Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-01-10

tainly not nearly 50 old as twenty years ago.
thought cousin Smith must be Joking
there, though l couldn't see myself what
there was to joke about.
All my cousins, down to the youngest of
six years old, were laughing at me.
"Why, how Jolly green YOU are, Cousin
Chrissy!" cried nv cousin Theodore. who
was grown-up young man, and who of
them all liked the least
"Yes, don't YOU see" pursued his father.
still addressing me, "that the date is a mat
ter of great importance In all these
months that, by your account, may have
passed since the advertisement appearcd
there has bcen time for A dozen Miss Chris
tina Smiths to start into existence. and fen
to one but one of them has been clever
enough, before this, to establish her claim
to the fortune which may have been going
begging. wish had noticed the aflyer
tisement; but l don't often look at that
sheet of the paper"
If fIhad been green before, was now red
all over.
"When can 90 to Messss. Ridge and
Ffincll's office. cousin ?" I asked
"To-morrow is Sunday. will take YOU
myself on Monday morning." was his reply.
And he was as good as his word. But,
alas for the result of our INQUIRIES
The Miss Christina Smith who had been
advertised for in the Times of the 7th and
sth of April-nearly nine months ago-was
one of the LAWYERS best known clients
They were, in fact then transactine busi-
ness for her of very private and confident
ial nature, which even now they were not at
liberty to disclose. The lady was eccentric,
and, having occasion to leave London, where
she resided, on a secret errand, while the
business was pending, she had requested
that if Messrs Rudge and Finch had any,
thing to communicate during her absence
they would address her not by letter, but
through the advertisement column of the
Times, The lady's real name was not Miss
Christina Smith at all but she had desired
(whether from mere fancy, or from any rea-
son known to herself they could not tell)that
the advertisement should be made out in that
name.
| IL haa peeh .ne cause OF a good deal OF trou-
pie 10 niessrs. huuse ana fnnch, as was the
iourlh bliss Christiha omith VINO had ap-
phed AZ their oillce In consequence. The
'hree other Iadies Visits had, however, taken
place long ago; Messrs Rudge could not at
all understand an application so late after
date aswas mine. And did not care to
explain the reason. would not have these
hard lawyers laughing at me in my country
simplicity bending over my hamper of eggs
and torn fragments of newspaper, as had
seen my cousins laugh when they had heard
OF 1t. 30, with bow and good morning,
l left the office, Mr.. Smith accompanying
me ',o was very soou u ms anu aio MOI
aug" ~ i'o a''y n'ofe' or-mha' wouiu nave
oeon muiso me io,' IN sP''e Oh sir'
ie,en'n ao''ce, co"'a hot heip asore
iee''ns o' disappointment.
SO this was the end Of the fine palaces and
castles in the air, which had arisen out oi
the baseless fabric of that Something to my
advantage
Yet not quite the end, either. rather
think that something more to my advantage
than my money-even wealth untold-could
have proved to me, did arise out of that very
journey to London. Is not happiness the
best advantage? And am not very happy
Mine has been, thank God, as long as l can
remember, ahappy ire; yet am happier
now than was ever IN my NE before. And
why! What makes all nature so beautiful
VI, rather what has opened my heart to feel,
as never ielt 1t before the beauty Of this
worid OF ours, ana the goodness of the God
VINO mhue IL! why are the hours so gold
en-wingeds why is the reality better than
the dream!
stayed nearly fortnight at Westmin-
ster. Aunt Sarah herself advised IT,; for
when che heard the eventful story of nv
journey to town, she could not bear the idea
of us two girls-Eliza Jane was to return
with me-traveling alone all the way to
Devonshire. had told her of Mr.. Mere
diths kindness; how that at the end of the
fortnight he would himself be going home (;
and that, by waiting till then, we should
| with ours, by far the greater part of the
way. And Aunt Sarah jumped ut the idea
| Mr. Mnrad;th Didn't ium,, Int In eaau,ad