find the allies in good shape financially, despite their enormous permanent debts. a DENIED TITLE TO SHIPPING Measure Asked For by Administration Blocked in the House, Un- der the Rules. Washington, — The administration bill to give title to seizure of German war-bound ships was blocked again in the house. Mr. Mann objected. Seventy-one German and Austrian merchant ships seized by the govern- ment will be repaired and ready for commission within five months unless ~~ concealed damage is discovered. They will add 535,722 tons to America’s mer- chant marine. Some can be made ready in four months for transports if wanted. Honolulu.—Negotiations have been closed between the Matson Navigation company &nd the federal! shipping board, it is reported here, to tow the | interned German vessels in the Ha- wailan islands ports toc the Pacific coast for repairs, after which it was said the ships would be used for war purposes. Persons' absent from their home I'ive days after the date of the pres- : The result of the first announcement : lons saggreguting. many millions. | treasury. Virtually every large city and every state in the Union was rep- FROM NEAR AND FAR The largest settlement in Greenland has a population under 800. Of recent invention is a household water heater that can l,e made to utilize garbage for fuel. A tree has been disco ered in Mada- gascar that produces coffee which is said to be free from caffein. The hills +f Palestine are rich in iron and th: mines are still worked there, though in a very simple, crude manner. A high school agricultural experi- ment and information bureau, believed to be the first ever planned in the United States, will be in operation next spring and summer in Spokane, Wash. Great fog-penetrating power fis claimed for a new French incandescent light with greenish-yellow glass in front and backed by a reflector that reflects enough heat to prevent moist- ure collecting on the glass. For persons who are absent when telephone calls are received, a Michi- gan man has invented a device that enables the unanswered caller to re- cord his own number so that he can be reached when the absent man returns. Masters of the. chess board, like Frank James Marshall and Dr, Eman- uel Lasker, have done wonderful things. In Berlin some years ago, O. S. Bernstein carried on 75 games simul- taneously with all the boards in sight. Pillsbury has carried on as many as 58 simultaneous games with the boards in sight. Efforts to raise a fund for the pur- chase and preservation of the home of John Greenleaf Whittier in Amesbury, Mass., are being made by the Whit- tier Home ‘association. The house contains many manuscripts and other mementoes of the poet. His grand- nephew, Greenleaf Whittier Pickard, {s the present owner. SUITABLE TASTES "The invalid asked for weak-fish, The judge of good ale, for bass. The miser for gold-fish. The astronomer for sun-fish, Se. The athlete for mussels. Fhe ola maid d tor catfish Th The obstinate man for Dullhe Eg The cited for starfish. The flabby woman for Jelly-fish, The “White Lights” man for lob- ster, oe The captain of varsity crew for roe. The shoemaker for soles, The soldier for ‘sword-fish. The sinner for devil-fish. The green-goods man for suckers. The country traveler for pike, The grouch for crabs. The close-mouthed woman for clams. The dishonest dealer for shark, The aeronaut for flying-fish. The embroidery merchant for scal- lops. The bird fancier for perch.—The Pisciculturist. "CLLR RMLLLAGLRRLRARRRRRRRRSY FLASHLIGHTS If the other fellow is getting more fun out of his little than you are out of your much more he’s richer than you are, regard- less of what the bank statements show. It’s pretty hard to talk a child out of doing the things that you insist on doing yourself. JForethought is the best acci- dent insurance. Everybody is willing to be the friend of the man who doesn’t really need one. AGLARLLL ALARM LLRL LARTER RRR RRRRRRRNS fa Reet ARAN ERR RCRA RRR RRRRRRR RRR. CALL RLA LLL RAR ARERRRRRRRRS NEW THINGS UNDER SUN In the back of a new stove polish- ing brush is a reservoir for polish. A patent has been granted for stick candy having a core made of peanut butter. Cushions filled with dried coffee grounds protect needles and pins from rusting. Hamburg has a restaurant that is housed in a building made of com- pressed paper. A Kansas City woman is the pat: entee of a rocking chair in the arms and seat of which are boxes to hold j sewing materials, BROKEN DOWN _ IN HEALTH Woman Tells Tells How $5 Worth of Pinkham’s Compound ; Made Her Well. : —“] was all broken down lady friends came to see me and she ad- vised me to com- mence taking Lydia E. Pinkham’s Veg- etable Compound after three doctors said I never would stand up straight again. I was a mid- wife for seven years and I recommended the Vegetable Compound to every wWo- man to teke before birth and after- wards, and they all got along so nicely that it surely isa nd to suffering womén. If women wish to write to me I will be delighted to answer them.’” —Mrs. JENNIE MOYER, 842 E. North St., Lima, Ohio. Women who suffer from displace- ments, weakness, irregularities, ner- vousness, backache, or bearing-down pains, need the tonic properties of the Pinkham’s Vegetable Compoun GOLD! GOLD! GOLD! Mohave Connty, the richest gold district in Ari- gona. The County of mines. Send for free map, cuts and literature. Not a stock but a mining proposition, with mill and 1,000 feet of work. Ground floor proposition — Be one of them Stock selling at 15 cents per share. Write to- day for full particulars. ARIZONA-EASTERN MINING CO., P. O. Box 1389, Phoenix, Arizona NOTABLES ON PRISON LIST Caesar, Richard Wagner, Bryan, Cleve- land and Washington Appear on Registry at Leavenworth. under which he later ruled Rome while serving a prison sentence at Leaven- worth? Did the famous prize fighters, John L. Sullivan and Jack Johnson, prepare for the battles which won them the ehampionship of the world while sojourning within these walls? Did Richard Wagner, the celebriited musi-~ cian and composer of “Parsifal,” and institution, but rather on the prison- ers’ record of those who have been confined here, says a writer in the New Era, published at the Federal peniten- tiary at Leavenworth. Among the names appear many former presidents, orators, generals and musicians of note, besides that of the Roman em- peror. Whether these names repre- sent merely that many aliases of per~ sons desirous of keeping their real identity secret, or whether the name- sakes of these famous men told. the truth when first registered inte the in- stitutional records, is not known, but the following. entries of. ‘notable names are recorded here: Julius Caesar, George Washington, Grover Cleveland, Robert Lee, John Adaras, John Hay, Carter Harrison, William Jennings Bryan, John L. Sulliven, Jack Johnson and Stonewall Jackson. No Danger. “] have a mind of my own.” “Don’t worry about anybody laying: claim to it.” - Duration of Affection. “Did she love him long?” “Well, until he was short.””—Balti- more American. Economy! Flavor! Nutrition! Grape-Nuts FOOD gle) ELEN Lunch i Supper in Lima from a displacement.Oneof my gy roots and herbs contained in Lydia E. Did Julius Ceasar conceive the plan * other great operas, find the inspira- | tions for his masterpieces in Uncle Sam’s largest prison? : bear oe BR register of. this Richard Wagner, : DIF Senati Alsc Qu 21 to: U-Boat Gover duc W ‘Wash of the : into th ‘which an Ame to acce comrad 1s the | in the