I'd soon make him a clear shin, I warrant you." To avoid
any further disturbance, one of my grandfather's executors, who was
present, assured Mr. Bowling, that his nephew should have all manner of
justice; that a day should be appointed after the funeral for examining
the papers of the deceased, in presence of all his relations; till which
time every desk and cabinet in the house should remain close sealed;
and that he was very welcome to be witness to this ceremony, which was
immediately performed to his satisfaction. In the meantime, orders were
given to provide mourning for all the relations, in which number I was
included; but my uncle would not suffer me to accept of it, until I
should be assured whether or no I had reason to honour his memory so
far. During this interval, the conjectures of people, with regard to
the old gentleman's will, were various: as it was well known, he had,
besides his landed estate, which was worth L700 per annum, six or seven
thousand pounds at interest, some imagined that the whole real estate
(which he had greatly improved) would go to the young man whom he always
entertained as his heir; and that the money would be equally divided
between my female cousins (five in number) and me. Others were of
opinion, that, as the rest of the children had been already provided
for, he would only bequeath two or three hundred pounds to each of his
granddaughters, and leave the bulk of the sum to me, to atone for his
unnatural usage of my father. At length the important hour arrived, and
the will was produced in the midst of the expectants, whose looks and
gestures formed a group that would have been very entertaining to
an unconcerned spectator. But, the reader can scarce conceive the
astonishment and mortification that appeared, when an attorney
pronounced aloud, the young squire sole heir of all his grandfather's
estate, personal and real. My uncle, who had listened with great
attention, sucking the head of his cudgel all the while, accompanied
these words of the attorney with a stare, and whew, that alarmed the
whole assembly. The eldest and pertest of my female competitors, who had
been always very officious about my grandfather's person, inquired, with
a faltering accent and visage as yellow as an orange, "if there were no
legacies?" and was answered, "None at all." Upon which she fainted away.
The rest, whose expectations, perhaps, were not so sanguine, supported
their disappointment with more