The worthy Mrs. Thomas expressed a much more profound sentiment than that of which she was probably aware, herself.  Law is a wonderful thing, and most wonderful is he who can tell what it is to-day, or is likely to be to-morrow.  The law of testamentary devises, in particular, has more than the usual uncertainty, the great interest that is taken by the community in the large estates of certain individuals who are placed without the ordinary social categories by the magnitude of their fortunes, preventing anything from becoming absolutely settled, as respects them.  In Turkey, and in America, the possession of great wealth is very apt to ruin their possessors; proscription, in some form or other, being pretty certain to be the consequences.  In Turkey, such has long and openly been the fact, the bow-string usually lying at the side of the strong box; but, in this country, the system is in its infancy, though advancing towards maturity with giant strides.  Twenty years more, resembling the twenty that are just past, in which the seed recently sown broadcast shall have time to reach maturity, and, in our poor opinion, the great work of demoralization, in this important particular, will be achieved.  We are much afraid that the boasted progress, of which we hear so much, will resemble the act of the man who fancied he could teach his horse to live without food—­just as he believed the poor beast was perfect, it died of inanition!

Roswell read Baiting Joe’s ‘insterment’ twice, and then he placed it, with manly tenderness; in the hands of Mary.  The girl read the document, too, tears starting to her eyes; but, a bright blush suffused her face, as she returned the will to her lover.

“Ah! do not read it now, Roswell,” she said, in an under tone; but the stillness and expectation were so profound, that every syllable she uttered was heard by all in the room.

“And why not read it now, Miss Mary!” cried the Widow Martin.  “Methinks now is the proper time to read it.  If I’m to be codicilled out of that will, I want to know it.”

“It is better, in every respect, that the company present should know all that is to be known, at once,” observed Mr. Job Pratt.  “Before the will is read, if that be the will, Captain Gar’ner—­”

“It is the will of the late Deacon Pratt, duly signed, sealed, and witnessed, I believe, sir.”

“One word more, then, before it is read.  I think you said, Josy, that the deceased was frightened when he signed that will?  I do not express any opinion until I hear the will; perhaps a’ter it is read, I shall think or say nothin’ about this fright; though the instrument that a man signs because he is frightened, if the fright be what I call a legal fright, is no instrument at all.”

“But such was not the deacon’s case, Squire Job,” put in Baiting Joe, at once.  “He did not sign the insterment because he was frightened, but was frightened because he signed the insterment.  Let the boat go right eend foremost, squire.”