Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1855-01-05
C5e 5]aiIg1 Spp,
FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 1856.
THE HEIR IN SPITE OF H1MsELF
A sToRr.-BY A. l.. RAvERqIB.
Translated for the Boston Daily Adpertiser
from the Courier des Etata Uni5.

Translated for the Boston Daily Adpertiser
from the Courier deS EtatS Unu.
1--WE give below translation Of a French
story in Illustration of the provegb " Fortune
comes while we are sleeping We would
not however, be supposed to endorse that
legend for the present age. One must have
his eyes wide open, either to make fortune
or keep one.
In the year 1884,, at the time of the highest
fever of speculation and stock jobbing which
had taken possession of Paris and France,
three young men, friends, met in one of the
rooms Of the Hotel du Commerce at Rheims.
They were lamenting the rigors Of fortune, as
things are amented at twenty-five, in COM
pany, after dinner, when the smoke Of their
cigals mingled with the fumes Of bowl of
punch.
" Bah " said Charles, in vexation, 81 had
project for speculation which would have
done honor to Law or ROthschild, butno one
paid any attention to it. A poor devil of
clerk, like me, what's he? less than nothing"
"And l. said George, q had finished a
book which would make my reputation if 1
could find publisher who would take the
risk Of printing it.
" As for me, said Albert, /" asked my
employer to raise my wages; after five years
lIdFSl1luS uOOuI anu aSSlQuOuS care OF MS
business, it was but just But alas, he in
formed me that he could find for six hundred
francs, as many clerks as he wanted, SO there
is nothing to do, but to take breath, go OH sell
ling woods and wines. You, Charles, will
remain in your subrprefecture, and you,
George, in your newspaper Office"
"My friends, said Charles, though we
have neither Of us any hope of making for
tune, could not we at least give ourselves the
reputation of being rich"
Whal an idea, said Albert "sheer folly.'
"Do you think that with the help of mon-
ey should be sorry to become the sub-pretect,
instead of remaining his clerk Are you per-
suaded. that you, Albert, would be in despair
to have a commission house and customers of
your owns Do you think that George, the
literary and the melancholy, would regret be-
ing able to marry, thanks to the crowns he
has not got. His dear little Madeline, the
pretty brunette, whom they will not let him
have, because he has not sou -
You talk large interrupted George, a
little piqued
" lou are an migrate, and that is the whole
matter" replied Charles, Z" but stick to my
idea, and to prove it, attention gentlemen, we
will draw lots which shall be rich"
At this moment George held down his head
uhN rNSihtu W DG dSlt6ps
+" What are you thinking of" asked Charles.
=" Eth am too tired to think" said George,
with weary air and he was soon really
asleep.
I" Never mind," said Charles, eve will
wake him at the right moment, but you see
he will win-do not you remember the prov.
erb, fortune comes wheB zee are asleep
SO saying the friends INDUCED in shout of
laughter, and proceeded to arrange hat, with
three strips of paper, inscribing on them their
three names, and shaking them in the hat,
which having done, Charles endeayored to
awake George, who still continued snoring.
"Gentlemen," said he, "the last name shall
be the winning number. All, how | should
like to be the heir which fate will hnprovise,
for between ourselves, and though American
uncles have been much abused do you re-
member that at the theatre the most familiar
methods, the most worn out ones, even, are
always those which succeed the best. All,
gentlemen, an inheritance, how that fixes
and excites one. Consideration, credit, one
has then everything else, he is master, he is
king Of his destiny"
Albert grew serious, shook George by the
sleeve, and at last awoke him. Charles drew
the FIRST, then the sleeper, who initiated him
mechanically. When each had plunged his
hand by turns into the impermeablo urn, tho