upon matters more personal, for, like most men who have prospered in the world and increased in riches, Mr. Smith was rather fond of recounting the various steps by which he had risen to comparative opulence. By this means neighbour Jackson-'a good fellow, but rather crotchetty,' as Michael sometimes averred, --came to the knowledge of a weak point in the character of his friend.

One evening they met at Mr. Jackson's house, and 'now,' thought Jackson, 'I'll tackle him.'

'Friend Smith,' said he, taking up a little book which he had intentionally placed on the table,'here's something that concerns you, I believe.' 'Me? What is it, neighbour?'

'The title of the book is "Testamentary Counsels :" it is about will-making."

'Oh!' said Michael, shifting himself rather pettishly in bis chair, 'why does that concern me?'

'Well, you know best, friend: I have thought it might. Let me read you a little bit of it; shall I?' and Mr. Jackson laid down his pipe.

'If you like,' replied Mr. Smith, with a nod.

Mr. Jackson opened the book and read :-"The uncertainty of life is admitted by all. It is, however, a painful fact, that although we know not what a day may bring forth, there are thousands living in our country, having families dependent on them, and property subject to their disposal, who have never executed their wills."- -Mr. Jackson here lifted his eyes from the page, and looked his friend full in the face. 'Is that all?' asked Smith.

"The duty," continued Jackson, reading on, "is often neglected from want of consideration; sometimes from the prevalence of superstitious fears, but most frequently from a spirit of unpardonable procrastination."

'Um!' said Mr. Smith impatiently; 'nothing else?' 'I need not read any more,' said Mr. Jackson; you can take the book home with you, if you like. You see what it is about.'

'Yes, yes; I see. No, I wont trouble you, thank you all the same. And so Lord John has

But Mr. Jackson did not choose just then to be put off with Lord John. He had made up his mind to 'tackle' his friend Smith.

'I tell you what it is, Smith, you know as much about business as here and there one; but on this point, look you, you are in fault;

'What point, Mr. Jackson ?'

'Why, you have not made a will yet, have you?

There.'

'Well, I have not. You know that. I told you a while ago that I would take your advice about it, when the time comes. And so I will. But there is

time enough yet.'

'I don't know that. We do not know, as the book says, what a day may bring forth. At any rate, there would be no harm, would there, if you were to do it

at once ?'

'O yes, there would. When I do make my will, I mean to do it for good and all. I don't mean to be always altering-altering.'

'But why should you be always altering? You mean to leave all your property, or most of it, to your wife, don't you?'

'Bless her dear heart, yes to be sure,' said Mr. Smith; who should I leave it to ? There's nobody else I care a dump about, so far as that goes. But I should have to put all my property down. And then, you know, there are those houses at Bell's Cross, and the cottages at Hook's Corner, and the Three Magpies, in D. I mean to sell them as soon as I can. They are a great plague to me. As soon as I have done that, and got all square, I'll make my will, I'll promise you.'

'My good fellow,' replied Mr. Jackson, 'you have been talking, I don't know how many years, about parting with those houses, and it may be years more before you succeed; meanwhile you are getting older and older every day.'

'O, fiddlesticks old! What are you talking about?' Mr. Smith, like a good many more, did not like to be reminded that age was creeping upon him apace. 'Old! not so old as you.'

'No, not by five years,' replied Mr. Jackson. 'I shan't see sixty-six again.'

"There, I told you so. I am only in my sixty.' 'A vast number die at that age,' said Mr. Jackson quietly.

"O yes, I know that; but I am a young man yet, bless you, compared with many a man of forty-five. Why, I have never had a day's illness in my life, since I can remember.'

This was a common boast of Mr. Michael Smith, from which his friend knew it would be hopeless to attempt to drive him. So he abandoned this ground, and went upon another tack.

'After all, friend Smith, it would not be much trouble to make your will; and then, at any time, you could add a codicil, you know.'

friend

'Yes, O yes; work for the lawyers, eh ?' 'Better give the lawyers five pounds now, Smith, than fifty, or five hundred, by and by; besides risking the loss of all for Mrs. Smith. By the way, and as to trouble, just ten minutes, and half a sheet of paper, this evening for instance, might do the work for you. I don't much approve, certainly of doing this sort of thing without professional advice; but in your case there would be no harm just to write down your wishes, in case, you know-that is, suppose you are determined not to make a regular will, before you have sold your houses and so forth.'

'No, no,' replied Smith; the man that is his own lawyer has a fool for his client; you know that, friend Jackson, eh ?'

'Exactly so; that's my maxim: and so, the other day, I got a solicitor to draw up a form for me, which I copied and signed in the regular way, before two witnesses. Here it is, and I fancy it would answer for you, as well as for me—at least for a bit of a stop

gap, until you find time to make a regular will, as you would call it. At any rate, this bit of paper will hold good in law after I am dead, supposing I leave nothing behind me of a later date.'

Thus saying, Mr. Jackson unlocked a desk, and took from it the following document. It was, as he said, written on half a sheet of common foolscap, signed and witnessed, thus:

"This is the last will of me, Andrew Marvell Jackson, of in the county of maltster and mealman.

"I give and bequeath all my property unto my wife Mary absolutely. And I appoint my said wife sole executrix of this my will. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and

ANDREW MARVELL JACKSON.

Signed by the said Andrew Marvell Jackson, in the presence of us present at the same time, and subscribing our names as witnesses in his and each other's presence, and at his request.

"Edward Brooks, of

of

in the county

-, farmer and grazier. "Sarah Court, servant of the above Edward Brooks."

"There, friend Smith,' said Mr. Jackson, after the document had passed under his inspection; it would not take long, nor be much trouble, you see, to write and sign such a paper as that, just by way of a stopgap, as I said; and, depend on it, it would be as strong as iron in case anything should happen to you. What do you say, eh? Come, let me get you a bit of paper and a pen, and then I'll call in my wife to see you sign.'

Bless me, no, no, friend Jackson,' exclaimed Mr. Michael Smith, looking very nervous and startled.

'Why man alive, I am not going off the hooks yet. Dear me, what a hurry you are in. No, no; I'll think about it, there: I-I don't like that form; 'tis too short, and-and: but you can give me a copy of it, if you like, and I'll consider about it. But it is all nonsense, though—being in such a hurry; I can write such a thing as that any day besides, I must sell those houses, and get all into less compass, and then I'll set about the will.'

·

Mr. Jackson saw that nothing more was to be done that evening, but he was yet loth to give up, now that he had begun to tackle' his neighbour. However, he copied the form in silence, and handed it across the table.

'After all, friend Smith,' said he; things do happen that we little think of. It would be a sad thing for Mrs. Smith if you should die at last without having done it. Poor woman she would be almost destitute: only think.'

O no; she would come in for a share,' replied Michael, sullenly almost. He was tired of the supject.

'A very poor share, friend, I can tell you.'

‘O no; the law gives her the widow's portion.' 'And how much would that be, think you ?' asked the undaunted malster and mealman.

'Well, I don't know, exactly; but something like a third, or a half,' said Smith.

A third or a half of what? Come, come, neighbour, you know as well as I do, I guess. But let us hear what the book says;' and he opened the book again, to Mr. Smith's visible annoyance- here it is ;'

"If an intestate dies, leaving a wife and no children, or issue of children,"--(that's your case, friend Smith, as well as mine) "his real estate will devolve -none to the wife: all to the heir-at-law hereafter appearing. His personal estate will devolve-half to the wife, half to next of kin hereafter appearing."

"There, I said half to the wife,' said Smith.

с