‘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
<confere
bill. W
ling on
into th
ment i
the or
army (
are hal
The
od dis
fixed t
; while |
40. It
confere
raising
years,
a pros
Ap
which
termine
authori
the Rc
of volt
* Was
Lansi
miss
perso:
partm
leadin
tratio:
staten
depar
the c
tion
the s
eign
furthe
one f
intent
' Six
Ste
count;
bars |
ond ¢
dor a
ing 1
and
er pr
selves
V
Tol
court
ers a
woma
chair.
JHsthe
attorr
ond
trial
with
lustra
the v
ment
allow: