PROBLEM No. 20.
Mr. James Hotchkiss died in the autumn of age on the morning of his 93rd birthday.
During his protracted life he had always surrounded himself with every comfort, and was reputed to be an exceedingly rich man.
No wonder then that his death should occasion an unparalleled outburst of grief and hatbands on the part of his weeping relatives.
After the funeral, the chief mourners met in the library and the Family Solicitor, with a glass of wine within easy reach, read out the last Will and Testament of James Hotchkiss Deceased.
This interesting document brought a ray of comfort to bleeding hearts, for several substantial Legacies were mentioned, all free of duty, and two at least of the prospective Legatees were observed to make rapid calculations on the left shirt cuff.
"To Rachel and Joyce Proudfoot (my sister's little girls, aged 32 and 27 respectively), £10,000 each."