The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1853-09-29
FiUW IIlt ING uI oNl u
SUDDENLY RICH.
BY MRS. E. WELLMONT.

l enterprising people would crave and slow
e moulded ones would not shrink from re
( ceiying
Mr.. Athol went to bed poor man, ,and
awoke the next morning worth some two
) hundred thousand dollars Before the
accession of wealth, he was toiling man
5 fer a dependent family; yet he always
acquired sufficient by his industry, to
keep children in good condition, and his
wife light woman; besides hav-
ing an Agreeable intercourse with neigh
bors in the same block under similar
circumstances. With free and easy
heart, every Saturday night Athol set
tied with the world and squared all his
acoounts-so he went to church with the
feeling Of independence as long as bis
health should be continued to him. To
be sure, riches in the prospective looked
inviting to this worthy couple: they used
to wish for them to enable them to high
ly educate their children; to befricnd the
poor widow in the next block, and to en-
able them to bcstow pittance upon
their aged parents; but they never covct-
cd luxurious fare, snowy dress, or a
splendid equipagc; perhaps, because they
were so unattainable they left no room
for such wishes.
But we said John Athol awoke one
morning and found himself rich man
Being descended of English parents, it
appeared by an advertisement in the E.
vening paper that the heirs of Peter
Athol could learn something greatly to
their advantage by calling upon Smith
6 Co. That intelligence was neither
more nor less than that an aged uncle, a
rich, miserly man, who had never mar
ried; had recently died, and left a will,
bequeathing to sundry unknown relatives
in America, the heirs Of his brother Peter,
the whole of his estate, after defraying
his funeral expenses, and giving an an
nuity to his trusty servant, Jude.
The estate could not be exactly ap-
praised-it was thought it could not fall
Short of as many English pounds as in
our currency would amount to two hun
dred thousand dollars; and John Athol,
a laboring man, was the only heir to all
this property
The curious sensations which this event
awakened, was worthy of a graphic
skctchcr The postman handed honest
John the letter just as he awoke at early
dawn. His behaviour was not unlike the
wild excess of JOY which Iunatic would
manifest on some special breaking out of
sunshine in his heart. He read the letter
first to his wife; her exclamation was
characteristic of such a woman:
! We'll, John, we shall not be obliged to
work any more, and can dress ourselves
as well as the best of en-
Yes said John; 'and We can have a
new house, and keep a carriage if we like,
and have our servants, and eat Of all the
luxuries in the market. Turkeys and
plum puddings will make our daily din
ners, instead Of soup and mutton broth,
and cheap vegetables. And bidesides,
we can travel all over the world, How
/ kind it was in Uncle Peter thus to re-
member us; we must pay our respects to
his burial-place, and this, of course, will
carry US abroad. But let Us wake the
children and tell them of our good luck
Peter, Nancy, Susy and Tommy were
all old enough to know what money could
do for them, and such merry house
hold as the news created was never be-
fore in John Athops premises. Every
one of them Immediately proceeded 10 tell
what they could now purchase, and how
bannv If Would make them.
'Now,' said Susy, we must not associ-
ate with the poor people around us; hav-
ing wealth, gives us a new standing in
society, and when we move, we will be-
stow some little presents upon the poor
about US, just to keep them in good favor,
and then we will leave them forever
That's lucky thought replied the
mother; 'but would it not be best to con-
ceal for the present our great wealth, un-
til we can get some plans matured !?
They all thought SO, and agreed to
/ keep the N after close.
There was heavy rap at the door. a
whole company of the neighbors were
standing without to welcome and con-
gratulate honest John upon his good for
tune. Not few, however, limited that
they hoped this sudden rise in the world
would not turn their heads, and an old
father in the neighborhood suggested it
was always well to ask the Lords bless
ing, that we be not led astray by the
snarcs thus thrown in our way Honest
John thanked him, but we fear forgot to
put up the petition.
Our friends will notice that what this
worthy couple coveted riches for before
they came, had never been mentioned by
them since, viz, the education of their
children, helping thc poor, and giving a
lift to the aged parents. Susy, to be sure,
had spoken Of having music masterand
buying a harp, because pianos were 50
common; and Peter said he should like
to go through college If he could do SO
and not study. All seemed to have wishes
very different from their former ones
The news ran like tolcgrarhic desFatches,
that John Athol was a miilionairej gath
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