Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-06-12

muf was not forgotten, and it was current with
the good villagers that Fred would have 10 nav
dearly for that joke
One morning the village was all action. Dur
ing the night the spirit of the redoubtable lady
mad quietly taken its fight. She was found
S. ueaa III her arm chair, and had died as she had
lived, alone. She had alarmed no one durin0
the night, nor had she suffered previous illness
curiosity, OF course, was intense on the subject
Oh her Will, and it was produced as soon as de-
cency would allow All her connections were
present, and their eager, hopeful, anxious
countenanees would have furnished a rare sub.
Ject Tor the pencil Of an artist. The reading of
the will proceeded until it was finished except
simple codicil. Each of her relatives. ex-
cepung her nephew, had been remembered
some to greater extent than others, but none
considerable
At all events, not one-third of her fortune
mad been dispensed, and as the codicil only re-
malned, all eyes were turned to Frederick
Strong as the lucky one after all. But what
was their surprise, when they found it only
made him recipient of her old sable muff and
contents. The word contents again excited
their curiosity. and, to satisfy them the article
was produced, and found only to contain a
simple paper sewed on to the lining. When
detached and opened in the bold hand writing
of Aunt Sally were found these words:
DEAR NEPHEw.-You will doubtless ap-
precste this, the last joke shall ever be guilty
OF, as L appreciated yours on a certain time
You remember. God bless you and yours
Farewell"
Frederick declared he was satisfied The
old lady had fairly retOrted upon him, and he
certainly deserved nothing better at her hands
But what had become of Aunt Sally 8 money :?
that was the mystery, and il became more
than nine days wonder to the worthy viii
layers, who discussed it on every occasion. She
L.
various banks, but all this the anxious rela-
tives ascertained was drawn out few days be-
tore her death. Squire A. was consulted
who had drafted the will, but he stoutly main
tanned that the will covered the whole of her
property and he would have nothing further to
do with it,
One evening. about six months after the old
lady's death, while Frederick was conversing
with his wife, the subject of the muf was intro
duced.
That was costly joke of yours, dear Fred?"
said his wife gaily.
But / got the muff at all events, Lucy, and
what Is better, no one has come forward to
claim the three thrOusand dollars which she
loaned me. 1 feel confident that she intended
10 present 1t to me and therefore destroyed my
note
- Let us have look at the old relic, Fred, if
the moths have hot eaten it wholly up. L will
return with it in a moment"
The muff was produced, and, as Lucy, pre-
dlcted, the lining was wofully moth eaten.
- My dear wife, you must look to this, for
prize it dearly on good Aunt Sally's account
l think you had better rip out the lining, and
renoyate the whole with camphor."
Lucy took her scissors and commenced at
once upon the task.
:" What can the old lady have stuffed it with
| wonder Why, Fred, instead of cotton, she
has wadded it with dirty brown paper"
Dirty brown paper, indeed.' exclaimed
her husband, springing from his chair and
catching her hand, as she was about to throw a
bunch into the CRATE. Why it is bank notes
or am dreaming"
The mystery Of the word contents was
now explained. Note after note was drawn
out until more than thirty thousand dollars lay
on the table before them. A letter was also
found from the aunt which stated that she al
ways intended him for her heir His own note
also came to light from which his name had
been torn of. This new revelation of course
created an immense excitement among the viii
layers. But Frederick aud his wife kept on the
even tenor of their wealth, simply, but for
themselves One evening, during each year
they opened their splendid mansion to all 1t
is famous affair for the villagers, and is known
as the anniversary of Aunt SalIy's Muff''