Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-07-12

darning-woy, Poor old soul 1 doubt not that she
has loft us all sue had to leave and every little.
is a w%indflll, with a large family to provide
for"
But my dear mother for once had miscalculatcd,
for Dame Nodlekins had not left US all she had to.
leave. To the surprise of the P~assymounts, no
loss than to the surprise of ourselves, Miss Deb
orah's tesiamtntory disposition Of her property
was MS follows TO Miss ~Passvmount, the cracked.
spinet was bequeathsd, she being musical" $50
lhe will was worded) to Miss Laura, the books.
were left, che being literary y to Miss Arabeiia,
the gimcrac-s, chimney.ornuments, and paper.
screens, and so ON, she being a "lOver of art - 70
Master Passymount. the only son Of this rich as
piring family, Dame Nodlekins left the few ounces
OF silver denominatpd her plate-Mastcr John
being thrifty y to Mrs. Passymodnt was be.
qucathe0 the household linen, and TO Mr.. Passy.
mount the household furniture, because they oX.
hihtod so fine u taste in adjoining their own fine
mansion % to Ada Beuwell-that was m~yself-tle
huge old workshop, along with all its contents, was
left, "Iu token ul the high esteem and affection
with which she was regarded by the deceased. J
was to inherit the vcll-storcd worh-box, only con-
dillon that it was to be daily used by me in prefer
encc To- nil others every ball of darning-cotton.
as it dimiuishes, shall bring its blessing" said
Dame Nodekins; "for Ada Benwell is q good
girl, ANA has darRCl more holes in the stockings Of
her little brothors and sisters than any other girl
OF her age. Therefore ! particularly commend
the balls Of d0rniug-c5ttou to her notice and !
particularly recommend her TO use Them up as
soon as she can, and she will meet with her reward
in due season."
MY poor Ada" sobbed my mother. rather pet
tishly, lit is rather hard, | must confess, only to
have a few balls Of daruing-cotton, and needles,
and tapes; when the Pussymuunts, who want
nothing, and will turn up their noses at such
trumpery as Dame Nodlekins could leave them,
have all"
But, my DEAR" interposed my father, smil
lug, "if it is such t%rumpcry, why coyet it for our
Ada %
at may bring one or two hundred pounds,
Joseph" replied my mother, meekly "for there's
iurniturc,Gnd plate, and linen, and books, YOU know.
And, Of course, we should have sold everything off
which, no doubt, the P~assymounts will 40; and
only think Of the Dame leaving Ada nothing but
her work-boz."
But, mamma" l yenturel to remark, "we must
not forget that poor Miss Deborah placed more
value on this work-bOX than on anything else che
possessed in the world. And it is a great proof Of
her affection for me-and, besides, how very use.
full 1t will be | shall love it, | am sure, quite as
much as she did. And here is the key, all sealed
up and directed to me-"
"Nell, well, my dear child, we must be content,
/, Of course. ] am sure | do not wish to be grasping
or %coyetous, or to foster such unworthy feelings in
4 any OF our dear children, replied my mother with
/ an air OF resignation land | am thankful that
the poor old lady found comfort in your compan-
g ionship, Ada, my dear, which she evidently did
Z anu dlN' lilb sue uOco lbu ,Iunt!Cc, my uCdF CuIlus
4 by naming you so handsomely. Bat, dear me
how the Passymounts must laugh at their legacies!
D. Only fancy Miss Passymount, with her brilliant
hnrp and grand piano, turning to Dame Noble,
kins' splret, by way of change, being musical ;;
(, or Miss Laura quitting her silkcn-bJund volumes,
lcttered in gold, for the torn, dusty, dirty books
on the two shelves in the DANES dining-ro0m; and
then that rddlel old linen for Mrs. Passymount-
why they haven't a darned buster in the house, |
q warrant"
Never mind, my dear-never mind, said my
father; "let them laugh-it's better than crying.
Dame NOdlekins meant to be just-she was an
honest, just-meaning woman; the P~assymouuts
D and ourselves are the only relatives she had, and
{ she wished to leave us all alike, if possible, quite
I Irrelevant cf our circumstances. And, as Ada re-
marks, the workbox being left TO her, proves the
old lady loved her the best"
d Then she might have shown it" murmured my
mother, by giving the silver, instead of darning-
t cotton"
But a mild reproving look from my father made
r the speaker blush, as she quickly came to his side,
n kissed him, and left the room. From that day we
r never discussed the subject again of Dame Noble
e kIns' ~testamentary arrangements the work-box
Q was in constant requisition at my side, and the
Il balls Of darning-cOtton rapidly diminished. The
n Passymoants made much fun, amongst themselves
r and their n~eighbOrs about the grand legacies
= which had fallen to their share. Nothing was re
moved from Dame Nodlckins' house, but a well at
G tended sale cleared the premises speedily. Mrs
n. ! aSSJlhOuLE luu1blh8iy ueClaftu tle GfOcCCQS Iau
IL actually bought an India shawl for one Of the
# girls, and a gold bracelet for another; and Master
PassymOunt handed about II small gold snuif-b0X
d This share" he was want 10 boast, 'Of the old
v girls rubbish" | saw the brokers carrying away
i the tables and chairs which knew so well, and
n which for so very many years had rested securely
, in Dame Nodlekins' peaceful house. | could not
y help signing sadly ms one relic after another was
rudely flung into the street and | reioiced that
the dear old work-box at least was safe in my keep
= ing. Painters and paperers were soon busy in the
diugy house Il new family became the tenants
d. and nothing was left to remind us of Dame Noble
=, kins, save the huge work box, That, however,
: never was idle and, as | have said, the balls of
Y darning-cotton grew gradually smaller and smaller,
4 until at length one day, as | was sitting beside my
r mother, busy with our needles, she remarked,
y You have followed poor Dame Nodlekins' iniunc-
O tons, my Ada. She particularly recommended
% you to use up the balls of dlrning-cOtton as soon
4 as possible and look, there is one just done"
h As my mother spoke, unrollel a long needleful,
p and came to the end Of that ball. A piece o!
Q paper fell to the ground. which had been the
nucleus on which the ball was formed. stopped
t to pick it up, and was Just about throwing it into
the fire, when it caught my mothers eye. and she
? stretched out her hand and seized it. In a moment,
sh9 uuiUlded it before our astonished gaze it was
il bank note Of fifty pounds!
80, dear, misjudged Dame Nodlekins! she ex.
claimed 'Mts is our Ada's reward in due season.
It's Just like her--kind, queer old soul %
We were not long of using up all the other
balls of darning-cotton in that marvellous work
box and such a reward as | found for nv
industry sure was never met with before or since.
rruly,it was II fairy box,and my needle the fairy's
- wand.
$ No less than ten fifty pound notes were thus
u brought to light and my father laughingly de.
Il claredl had wroughtmy own owerwith myneedle
{ No persuasion could induce him II to appropriate the
treasure he said it was my Reward ;" nor would
u he allow me to eXpend a farthing of 1t in the way
| would best have loved-namely, in educating my
. little brothers and sisters, aud adding to the
: frugal comforts Of our dear home. The story Of
" the treasure found in the wOrk-box soon got noised
y abroad and, among other curious visitors, old Mrs
Lloyd, Harry mother, called to satisfy herself Il.
d to the truth of the report. She was very pleasan
and gossiping; and soon afterwards, a formal but
courteous invitation arrivel-in which | was par
9 ticularly included with my father and mother-tc
. II dinner party at the Lloyd's three weeks from the