36 Something Advantageous; [January, 



relations of the deceased had been and gone. Mr. Shaw and I supped 

 together, and I promised to be with him punctually at twelve o'clock on 

 Monday, for I was as curious as anybody could be to hear the will read, 

 and at all events, anticipated a bustling scene upon the occasion. I was 

 not doomed to be disappointed. 



It is a habit of mine rather to be too soon than too late, and in the 

 present instance I found it a most useful one, for 1 really almost doubt 

 if I should have got into the chambers of Mr. Shaw at all, if I had 

 been later than I was. 



I had fairly to push Mrs. Mary Grantham in, despite a vigorous 

 opposition ; and a man stopped my own entrance, crying — 



' Who are you ? What relation are you ?' 



' His grandfather's uncle,' said I ; ' and if you don't make way I'll 

 pull the nose off your face.' 



It was well that Mr. Shaw occupied very spacious chambers, or other- 

 wise he could not have accommodated one-half of the persons who came 

 to the reading of the will ; and never in all my life did I see such malig- 

 nant looks pass from one to another, as shot from the eyes of the relations. 

 It was a most pitiful picture of human nature. 



' Ladies and gentlemen,' said Mr. Shaw; ' ahem ! ahem ! ' 



There was a death-like stillness. 



' Ladies and gentlemen, I am commissioned to read to you the — the 

 — what shall I call it ? — it is hardly a will — of the late Mr. Jordan. No, 

 it certainly ought not to be called a will, for a will, properly speaking, 

 is a testamentary — " 



' Bead, read, read ! ' cried a dozen voices. 



' Well, ladies and gentlemen, I am glad to see you are all in respect- 

 able mourning.' 



* Except one,' said the jounger brother ; ' there's his Mary, that he 

 was so fond of. Oh, dear me ! she only comes for what she can get.' 



Mrs. Grantham burst into tears. There was a little shabby piece of 

 black crape upon her arm, and another upon the arm of her child. 



« I — I could not,' she said ; ' I could not do more. God help me ! I 

 had not the means ! 



' Bead, read, read ! ' cried all the voices. 



' Ahem 1 ' said Mr. Shaw, reading ; ' I, John James Jordan, being very 

 poor, and having in vain called upon every relation I have in the world, 

 for assistance, and found none, have to state that my heart was filled 

 with bitterness and uncharitablencss toward them. But still I think 

 that they are not dead to all feeling; and this being my last will and 



