Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-01-30
A FRENCH WILL STORY,


And her will?"
'' Is going TO be opened here Immediately by
her solicitor"
Shall We inherit any ything.''
1t must be supposed 40; We have claims
Who Is that miserably dressed parsonage
who intrndes herself here,
oh, she, said the little man. sneprino
= she won't have much in the will she is sister
to the deceased -
Wat. that Anne who welded in 1912 man
OF nottingham officer"
Precisely So"
"She must have no small amount of impu-
dence to present herself here, before n respect
able family"
g The more so as Sister Egerie. of noble birth
had never forgiven her that mesaNiance "
Anne moved at this time across the rosm in
which the family of the deceased we're assem-
hled She was pale; her fine eyes we're filled
with tears and her face was furrowed by care
with precOciOus wrinkles
What do YOU come here forl'' said. with
great haughtiness, Madame de Villeboys the
lady who, moment before, had been interro-
gazing the little man who inherited with her
Madame" the poor lady replied, with hu-
millty, = do not come here to claim a part of
what does not belong to me; l come solely to
See VI. Dubois, my poor sister s solicitor, to in
pulre If she spoke of Inc at her last hour
What! do you think people busy them
selves about you :, arrogantly observed Mad
erne de Nilloboys; - the disgrace of a great
house-yOu, who welded man of nothing, a
soldier of Bonapartes
Madam. my husband, although a child Of
the people, was brave soldier, and, what is
better. an honest man, observed Anne
AT this moment venerable parsonage, the
notary Dubois, made his appearance
Cease, he said, - to reproach Anne with
union which her sister has forgiven her.
Anne loved generous, brave, and good man,
who had no other crime to reproach himself
with than his poverty and the obscurity of his
name Nevertheless, had he lived if his fam
lily had known him as l knew him, I, his old
friend, Anne would be at this time happy and
respected"
But why is this woman here?''
Because it is her place to be here, said
the notary, gravely; Il myself requested her
To attend here"
NJ. Dubois then proceeded to open the will
- l. being sound in mind and heart, Egerie
de Damreming, retired as a boarder in the
convent of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of
Jesus, dictate the following wishes as the ex-
preston of my formal desire and principal
clause Of my testament.
After my decease there will be found two
hundred thousand francs in money at my no.
tary's, besides jewelry, clothes, and furniture
as also a chateau worth two hundred thousand
francs.
In the convent where have been residing
Ia Verge, holy volume, which remains As it
was when [ took il with me at the time of the
emigration. l desire that these three objects
be divided into three lots.
The first lot, the two hundred thousand
francs in money.
The second lot the chatue, furniture and
jewels
- The third lot, my book, 50 Heures de la
Fierge."
" have psrdoned my sister Anne the grief
which she has caused to Us, and would have
cOmforted her in her sOrrows if had known
sooner Of her return to France. comprise
her in my will.
MADAME de Villeboys, my much beloved
cousin, shall have the first choice.
NJ Natry, my brother-in-law. shall have
the second choice.
'Anne will take the re n1ining 10. -
All, ah, said Vatry, Sister E,erie WI.
good one; that is rather clever on her part ~
Ann will only have the Prayer-book,'' ex-
claimed Madlme de Villeboys laughing aloud
The notary interrupted her PECULIARLY.
Madame" he said, (which lot do You
choose9''
The two hundred thousand francs in mon
ey."
Have You quite made up your mind?''
Perfectly So
The man of law, addressing himself then TO
the good feeling of the lady, said, Madame,
you are rich, and Anne has nothing Could
you not leave her this lot, and take the book
OF prayers, which the eccentricity Of the de-
ceased has placed on par with the other lots -
You must be liking NJ Dubois ;" ex
claimed Madame de NIlleboyS ''you must
really be very dull not IL see the intention of
Sister EgeTie in all this. Our honorea cousin
foresaw full well that her book of prayers would
fall to the lot of Anne. who had the last choice
And what do you conclude from that p in
quired the notary.
conclude that she meant TO intimate 10
her sister that repentance and prayer were the
only help that she had TO expect in this world
Asshc finished these words. Madame dc Vile
boys made definite selection of the ready
money for her share. Monsieur Vatry, a. may
be easily imagined, sc ected the chateau, fur
niture and jewels, as his lot.
Monsieur Natry," said VI. Dubois 10 that
gentleman, 'eyen suppose it had been the in
tenton Of the deceased to punish her sister, il
would be noble on your part, millionaire as you
are, to give up ut least n portion of your share
TO Anne, who wants it so much"
Thanks for your kind advice dear sir. :, re-
Piled Natry; - the mansion is situated on the
very confines OF my woods, and suits me admi-
rably. all the more so that il is ready furnish
cd. As to the jewels of Sister Egerie, they are
"reminiscences which one ought never to part
with :;
= Since it is 50, said the notary, nv Door
Madame Anne, here is the Prayer-book that
remains to you
Anne. attended by her son, handsome boy
with blue eyes, took her sisters old Prayer
book and making her sOa kiss it after her, she
said:
Hector, kiss this book which belonged to
your poor aunt, who il dead. but who would
have loved you well had she known YOU When
you have learned to read you will pray to
Heaven u make you wise and good as your
father was, and happier than your unfortunate
mother
me eyes OF tfose who were present were
filed with tears, notwithstanding their efforts
10 preserve an appearance of Indifference
The child embraced the old book with boyi,b
fervor. and opening IL afterward-
30 mamma, he said, what pretty ric-
lures
Indeed said the mother, happy in the
gladnes. If her boy.
Yes. The good Virgin, in a red dress.
holding the infant Jesus in her arms. But
why, mamma. has silk paper been put upon
the pictures ~
so that they might not be injured, my