The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1857-04-01

1
ries, gold, silver, were all mixed up il
terrible confusion. At last I thought
was dead, and some one was mailing bow
my coffin.
"Rat-tat-tat."
Perspiration bursting out from ever.
pore of my body.
"Rat- tat tat"
Intense agony of your humble serv
ant.
"Rat-tat-tat."
A fearful struggle, in which 1 knocked
my wife over the eye with my elbow
fortunately not hurting her, but causing
her to give me kick, (of course she did
not knog what she was doiDg,) which
awakened me.
1t was broad Daylight, and some one
knocked at the bedroom door, which
explained the comfortable sensation
had experienced of being nailed down
in my coffin.
"Como in" exclaimed
The door opened, and Bridget made
Der appearance. I should say that
Bridget was a recent importation from
the Emerald Isle, and our maid of all
work.) 1 assure yeu we have had hard
work to train her. To give an idea how
exceedingly verdant she was when she
first came to US, we asked her, one hot
scorching day, to pour water on some
ice; she did SO, only the water was boil
ing.
"If yes. please, sir" said Bridget
''the mates cooked, and breakfast is
nearly ready"
bridget is from Cork, and her accen,
is rather broadly
Gall right, Bridget" replied; eve
will get up directly. Give me the Sun
paper"
Bridget did. as I requested, and
prepped myself up in the bed and began
to pursue it. The first thing that struck
me, was that in was Thursday, the frs.
of January, 1857. had quite forgot
ten it was New Years day. L deter
mined [ would turn over q new leaf, and
endeavor to be more satisfied with my
condition for the ensuing year. My
eyes then ran down the list of advertised
letters. L saw one for me, yes, there it
was, Jonathan Clutterwell, NJ D., right
before my eyes. Now Clutterwell is not
a very common name, to say nothing OF
the prefix, Jonathan. Immediately
surmised that the letter must be for me.
1 set my wits to work thinking who it
could be from.
81 have it." said I to myself; otis
from Aunt Margaret. She has sent us
a handsome New Y ears gift in the shape
of a bank bill, and not knowing my true
address, has directed the letter simply
to Baltimore"
was so convinced that my supposi-
tion was correct, that could no longer
restrain my impa atience, but jumped up,
hurried on my clothes, told Bridget to
delay the breakfast, thew myself into a
Howard-street stage, and in about a
quarter of an hour found myself at the
post-ofice window. In another minute
the letter was in my hands.
1 opened it, and, to my astonishment
read as follows:
AccoMAcK G. H, Va, Dec. 24, 1856.
Dear Sir We regret to inform you
of the demise of your respected aunt
Miss Margaret Clutterwell. By hel
will, now in our possession, you are ap
pointed sole heir to her property
amounting in real estated and personal
property, to $4,000 per annum.
Hoping to see you Immediately, We
remain,
Yours, very respectfully,
FLETCHER & Co.
"To Jonathan Clutterwell, Esq, NJ
D., Baltimore, Md"
Poor Aunt Margaret was dead, then
In spite of the wealth she left me, I re
ally felt sorry: she was such kind
good old lady; but then, I recollected
we cannot expect to live forever, anc
eighty is, after all, good age. I ther
thought of the wealth she had left, anc
the new comforts it would bring us
how high we could hold our heads i
That we could get-a carriage as hand
some as DR.. B--'s, house as fnt
as DIR. C-'s, and library as larg,
as DIR. D-'s.
By the time all these things hat
passed through my mind, I had az all
reached home.
"Joy. joy, joy" I exclaimed, as
opened the door-my wife was sitting
at the breakfast table waiting for m!
return-"we are rich, We are indepen
dent"
"What do you mean, my dear? Yo'
must be going crazy" returned my wife
In reply I threw her the letter.
could perceive the dear girls eyes bright
en- as she read, for after all she was bu
human.
"Oh, how nice !" she exclaimed, whel
she had perused it. "Now, Jonathan
dear, what shall we do?"
"Well," I returned, 81 suppose in tn