THE CASE OF THOMAS PHIPPS.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 11154, 21 December 1901, Page 10

THE CASE OF THOMAS PHIPPS.

THOMAB BAILKT ALDItICR, IS HaRFEH'S MOKTHLT

jfAOA?txe.

When Thomas Phipps had {reached what are called the yeara <if discretion,.it was. plainly apparent to the naked eye that discretion bad not arrived with the years. This wee «' of no iurprise to tfcose familiar with his chiuJhood, for an onworld- ! ly lack of common-sense had distinguished him from the cradle. At tUe age of six he began attendance at the little red brick school-house on the Hampton turnpike, where h*e grew into a longi lank youth, tranquilly accepting the impositions of hia classmates and the severities of a series of masters. The younger boys got his marbles away from him, and the elder boys assimilated the greater portion of his lunch at recess. If,lie exchanged jack-knives, he generally found himself the final possessor of the one witiz a broken blade or some other abnormal defect. He was a distressing mixture of innocence, conscientiousness, and obstinacy. There were unexpected moment* when it was impossible to do anything at - all with him. His amiability never him in these intervals; but somehow wrapped up in Ms grateness, half-infantile smile was the intimation of a will of iron. Whenever-this particular look came into Thomas. Pbipprs face, the young brigands of the red edtool-fcousfe cnkled a halt to tiheir perseciztione. ■ If he chanced, in tibe midst of that - engaging smile, to remark, "I don't think • you'd better fool with that oriole's nest in tine old elm down fey the pond," the oriole's nest eeoaiped pillage fdr tihe time being. Unlike the average country lad, be was very gentle with all gentle creatures, having a sort of esoteric kinship with birds, squirrels, and inud-tufriies. The setting forth of these traits of has chHdihood renders a later description of him unnecessary; for the boy was father to the man;

When Thomas school-days were over, his uncle, Daniel. Whipple, who had adopted him in infancy, set mm to work on the farm. The estate, which was called Westside, lay on the outskirts of Hampton, and tad foeen in the family since 1760. Deacon Whipple was a-widower, wstih two daughters somewfoat younger then Thomas, w>hose lines were considered to bave fallen in pleasant places. He would probably inherit Westeide,. and certainly marry one of the girls—Maiy, of course; Martha Jane squinted. The logical neighbourhood had long ago arranged the programme. ■ Baniel Whipple was supposed to be very wealthy, and known to be eccentric. Though not precisely an ill-natured person, he woe a man of strong antipathies, and not popular—«epeoiaOy not popular wifch Ms four cousins living in the town. The adoption of Thomas Fhipps by t&e deacon had not been'approved, at the time by the Fishleys, and as years wore on, establishing "cheer , relations between uncle and nephew, the disapproval was not modified. When young .Phippa was put into training evidently intended to fit him for the ultimate proprietorship of Westeide, the spectacle was too poinfut for tJie Fisbleys. An indirect remonstrance lighted the ready pyre of Deacon Whipple's wrath, and tine Fiehleys, so to perished in the flames. They were iprothers. • - - '."' Tfaomos. Phipp% took to " farm work piWitJh seeming relish, ond developed clevPerneas on one or two unsuspected lines. frHe showed consklrable knack. at oarpen/tering, and did a jdb of painting on, the old staples so .tihat ...tihe over-faisy local'painter was not missed. Bat" Thomas Phipps's interest in agricultural pursuits wee only seeming:. , He hated tSie business .with great rineerfulness, and hie cheerfulness deceived- his uncle. Perhaps Daniel Whipple. received the largest surprise of Ms life on ike morning v of . the day when Thorn&» Phipps . attained his majority. He walked into the'tern where *lie deacon wee. inspecting a ..very recent heifer, and said, quietly: ' ' ■' . • ''Uncle Dan'el, I don't think I like farming." - '• *• "Don't like what?" . ' ■ ,

' "Farming. I "intend-to give it, op. r "Give it up!" cried the. deacon,, kiting go his hold cm the hrafer's'leg witlh such suddenness as to caOae Btfie otranger to topple over in th* &ra,w. "Ai» crazy. Thomas? Whflt era you- deriving «tr - 1 - . ' - -.-•". "I never toeant to be a farmer. X mean to be 6 .paifiter."

The*deacon had not TiMnfromhiflaaJfkneetdßg posture. He now-stood up. I , "You wan* to be 6isYof "tbm»< long*' bakwd artist-fellows flb&b come 1 mooning about here eunwner-times?" ,/ "No," sold Thames ■ Phigps,"-. with' a laiigh—-a laugh -wiilWh in another * mail I would have rung out, but , in him was jwr-.. feebly noiseless. "I propose, „, to.vbe "V paioter on.a larger sc^e r a,hou»e-jeianter.'' .;' "You. are not in e&ritesfc-^youAfooFl ,, • ■ "In dead earnest, Uncle Dan'el." "Then you'd be&ter put a;cbW bandage on yoax headattii'-gb tombed;*" 'The conversation which ensued'? fcbat morning—"good-natured and obstinate "oh the part of the .'thundjneous, an 4 i chairged with lightning oh the pai-tof-the trade-—needs no recording. The story is told in Deacon Whipple's sentence: - - *' ,^'-™"--, t "Tfhoenoa Phipps, if tiat's , your last word, I don't ever want".to see you insute my house again." ,V>.;, , .-,-•■ "If you Lshould happen to ..want : any i outside painting—" began but' the old gentleman w«sswinging; across the ten-acre lot on hie to botlse.' - - This Tbjnoea Pfesppe geree/wp *. an ex* isfesjce of assured eaee an<l'lie&fayft-lux-ury in order 'to become merely a housepednter dependent on a precarious da£y wage. A.Thomas,- Phippe todo tfeat aittto moment fof reftching the. years of ''discretion." * "uT ♦■-'■•■■ • •-, The young man had sufficient means to ' enable mm to set up a amaJT sham; and Iμ '■ set it up In "ifo main street/ diagonally I opposite a sign bearing tfcte legend: "J. Timmins, Painter and-Caaaier. 4 Before ' decMdng on-thaa Thfemae Phippe twtd approached Mr Tnnmlns jwith an of-, fer of services and additional capital, but Mr Tinamns had declined berth, end tire result was a xttnr studio over tie way. Thomas Phipps's, extraord&j&ry move stirred endless gossip in Hampton, and touched some queer sense of humour lying > dormant in tine place. He hod always : been a favourite- m £he..towa, and,there was a readiness to take sides- with Mm against Deeoon Whipple, if.tflxe two had quarrelled , : ' Whether tiey had or not, and, if they had, on vrteaii grounds, remained unexplained. Ttfosnaa Phippe kept bis own counsel and threw no light on the questJoo. ' He arnuoged his paintpots ana brushes, and placidly waited for business. "* Presenthr - odd tpaall jobs be-snn to come in—mostly from customers in"debt to Mr Timmins. - The , pickings •trsra meagre and not profitable. About tibis time, providestiaßy, * a feverish real. estate boom, broke out. in Hampton, and hideous, little lone-storey cottages with slated, mansard-roofs, sprang up everywhere, like The two painters M town were not too many for the emergency. Mr Timmins lftd'to sink 3iis pride and ask occasional co'jakoraiion m> the hands t>f- hi* rival, who in ot&er ways came in handsomely for a share of the prosperity, though his fortunes fell bektw the level of kts opportunity. •.' /' -

Thomas Pfaipps, ac a hfoase-painter, would tare been, a great woeess. if it; had not.been for Thomas Phippa. He bad certain positive ideate touching the proper colours for a special homse or bam, and his loose, ooßsciczttioUß candonr in . atetnpiing.to impress these excellent ideas > his patrons lost bun more thta one ■ -iraijle commission. When the Hon. Jasies Boodle; Trie was - erecting * Tery pretentious mansion with a chubby tower, directed Phipj* to point tie outside' in three colours, the first sio«y ,tbe st'cond storey yellow, arid the tbird storey grar. Mr Pbipps, with cbaractsristae tact, asked tie great statesman if She. wanted hit* house "to look like a zebra.' , Mr Timmins laid'On tbe •tbreecoloure, and said never a word. Phippe never understood how that job came to slip tiroagh bis fingers. "At the start Boodle' was wild to have mc do the work, wouldn't hear of anybody else putting a brush to it, and then

tite first /thing I knew. Timmins had his ladder swung against tha north"" gable, and was paintiug away for dear life, lioodle dcesn'tf seem to know his own mind for two minutes together." Several months before Tie left Ms uncle's bed and board Thomas Phipps had fallen in lovo wit&L Postmaster' Spinney's daughter—a young' lady whose worldly possessions included; nothing more tangible than her implicit belief in the goodness and miscellaneous superiority of Thomas Phipps. The sudden change in his circumstances affected neither her faith nor her devotion. "Love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds" in the once satisfactory annual stipend of the beloved. Miss Ethel Spinney held to her promise, though Postmaster ,Spinney would have liked to shirk his, given in the days of the'suitor's prosperity, Mr Thomas Phipps, the adopted son ana presumably one of the beirs of Deacon Daniel Whipple, and Tom Bhipps, the housepainter (when he could get any houses to paint), were two distinct Individuals. The second had # obliteratdS the first; bat the first might suddenly come back and obliterate the second. The chances of this happening greatly unsettled Mr Spinney, who at last gave a reluctant consent to Ethel's marriage. The modest wedding took place in the bride's Lome, and was unattended by '_ any of t>be Westside people. Deacon 'Whipple never recognised Tihomas Phipps on the street, and" the girls only nodded to him furtively when they met. Of late they had ceased to do that.

Whether or not; young Fbipps's de- J fection interfered with any matrimonial plan of his tmole guesswork. The offence' need not have been so deep as that in order permanently to anger the deacon. In Ms dealings with mankind he was not-tolerant of even slight opposition, though it was understood tihat. the two Whipple girls could lead him with, a hair. If this were so, they evidently did not exert "their influence in making the deacon forgive his nephew. Was that through, pique or indifference? Hampton was divided ;on the question. The flush times had set Thomas Phipps on his feet, in a way. He had bought and furnished a cottage,, not much bigger than a> bird-cage, in tbe part of the town to which fashion seemed to be wending her capricious steps. But before fashion reached his door, if she ever seriously intended to reach there, the building mania spent itself. Architectural zebras ceased to propagate in Hampton. Every kind of trade slackened, and Thomas Pbipps would soon have acquired the hand of little employment had he not added carriage I and sign painting to his preferred occupation. i" As it was, domestic economy had to sail very close to the wind in Willow street, the site of the bird-cage. Airs Phipps was an ingenious little housewife, and could make a palatable stew out of almost nothing; but she coula , not make a stew out of nothing at all,. and that was the chief ingredient in prospect. She had the pluck that is hereditary in unspoiled New England country girls; but now and then she broke down when atone—never in Thomas Phipps's presence. There was always a bright face when he came home from his work or no work. One evening, however, she sounded a desponding note in spite of herself. "Tom," she said, "sometimes I think that you haven't been quite wise. You haven't looked out for. yourself as sharply es other folks do who aren't realty half so clever. . If you had stayed up at Westside, you'd have been a rich man some day." "Well," said Thomas Phipps, with an introspective air, '1 wasn't adapted to farming, I hadn't any especial call on Uncle DatfeTs property, and I didn't want to marry Mary or Martha Jane. What I wanted, principally, was to marry Ethel Spinney." "You did it, Tom.""And I'm not regretting it a minute," said Thomas phipps. ' 'Just pin that to your sunbonnet." . . . ■

■ If Thomas Phipps had spells of depression, he was never caught in the. act, at nome or abroad. Frequently he could be observed standing in the doorway of his paint-shop and smiling like a multi-millionaire on the passers in the street. If Deacon Whipple chanced to drive by in his gig, Thomas would make lum a friendly anft respectful salutation, which was not returned. Then Thomas would indulge in. one of his mute laughs. "I'm going to bow to Uncle Dan'el just as long as there's anything left- of both of us. I know I disappointed him, but I don't see why he takes ft w> hard. With his grav- < coloured sense of fun, I should think herd be amused: I hod to do what I did, or I wouldn't ever have been happy." Fortunately, the idea that he wasn't happy never once occurred to Thomas Phipps. It might have depressed him.

One' morning, about eighteen months' after his marriage, Thomas Phippe said to himself i-'i begin to,believe that true art isn't appreciated in Hampton. There's, a lack of inside and outside taste. Some things I can't and won't do. Timmins is the man for thia locality. He'd paint a building dead black if they told him to. A ekjjr-blue heaise with pink dots would just suit him- Perhaps tbere'd.be a chance for. mc in a city like Portland or J\xrtsmouth,.if I oouH onoe find a footing." .. ; The situation had become embarrassing. He was too poor to remain in Hampton, and too poor-to;gefc away. > This was possible: Ethel might visit her mother for a week or ten days while he was prospecting elsewhere. Pnipps involuntarily made awry face as the thing suggested itself to tan. "I've never, been separated from Ethel," he reflected, forgetting that he had been separated from her about nineteen years the day he married her. -Thomas Phipps had , just taken down the shutters of the single window that lighted t hia shop, <andwaa now sitting on' an empty near ths open door, facing the street.,. HaLmood was one of unwonted ; abstraction, for"" reverie was not m his line. Suddenly a chaise drew up at tine curbstone, a man descended from the vehicle and mounted the three wooden steps leading from the eidewaOc up .to. the narrow platform in front of the building. Phipps lifted his head and I nodded pleasantly, wondering what brought Lawyer Dunn to the chop. Aβ the gentleman was a bachelor, and boarded with the Odells, it wasn't a job of painting. "Mr-vPJiipps," said Mr Dunn,- speaking huariediy, "Deacon Whipple has just 1 been found dead in bis carriage. , ' ' "Why—why,- it wasn't half an hour ago I saw 'him drive past!" "What has J ■happened must have happened as be /reached the gate of his own house, or very shortly before. The Ifaorse was discovered standing quietly beside the JiitcMng-poet." ■ ' ' ' "Isn't there a mistake? Are you sure it isn't & faint or something he'll come out of?" "Quite sure. It was a heart-stroke. Hβ is dead." Thomas. P&ipps leaned against the doorjamb and remained silent. Mr Dunn turned to go, then lingered a moment, hesitating, and said: "Perhaps I ought to inform you that, the will is to be examined this afternoon. ,, "This afternoon! Isn't that ratiher quick?" "It is-rather unusual. Mr- Whipple had some unconventional notions, and this is one which we are constrained to respect. About a year ago he . gave mc written as well as oral commands to have the will opened immediately upon his demise—within three or four hours afterward, if practicable, and in any event it was to done'previous to the interment. You will naturally desire to be present. I shall send word to the Fishleys." . "Well, I don't know, , ' replied Thomas Phipps, slowly. "I don't muoh care to go up to tfce house yet awhile. l< guess I'll wait for the funeral, unless I can be of any help. Perhaps they'll send for mc." "Of course your attendance at the reading is not obligatory or any way necessary." "I expect not. But I'd half like to see tfoe disappointment of the Fisbleys. , ' "That is at your option." As Mr Dunn" stepped into the chaise, Thomas Phipps began to put up bis shutter^ "I guess Til let the Fishleys enjoy it by themselves. ,. That afternoon the -will was read to a silent- group assembled in tie halfdarkened sitting-room at Westside, and an hour later, erory detail of the document was known to the 1 town of .Hampton. Nobody bad suspected how rich he was— not even tJio tax-assessors. There were several, public bequests, which excited only passing comment: as a matter of course, Deacon Whipple would remember the Baptist Ohuroh and the Infirmary.

But the seventh clause of the c&ill caused 1 a sensation. In clause TIL <a sum of 4000dols. was bequeathed to e£ah of the Fishlers, aud the sum of lOOOdols. to Thomas Phipps. The astonishing feature was the condition attachedNo , these legacies—Le., .fcbat none of tie five named legatees should attend .the. testator's funeral services, either at tibe- house, the church, or tie cemetery. In* case lias condition was not' complied ' with by one or several of the above-named legatees, the executors, of the "will werei empower-, ed to carry oat-the sealed instructions left' in the hands of tfce testator's lawyer, Silas Dunn. • r In view of so remarkable a provision the correlative- circumstances ol Deacon Whipple's <teath was almost, lost sight of. On the post-office -steps, at the street corner, by the fireside, and ."ill Warners drug store —a centre of incandescent gossip—nothing was spoken of but t2» odd combination of generosity and malice embodtied in that seventh clause.

! "It's the first time I e\fer heard of folks being hired to stay away from a funeral," observed Mr Millet, the sexton of St. John's. . He felt that a slight bad. .been cast upon him- professionally. "I wish somebodVd tire mc to stay away from mine," put in the local humorist. ) "If you could, I don't know *ny- man in town who would hire you," replied t&e branch-telegraph operator.

"Mebby some creditor," ' suggested a voice on the edge of the orowd. Postmaster Spinney ventured to ' ex* press the opinion that the parties interested in section VII. wouldn't be likely to flock to the obsequies. "I should smile," said the Hon. James Boodle.

'•It's a windfall for Tom Phipps," remarked Selectman Devons; "not much of a one, considering; but a windfall's a windfall." ' •

A slight thrill.ran through the township of Hampton wthen it was reported that Thomas Pbipps had no intention whatever of conforming to his late uncle's wishes in the matter. The report was instantly credited. It was so like Tom Bbipps to kick over his own pail of milk. .It had been his chief occupation ever since he was five years old, and dazzling success had crowned his efforts. After blighting all his prospects by quitting Westeide, no act of short-sightedness on hie part was likely to amaze Hampton. Of course be would go to that funeral, with his eyes wide open, and lose what little the old gentleman had designed to leave him. If the world had been populated exclusively by human beings like Tom Phipps, *he whole concern would have been wound up long before, the Deluge. Somebody ought to get hold of the idiot, and .sit on his headfor an hour or two while they were burying the Beacon.

"Such stupidity," declared Mr Manners, the, preceptor of the Boys' High School, "could not* have "been acquired; it must have existed in Mr Phipps anterior to his,birth." "It seems to mc"" said Parson Hackett, "that at times he has the air of acting quite independently of his own volition, impelled, as it were, by some unexplained outside influence. I think myself it -was foreordained that he should attend the deacon's ~ funeral. It's not a question of free will with him."

Phipps had said nothing to Ethel on.the subject, and she bad nob questioned, Ihim. The rumour came to her from outside; but she believed it, and knew herself to be powerless. If he had made up his mind, it was no use talking. Ethel watched him nervously. Either because he scorned so small a legacy, or because he couldn't resist' the temptation to do an unwise thing, Tom was going to that funeral. - They were so poor! "

Deacon Whipple had died on. a Monday, and the services were appointed for Wednesday. On that morning Thomas Fhipps dressed himself in bis Sunday suit, and carefully knotted a black silk necktie,- an article which had not hitherto figured as'an item in his limited wardrobe. By what piece of Jay-Gouldish financiering this neck-tie and a pair of sombre gloves were;-aocotnulated remains a buried secret. On the day of his marriage he had not arrayed himself with more pains. . ..

Ethel sat on the side of the bed, mutely watching every movement. When -his toilet wa| completed, and he turned towards the "door, she slowly rose to her feet. . , : . ■'■ - ■ .- I f=--

"Tom, do you really mean to^to——•**' "I mast EtheL If lam built lop-sided/ I must go as I'm built—crooked. •. I've thought the whole 'miserable badness over till my head aches, and I, don't see any two ways'of acting. . Uncle Dan'el had his faults; at times lie was a bard man; But he was good to mc when I was a boy, and nob ten thousand dollars, - let.- alone ten hundred, could., keep ma from going to his funeral. Uncle, tteui'el didn't mean I should Have a* cent:' Hβ knew.me. down to the ground, and he knew I wasn't'going to swallow any such jbilter,pill as he'd put up- for mc. Self-respect comes high, but I've got to have it. It's about the only thing that's worth what, it costs— that and first-class linseed oil."

' "You're not like other people, Tom, and perhaps that's yfhj I love you. , You seem to do. the foolishest.thdngs, but somehow there's always a "land of right at the bottom of the foolishness, even when- it doesn't turn out well.- * At first I thought differently from you about this matter, but now I haven't a word,to,eay. , I, don't care for that money if you don't. • I just want you -to be)yotjraelf," and as Ethel stood on tiptoe to strengthen the black neck-tie there was only a suspicion of moisture in her eyes, and-nothing of reproach

She did-not accompany Phipps to Westside, waitihg for him. at the street door when he. returned home shortly alter noontime.

"Were the Kshleys there?" was Ethel's firstqueetron. '•'- i • • -■ " ' "They weren't there in great nranbers," replied her husband, smiling; "■but all .the rest of the .population was on .hand. I never'saw such a crowd; it stretched out to the front gate. c l'm glad I went." "Did anybody ■ say anything to yon, Tomr

"Parson Hackett Shook bands with mc, and Mr Devon* said he expected' I'd turn up. Everybody turned up, even Li Fang: You know the. old man helped him to etart his 'laundry. . It -was funny to . see the heathen Chinee standing round outside, dressed to kill, like an.idol in a waxwork show. Li Fang looktd kind of sad. They said he wanted to let off some fire-crackers as the coffin was brought out.. He was blowing on. a piece of lighted punk when they stopped him." ■ •Toor Li Fang 1 Perhaps he was the only sincere mourner in the whole lot, leaving out Mary and Martha Jane, of course." Nothing short of the fullest particulars would satisfy Ethel, and these Thomas Phipps gave her, suppressing the fact that, his presence -at the ceremonies had overehadowed the principal actor on tiie scene. The general interest had riveted itself on the droll spectacle of Thomas Phipps forfeiting his legacy. *Tb© young man's incomprehensible conduct was viewed in only one light. As he entered -the room and quietly seated . himself, ~his. father-in-law leaned over and whispered to a neighbour: "Though thou shouWest bray a fool "in a mortar among wheat .with a'pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him. , " That evening after supper Thomas' Phipps broached his plan of going to Portland, or some other wider field, in* search of an opening. He would, of course, be obliged to make the venture alone, Ethel to join him immediately in case of his success. Meanwhile, Mrs Spinney would not object to having her daughter back again for a week. Ethel at once assented to the arrangement: The project admitted'of no delay. "I'll put on my things aow, and run over and tell mother/ 1 said Ethel. "111. go along with you. If they shouldn't happen to be pleased with tike idea *'.

"Oh, but they'll be pleased!" 'Til go along;-anyway. I'd like to try to make your father understand how 1 feel about Uncle Dan'el I doubt if I can."

He failed in that; neither of the Spinnejs coaid understand it; but the sition to hare Ethel stay them during Phippsfs absence met their views. Though the young man wore a propitiatory smile, there vas something about the thin compressed lips that prevented the Spinners from fulfy expressing-'then-minds on the burning subject of tae will.They consoled themselves with the thought that no such diplomacy ~ would be needed in tie case of poor Ethel later on. T&ey would leave her is no doubt as to their.

opinion of the imbecile she hsA got upon h«r hands. It would be a blessing if he were to take himself off for good. There was no longer any chance of bis ever being anything but* just Tom. Pbipps, ,the painter. Even if be hadn't ..followed the old deacon's coflin to the cemetery, it -wouldn't have sreatly mended the.matter. What did ten hundred dollars ■ amount to, when it inigiht. have been as many thousands?

The next day Phipps began, preparing for his departure. Late, in the afternoon, as he was setting the shop to' rights, Mr Dunn' drove up to the door, and alighted.

"I hope nobody else is dead, ,, was Thomas Pbipps's swift reflection. He dusted off the seat of tie only chair on the premises, and offered it to Mr Dunn, who did not speak for a few seconds. Then he said:

'•Mr Phipps, in disregarding your late uncle's injunction you, debarred' yourself from receiving the liegacy left to" you conditionally in the seventh' clause of his

"I understand that f? bs about the size of it. I've been told so forty or fifty times since yesterday." "Yon are not_j*lone concerned. Your surprising procedure,"if you will allow mc so to characterise it, -has resulted in' rendering null and void that whole clause in the testament."

"No J I don'fc see how any act of mine could upset the bequeste to tie Fishleya. They didnt go to the funeral. Every one of 'em stuck to orders likjs a little man. ,, "They complied wifch the conditions of the testament," said the lawyer, with a touch of asperity in -his voice. "That's what I'm saying. They sat right up and took their medicine. , ' "That's the point. It was through no fault of theirs that,they got debarred." "It was my fault, then? I suppose it's wicked of' mc, Mr Dunn, but I'm glad if the Fishleys aren't going to get the money. They don't deserve it, and don't especially need it. ,? "Fortunately, they, do not need it." . "They'll.put up a fight all the same." "I should not like to hold a brief for them. But this is a side issue of ue interest." ■ ' , .

"It's all as interesting a« it can be." "You were not at the reading of the will last Monday afternoon, and are perhaps unaware that in the seventh clause mention was made of supplementary instructions, consigned to., my, charge, for the executors to act upon in the not probable contingency of.one. or more of the beneficiaries named, failing to , respect the testator's wishes on a certain podnt."

"I knew of that." . . , "Well/ Mr Phipps, , the astonishing step you took made the immediate examination of that paper imperative. It cancels the whole of section VII., and directs the executors to pay over the , various sums therein specified to such person or persons (of the five legatees named) as should be present at the testator's funeral in spite of his prohibition—the aggregate sum to be divided shore and share- alike in case there should be two or more each persons. It is hardly necessary for ,mc to say, Mr Phipps, that the sum of seventeen thousand dollars falls to; you." The young man leaned' back on the tur-pentine-barrel, upon the' head ..of which he thad seated himself, and broke into one of those peculiar laughs of his—a laugh that could be seen but not heard.

"I always thought there wae a heap ,, of concealed) fun in Uncle Dan'el," said /Thomas Phapps..