Herbert Carters Legacy | Page 7

believed that his companion had
as valuable business qualifications as he claimed. How was he to know
that the pretentious Cornelius was only a salesman, at twelve dollars a
week, in a dry-goods store on Eighth Avenue?
By this time they had reached the rather dingy-looking house of their
deceased relative. The front door was open. They passed through the
gate, and, entering, took their places with the mourners.

CHAPTER IV

READING THE WILL
Apparently the deceased had but few relatives. But six persons were in
a small room appropriated to the mourners when our hero and his new
acquaintance entered. One of these, and far the most imposing in
appearance, was a stout lady, who quite filled up the only armchair in
the room. In a plain chair close by was a meek little man, three inches
shorter, and probably not more than half her weight. A boy and girl, the
children of the ill-matched pair, the former resembling the father, the
latter the mother, were ranged alongside. Permit me to introduce Mr.
and Mrs. Josiah Pinkerton, of Castleton, an adjoining town. Master
Albert and Miss Nancy Pinkerton.
Mrs. Pinkerton is a milliner, and her husband is her clerk and errand
boy. She has considerable business capacity, and makes enough to
support the family comfortably, besides adding something annually to
the fund in the savings bank. The relationship to the deceased is on the
side of the husband, who is a cousin. This relationship has given rise to
great expectations on the part of Mrs. Pinkerton, who fully expects to
inherit half the estate of Mr. Carter.
"If we get it, Josiah," she has promised magnificently, "I'll buy you a
new suit of clothes."
"But, Maria," expostulated the meek husband, "it will be left to me, not
to you."
"Why so?" demanded she, frowning.
"Because he is my cousin, not yours."
"You indeed!" retorted the wife, angrily; "and what do you know about
the use of money? Who supports the family, I should like to know?"
"I help," answered Josiah, meekly.
"And precious little you help," returned his wife, sarcastically. "So far
as you are concerned, we should all be in the poor house long before

this. No, Josiah, the money must come into my hands. I'll give you a
good allowance, and hire an errand boy so that you needn't have to
carry round bundles. You ought to be contented with that."
As no legacy had yet been received, Mr. Pinkerton thought it best not
to continue the discussion. Indeed, he was rather afraid of his imperious
wife, who held the reins of authority, and whom he did not dare to
dispute.
The two other relations were, first, a brown-faced and brown-handed
farmer, Alonzo Granger, and an old lady, of seventy or thereabouts--
Miss Nancy Carter, a sister of the deceased. For years she had lived on
a small pension from her brother, increased somewhat by knitting
stockings for the neighbors. She, indeed, was the only real mourner.
The rest were speculating about how far they were likely to be
benefited by the death of the deceased, of whom they had seen but little
in life. Even Herbert, though impressed by the presence of death, could
hardly be expected to feel deep grief for a man who had neglected his
mother in his life.
Of the funeral rites it is unnecessary to speak. We are interested in what
came afterwards.
The relations were quietly notified to meet at five o'clock in the office
of Mr. Spencer, the lawyer, to whom had been intrusted the will of the
late Mr. Carter. Those who have even a slight knowledge of human
nature will not need to be told that the attendance of all was punctual.
There was an anxious, expectant look on the faces of all-- not even
excepting the old lady. She knew that if her brother had made no
provision for her, she must go to the alms-house, and against this her
honest pride revolted. She was willing to live on anything, however
little, if she might live independently, as she had hitherto done. To feel
herself dependent on public charity would indeed have been a hard trial
for the poor old lady. Of all, probably Mrs. Pinkerton was the most
confident. She had come to feel that her family was entitled to a large
share of the estate, and she had gone so far as to decide just how she
would invest it, and what new arrangements she would make, for she
had no idea of consulting her husband on the subject.

The lawyer was a gentlemanly-looking man, whose face inspired
confidence in his integrity--a remark which, unhappily, cannot be made
of all in his profession. He took his seat at a table, and produced the
will, which he