FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   218   219   220   221   222   223   224   225   226   227   228   229   230   231   232   233   234   235   236   237   238   239   240   241   242  
243   244   245   246   247   248   249   250   251   252   253   254   255   256   257   258   259   260   261   262   263   264   265   266   267   >>   >|  
ess and reward. When I had finished it, he asked me to read something more; I turned over to the Acts of the Apostles, and commenced the chapter in which Ananias and Sapphira were struck dead. When I had finished, he observed very seriously, "That is a very good lesson for young people, Peter, and points out that you never should swerve from the truth. Recollect, as your motto, Peter, to `tell truth and shame the devil.'" After this observation I laid down the book, as it appeared to me that he was quite unaware of his propensity; and without a sense of your fault, how can repentance and amendment be expected? He became more feeble and exhausted every day, and at last was so weak that he could scarcely raise himself in his bed. One afternoon he said, "Peter, I shall make my will, not that I am going to kick the bucket just yet; but still it is every man's duty to set his house in order, and it will amuse me: so fetch pen and paper, and come and sit down by me." I did as he requested. "Write, Peter, that I, Anthony George William Charles Huskisson Kearney, (my father's name was Anthony, Peter; I was christened George after the present Regent, William and Charles after Mr Pitt and Mr Fox, who were my sponsors; Huskisson is the name of my great uncle, whose property devolves to me; he's eighty-three now, so he can't last long,)--have you written down that?" "Yes, sir." "Being in sound mind, do hereby make my last will and testament, revoking all former wills." "Yes, sir." "I bequeath to my dearly beloved wife, Augusta Charlotte Kearney (she was named after the Queen and Princess Augusta, who held her at the baptismal font), all my household furniture, books, pictures, plate, and houses, for her own free use and will, and to dispose of at her pleasure upon her demise. Is that down?" "Yes, sir." "Also, the interest of all my money in the three per cents reduced, and in the long annuities, and the balance in my agent's hands, for her natural life. At her death to be divided into equal portions between my two children, William Mohamed Potemkin Kearney, and Caroline Anastasia Kearney. Is that down?" "Yes, sir." "Well, then, Peter, now for my real property. My estate in Kent (let me see, what is the name of it?)--Walcot Abbey, my three farms in the Vale of Aylesbury, and the marsh lands in Norfolk I bequeath to my two children aforenamed, the proceeds of the same to be laid up deducting all n
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   218   219   220   221   222   223   224   225   226   227   228   229   230   231   232   233   234   235   236   237   238   239   240   241   242  
243   244   245   246   247   248   249   250   251   252   253   254   255   256   257   258   259   260   261   262   263   264   265   266   267   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Kearney

 

William

 

children

 
Augusta
 
bequeath
 

Anthony

 
finished
 

property

 

Huskisson

 

George


Charles
 

Princess

 

household

 

pictures

 

furniture

 
baptismal
 

written

 

devolves

 

eighty

 
testament

Charlotte

 
beloved
 

dearly

 

revoking

 

estate

 

Caroline

 

Potemkin

 
Anastasia
 

Walcot

 

proceeds


deducting

 

aforenamed

 

Norfolk

 

Aylesbury

 

Mohamed

 

interest

 

demise

 

dispose

 

pleasure

 

reduced


annuities

 

divided

 

portions

 

balance

 

natural

 

houses

 
Recollect
 

swerve

 

observation

 

repentance