The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1825-05-05

and in low gasping voice-"I am glad you
have come. shall now die with satisfaction.
Look" said he, raising his withered hand
and pointing-'look-in that box on the ta-
BILE you will find have not forgotten you"
I pressed his hand to my heart, and the
tears stood in my eyes. l sat down by his
bed side and watched him, but he never
spoke ag, in.-My presence, however, gave
him evident satisfaction--for every now and
then vague smile would come over his vis-
age, and he would fcebly point to the
sealed box on the table. AS the day wore
away, his life seemed to wear away with it.
Towards sunset, his hand sunk on the bed
and lay motionless; his eye grew glazed, his
mouth remained open, and thus he gradually
died.
could not but feel shocked at this abso-
lutte extinction of my kindred.-l dropped
tear of real sorrow over this strange old
man, who had thus reserved his smile OF
kindness to his death bed; like an evening
sun after gloomy day, just shining out to set
in darkness. Leaving the corpse in charge
of the domestics, retired for the night.
1t was rough night. The winds seemed
as if singing my untle's requiem about the
mansion; and the blood-hounds without, as
if they knew of the death of their old mas
ter. Iron John almost grudged me the tai
low candle to burn in my apartment and light
up its dreariness; so accustomed had he been
to starving economy. / could not Sleep
Th recollection of my uncle's dying scene
and the drearv sounds about the house. at
fectcd my mind. These however, were sue
ceeded by plans for the future, and | lay
awake the greater part of the night, indulg-
ing the poetical anticipation, how soon
would make these old walls ring with cheer
fp1 fe Ia
mothers ancestors.
!. NV uncle's funeral was decent, but private.
knew there was nobody that respected his
t memory; and was determined that none
should be summoned to sneer over his funer-
al wines, and make merry at his grave. He
: was buried in the church of the neighboring
village, Though it was not the burying place
: Of his race; but he had expressly enjoined
, that he should not be buried with his family;
he had quarreled with the most OF them
when living, and he carried his resentment
even to the grave.
f l betrayed the expenses of the funeral
out of my own purse, that might be done
4 with the undcrtakers At once, and clear the
i'll omened birds from the premises. linvit-
= ed the parson of the parish and the lawyer
/; of the village, to attend he house next morn
n ing and hear the reading of the will. l treat
!; ed them to an excellent breakfast, pro-
n fusion that had not been seen At the house
: for many a year. AS the breakfast things
t were removed l summoned Iron John, the
"A woman and the boy, for was particular II in
G having every one present. and proceeded
i regularly. The box was placed on the table
e All was silence. l broke the seal-raised
the lid--and beheld-not the will, but my
accursed poem of Doubling Castle and Giant
c Despair!
c Could anv mortal have conceived that this
old withcred man; so taciturn, and apparent
= w lost to feeling could have treasured up
it for years the thoughtless pleasantly of boy
: to punish him with such cruel ingenuity? I
d now could account for his dying smile, the
Il only one he had ever given me. He had
IS been grave man all his life; it was strange
II that he should die in the enjoyment of ajoke;
and it was hard that that joke should be at
h nv expense.
$ The lawyer and the parson seemed at a
it loss to comprehend the mattcr-"here must
d be some mistak," said the lawyer, "there is
Is no will here :"
i "O,'' said old Iron John, creaking forth,
his rusty Jaws, "if it is will you are look
ing for, I believe can find one.'
He retired with the same singular smile
with which he had greeted me on my arri-
val, and which / now apprehended bodied
e. me no good. In a little while he returned
III Win q Will perfect dt all polntS, property
signed and sealed and witnessed; worded
ns with horrible correctness; in which he left
s. large legacies to Iron John and his daughter
l. and the residue of his fortune to the fox head
10 cd boy; who, to my utter astonishment
I'd was his son by this very woman, he having
tn married her privately; and as verify be.
lc lieve, for no other purpose than to have ar
heir, and so baik my father and his issue o
l. the Inheritance There was one little pro
I'd viso, in which he mentioned that having dis
of covered his nephew to have a pretty turr
at for poetry, he presumed that he had no oc
I'd casion for wealth; he recommended hin
b. however, to the patronage of his heir; and re
at quested that he might have garnet, rem
free, in Doubling Castle.
bs h. Inaefatigabh Lobours ctMe