Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1857-12-01
THE LOST INHERITANCE.

than | usually devote 10 incident conveys
SO excellent a moral, that | have yielded
TO the temptation 10 give it in full.
The train from Paris 10 Lyons stopped
at the station of Joigny, town upon the
route, and after leaving few passengers,
again went on. The depot, for a mo-
ment crowded with railroad agents and
lockers on, was soon deserted by all bu,
two individuals.
One of them was an old man, dressed
IN the garb of a weIl-to-do farmer; the
other a youth of and-twenty, who
seemed to be waiting for some one to
come and meet him. To this parsonage
the old man finally addressed himself.
&" May | presume SIR" said he, "to
inquire If you are Clement b.
g Yes,my good man" replied the youth,
with haughtiness of manner, land hava
no doubt you are Mr.. Martin"
! al your service replied the other.
Well, Mr.. Martin" continued Glenn
ent, IN the same tone, 81 began to inn
agine you intended 10 keep ne waiting.
! That would not have been the best man
mes IN which to have insinuated yourself
in my good graces."
! The old man instead of replying, let
his head fall upon his breast, as If IN af-
/ fiction, and conducte the new conner to-
wards a large old fashioned new carriage,
to which a very rough looking horse was
/ harnessed.
Here is your carriage" said Martin,
IF you will be good enough to get it,
will have the honor of conducting YOU to
the Hermitage"
THAT my carriage2" cried Clement,
why, [ shall be taken for travelling
! pedlar."
But few days before, Mr. Clemer:
b., who now put on so many fine airs, was
a simple clerk in a crocliery store in Par
is, and possessed the reputation of being
a quiet, unpretending, liule fellow. What
! then, had brought about TIN. sudden and
radical transformation! He had become,
since the previous day, rich man, and ii
may be we'll understood that the posessOr
of an income of twenty thousand francs
Il year finds II difficult 20 retain the mod
est demeanor of a poor clerk. On the
previous day, while dusting the large
piles of Crockery under his charge, a let
ter had arrived for him by post, convey
ing the startling intelligence that one of
his uncles, of whom he had often heard
| as an eccentric and very wealthy cid man,
but whom tie had never seen, had Just
died at his chateau, IN Burgundy, leaving
his nephew, Clement, sole legatee of his
estates, to the exclusion of many other
/ heirs.
| The letter was from a notary in the
province, who desired him to leave Paris
Immediately for Joigny, the town near
which this uncle had resided, where he
would be met by Mr.. Martin, an old CON
fidential servant of the defunct, and con-
Quoted from the railroad to the Hermi-
taoe," the name which the deceased had
given to his chateau and estate.
Almost driven out of his senses by such
an unexpected stroke of fortune, he has
tened TO obey the notary's directions, and
on his arrival at JOigny, joined Martin.
On jolted the queer vehicle IN which
our hero had so contemp;uously taken Il
place, until, after a ride of several miles,
the occupants arrived al their destinations
Martin offered the honors of the Hermi-
tage to the new proprietor, called all the
servants and introduced them to their fu-
ture master, and then conducted the lat
ter to his own apartments.
"This was the sleeping chamber OF
your uncle" said Martin, as they enter
ed a vast apartment, furnished in old
fashioned style. "It was in this room
that he died, ten days ago"
But the nephew instead of eyincing any
emotions upon being shown the chamber
of his benefactor, threw upon all around
! him, look of scorn, and cried:
Upon my word | can't say | think
much of tbs old boys taste! | never saw
anything so very ugly in all my life
| Notwithstanding sir" replied Mar
tin, at is the best we have here, if you
cannot content yourself, | really don't
know where you will find other lodgings"
Me live here you do no, imagine
am such donkey, | hope! For Us young
fellows, do you see, Paris Is the only plac- =,
so | shall sell this old crazy rookery a
once, and then be off.
"SeIl the Hermitage, your uncle's ia
vorite place of residence! impossible! and
we servants, who hoped 10 end our days
under this roof, what is TO become of US =
"Mr. Martin, retorted the young man,
- let me have none of your complaints,
0eg. Get me some dinner, and after
wards you will drive me TO the nOtarys."
After having eaten a hearty meal, not
withstanding he found the meats incipid.
and the wines sour, the legatee, stil ac-
companied by Martin, re-entersd the car
riage, and the two started Oft.
"If am not mistaken" observed Mr.
Clement, after an hours ride, " we passed
this spot this morning, and shat"-po Ming
to building Is the railroad depot. d.
we take the cars!'
." You alone Will do So responded bis
companion speaking very grarely, and IN
a manner which caused the young nan to
trembIe, 10 spite of himself. Il, sir, am
your uncle, and happily, am not dead
Having heard good accounts of your con-
duct, | had resolved to make you heir OF
all / possess; but, before doing 50 | wish
ed to know If you were really deserving
of my generosity, and | had recourse -
stratagem, which has thoroughly exposed
your true character 10 me. Good bye
Mr.. Clement; return to your shop, and
remember that your arrogance aad IN
gratitude have lost you that which will