The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-07-31
A Lest Inheritance.


this week, which, though occupying more
space than | usually devote to incidents,
conveys SO exccllcnta a moral, that l have
yielded to the temptation to give it in full.
Tho train from Paris to Lyons stopped
ut the station of Joingy, a town upon the
route, and again went ON, after lcaving@a
few passengers. The depot, for a moment
crowded with railroad agents and lockers
on, was soon deserted by all but two indi-
viduals.
One Of these was an old man, dressed
in tho garb ola well-to-do-iar !; tho
the other, youth Of tvc-and-twcnty, who
| seemed to DC waiting for some one to meet
him. To this parsonage the old man fin
ally addressed himself "May 1 presume,
sir" said he, 'to inquire if you arc Gle
| mcnt B."
"Ycs, my good man," replied the youth
with n .haughtincss Of manner aud l
have no doubt you are Mr.. Martin"
"At your service, sir" returned the other.
"Wcll, Mr.. Martin" continued Clement,
in the samo tonc,, II began to imagine
You intended to keep me waiting. That
would not have been tho best manner in
which to have insinuatcd yourself into my
good graces."
The old man, instead of replying, let
his. head fall upon his breast rs if in deep
allliction, and conducted the new-cemcr to-
| wards an oldfashioncd carriage 70 which
a4rough looking horse was harncsscL.
"]Icre is your carriage, sir" said Mar
tin. "lf you will DO good enough to get
in, will have the honor OF conducting you
to the HERMITAGE"
THAT my carriage - cricda. Clement.
"Nhy l shall be taken for Il travelling ped
'llcr = Notwithstanding, rs there seemed
no means Of avoiding it, he took his scat
beside tho old man, but not without OK
prcssions Of dsdain. In another moment
the man had seized the rcins, and tho
horse started on 4 clumsy trot.
But few days before, Mr.. Clement 3.
who now put on so many grand airs, was
Il simple clerk in a crockery store in Paris,
and possessed the reputation Of being quiet,
unprctcnding little fellow. What, then,
had brought about this sudden and radi-
cal transformation lie had become, since
the previous day, rich man; and it may
he well understood that the posscssor Of an
income uf 10000 francs q year ii,,is i.
difficult to retain the modest dcmcanor Of
a poor clerk On the previous day, while
dustiny the piles Of crockcry under his
charge Il letter had arrived for him by tho
post, containing the startling intelligence
that one of his uncles, of whom he had Of
ten heard as an eccentric and very wealthy
old man, but whom he had never seen, had
just died at his chateau in Burgundy, lcav-
ing his nephew, Clement, sole lcgatcc Of
his estates, to the exclusion Of many other
heirs. The letter was from notary Of the
province, WHO desired him to leave Paris
Immediately for Joigny, the town near
which his uncle had resided, where hc
would be met by Martin, an old coniidcn-
tial servant Of the dcfunct, and conducted
from the railroad TO tho "lIermitagc," the
name which the deceased had given TO his
chateau and his estate, Which constituted
the main. Almost driven out of his senses
by such an unexpected stroke oifortunc, he
fastened to obey the notary's directions !;
and, upon his arrival at Joigny, joined old
Martin, as VIC have seen.
On jolLcd the queer vehicle, in which our
hero had SO contemptIously taken place,
until after a ride of several mites tho oc-
cupants arrived at their destination. Mar
| tin Offered the honors of the hermitage TO
the new proprietor, called all the servants,
and introduced them to their future master
and then conducted thc latter to his apart
mcnts.
'This was the sleeping apartment ofyour
uncle" said Martin, as they entered vast
apartment, furnished in old fashioned
style.
ut was the room he died in ten days
ago."
But the nephew, instead Of evincing any
emotion upon boing shown tho chamber Of
his bencfactor, threw all around look of
scorn, and cried, "Upon my word, can
not say think much Of the old boys
taste / never saw anything so frightfully
ugly mall my life |"
Notwithstanding, sir" replied Martin,
'it is the best there is hero ; and if you
cannot consent yourself, l do not really
know where you will find other lodgings"
81 live here !! You don't imagine I'm
such donkey, I hope. For us young
fellows, dye sec, Paris is the only place !;
so shall sell this old crockery at once,
and be off,"
"Scll the Hermitage, your uncle's favor
ite place Of residence Impossible. And
We servants, who hoped to end our days
under this roof-what will become of us 2"
"Mr. Martini" rctorted tho young man
''let me have n11e Of your complaints, l,
beg. Get me some dinner, and afterwards
you will drive me. to my notary's."
"After haaiDg eaten hearty meal, not
withstanding he found tho meats insipid
and the wines sour, the legatee, still accom-
panied by Martin, re.entered the old car
riagc, and the two again started off.
"If | am not mistaken" observed Mr..
Clement, after an hours ride, tive passed
this spot this morning. and that'-pointing
to buildinaC"is the railroad depot do
wo take the cars T.
"You alonewill DO 3d." responded his
companion, speaking very gFavely, and in
manner which caused the young man to
trcmble in spite of himself "I, sir, am
your uncle, and, happily, I am not, yet
dead. Having heard good accounts of
your conduct l had resolved to make you