Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-05-07

| puG DelHS udIurdlly VI u tdcitCurhs uhooinhuih
catiye temperament no one knew whether it
was from choice or necessity. Her work-box
was to Dame Nodlekins as q dear friend ; do
not believe she loved any human being so well
her whole heart was in it and the attach
ment she eyinced towards me as time progressed,
was fostered and encouraged by our mutual zeal
| in performing tasks of needlework. Not that |
shared in her devotion; / was aotuated by o
sense of duty alone, and would far rather, could
| | have done SO conscientiOusly, have been dam
cling and laughing with companions Of my own
age. But ply the needle / did, and so did Dame
| Nodlekns; and we too became, with the huge
old work-box between us quite q pair of loving
friends and at least two evenings in every week
| went to sit with the lone woman. She would
have had me do so eyery evening; but, though
there were so many of us at home, our parents
could not bear to spare any of us out of their
sight oftener than they deemed indispensable.
0 At length Harry Lloyd came to say good bye !:
he was going abroad at his fathers wish. My
parents shook hands kindly with him, and he
said pleasant, atfectionate words to all. But
when he came to me-ah !-he did not speak !;
but flung myself into my dear mothers arms,
! and | heard my father say: God bless you!'
and Harry was gone. So / went on darning
stockings, and the Passymounts went on dancing,
and Dame Nodekins went on the even tenor OF
her way; until at length her summons came, land,
after several warnings, she shut up her work-box,
locked it, and put the key in sealed packet
These preparations completed, Dame Nodlekins
turned her face to the wall, and fell asleep. d ~
| My gentle mother had heart so tender and
benevolent that although Dame Nodlekins and
herself had had so few sympathies in common,
she shed tears on hearing the closing scene was
over; and remember her turning to my father
with sigh, and saying "Ah! she was Won
derfuly industrious woman, and such help to
me in the darning-way. Poor old soul! l
doubt not that she has left us all that she had to
leave; and every little is windfall, with large
family to provide for." aa M
But my dear mother for once had miscalcula-
ted, for Dame Nodlekins had not left us all she
had to leave Tothesurprise ofthe Passymounts,
no less than to the surprise of ourselves, Miss
! Deborah's testamentary disposition of her prop
ierty was as follows TO Miss Passymount, the
cracked spinet was beqeathed she being "musi-
cal" $50 the will was worded); to Miss Laura,
the books were left, she being literary y to Miss
Arabela, the gimcrucks, chimney ornaments,
and so on, she being slower OF art :" to Master
Passymount, the only son of this rich aspiring
family, Dame Nodlekins left the few ounces of
silver denominated her plate, Master John being
thrifty" to Mrs. Passymount, was beqeathed
the household linen, and to Mr.. Passymount, the
household furniture, because "they exhibited so
fine taste in adorning their own fine mansion =
ito Ada Benwell-that was myself-the huge old
work-box, along with its contents, was left lin
token of the high esteem and affection with
which she was regarded" by the deceased. Twas
ito inherit the well-stored work-box, only on con-
dition that it was to be daily used by me in pref
erence to all others "eyery ball of darning cot
ton, as it diminishes, shall bring its blessing,
said Dame Nodlekins; 'for Ada Benwell is a
good CIR, ,and has darned more holes in the stock
lings of her little brothers and sisters than any
other girl of her age. Therefore | particularly
commend the balls of darning cotton to her NO
tice; and particularly recommend her to use
them up as soon as she can and she will meet
with her reward in due season." ass a.
"My poor Ada" sobbed my mother rather pet
tishy, sit is rather hard must confess, only to
have few balls of darning cotton, and needles,
and tapes when the Passymounts, who want
nothing, end will turn up their noses at such
trumpery as Dame Nodlekins could leave them,
have all H-
''But, my dear, interposed my father smiling,
''if it is such trumpery, why covet it for our A
Ida?" h a 5pt3 tte
''It may bring one or two hundred pounds,Jo
lseph,n replied my mother meekly; "for there's
furniture, and plate, and linen, and books you
know. And of course we should have sold ev-
erything off which no doubt the Passymounts
will do; and only think of the Dame leaving A.
da nothing but her work-box.n aE
"But, mamma" ventured to remark, 1--WE
4 must not forget that poor Miss Deborah placed
. more value on this work-box than on anything
else she possessed in the world. And it is q
great proof of her affection for me-and, be-
sides, how very useful it will bel shall love it,
l am sure, quite as much as she did. And here
lis the key, all sealed up and directed to me-"
0Well, well, my dear child we must be con.
j tent, of course am sure do not wish to be
praspng or covetous, or to foster such unworthy
feelings in any of our dear children, replied my
mother with an air of resignation "and l am
thankful the poor old lady found comfort in your
companionship, Ada, my dear, which she evi.
IDENTIFY did; and also that she does you justice
4 my dear child, by naming You SO handsomely
But, deary me how the Passymounts must
laugh at their legacies! Only fancy Miss Passy-
mount, with her brilliant harp and grand piano
turning to Dame Nodlekins's spinet, by way oi
change, being musical; or Miss Laura quitting
her silken-bound volumes, lettered in gold, dor
the torn, dusty, dirty books on the two shelves
in the Danes dining room; and then that rid
died old linen for Mrs. Passymount" e
Never mind my dear-neyer mind, )" said my
father "let them laugh-it's better than crying
Dame Nodlekins meant to be just-she was an
! honest just-meaning womau-the Passymounts
land ourselves are the only relatives she had and
she wished to leave us all alike if possible quite
lirrelavent of our circumstances And, as Ada
remarks, the work-box being left to her, proves
the old lady loved her the BEST" aa -
''Then she might have shown it." murmured
mother, Shy giving the silver, instead OF darn
Iing-cotton." t
But mild reproving look from my father
made the speaker blush, as she quickly came to
his side, kissed him, and left the room. From
that day, we never discussed the subject again
1 of Dame Nodlekin's testamentary arrangements ;
the work-box was in constant requisition at my
side and the balls of darning cotton rapidly di-
minished The Passymounts made much fun,
amongst themselves and their neighbors about
the grand legaces which had fallen to their
share. Nothing was removed from Dame No
dlellin's house, but well-attended sale cleared
the premises speedily. Mrs. Passymount laugh
Eingly declared the proceeds had actually bought
an India shawl for one of the girls, and q gold
bracelet for another; and Master Passymount
handed about small gold snuff-box, "his
share he was wont to boast, ''of the old girls
rubbish" saw the brokers carrying away the
tables and chairs which knew SO well, and
which for so many years had rested securely in
Dame Nodlekin's peaceful house. could not
help signing sadly as one relic after another
was rpdely flung into the street; and / rejoiced
that the dear old work-box at least was safe in
my keeping. Painters and paperers were soon
busy in the dingy house; new family became
the tenants and nothing was left to remind US
tof Dame Nodlekins, save the huge work
hov Tint howavart navar was idlo ond 90 7