The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-09-20

2 Yes, said Madame meanwhile,
tittering; ;.she has given a proof of
it; Marie viii only have The Il prayer
book.M 1cb 3,iit M ,if ,is iq,,,y Pas.S,ord
n The notary, who seemed scarcely
able TO contain mis- indignation, later
rupted the titterer. ,.I s''What lot do
yon choose, madarne?H said he.i q
'The i&S,000."it'a.a 31g frsG'g,gI s,Is 3
"You are determined on thatp"
'.Most undoubtedly. -. ~, - 49, q ~
'Madame MoTanville, you are
rich, and your cousin is very-very
poor; cannot you leave this lot, and
take the prayer-book, that this
this" he seemed for "a moment at
loss for an xpression-''this strange
will has put in the balance with the
other lots?''
'.Aar5 '.Ar5 you joking, Monsieur Du-
bois?" cried Madame Moranville; cor
don't You see that my honored cou-
sin has made her will in the express
intention that the prayer-box should
fall to Marie, who was to have the
last choice?"
Sand what do you conclude from
that?"aa. .l.'..'>, 20
"I conclude that she desired her
niece should understand that prayer
and repentance were the only succors
she ought to expect in this life. Ah,
she was saint, that dear woman"
"Saint, quotha!" cried the notary,
Indignantly; 'may Heaven defend me
from such a saintl An unforgiving,
unnatural woman! / am wrong; I do
her injustice. Her intention, I am
sure, was to give you and Monsieur
D'Arlemont an opportunity of doing
o good, O noble action, by dividing
the property equally with her poor
niece"
"Monsieur D'Arlemont will do as
he pleases; I repeat, that my choice is
made"
."And SO is mine, said D'Arlemont;
''I shall take the chateau and all it
contains"
"Pause one moment, Monsieur
"Even if it was the intention of
the deceased to punish her niece,
ought you. millionaire, to take ad-
vantage of her unchristian conduct,
to leave one of your own family
languishing in poverty? Will you
not at least give up part of your
lot, even o small part, to this poor
widowP" IL.
"Many thanks for your kind ad-
vice, my dear Dubois, said Arlemont,
sneeringly; "the chateau is close to
one of my estates, and will suit me
admirably-particularly as it is fur
nished. AS for the family jewels, it
is impossible for me to think of part
ing with them"
HIn that case, "..said the notary,
addressing Marie, s'I can only give
you, my poor Madame LIE Fevre, the
prayer-book.
She took the book, and pressing it
to her lips, held it to her son, who
cried out with childish delight at the
sight of its richly-gilt cover, "Oh,
mamma, let me have it."
eyes, my boy, you shall have it; it
will be the only legacy I can leave
you. But never-never will I part
with it. I thank Heaven she has
pardoned me! She has said it, and L
know that she was truth ITSELF"
The notary turned away his head.
"Don'tgo, Madame LIE Fevre, said
he, 81 must speak to you by-and-b by. {"
cat that moment, the boy, in
playing with the book, unclasped it,
and cried ont, "Oh, mamma, look at
the pretty pictures! But why are
they all covered with this nice thin
paper?"
cit is to keep them from being
soiled."
''But why put six papers to every
picture?"
His mother looked-she uttered O
piercing cry, and fell, fainting, into
the arms of Monsieur Dubois, who
said to those present, "Let her
alone, it is nothing, she will not die
this time. Give me that book, child !;
you may do mischief to it." =
The two rich legatees went away,
commenting not very charitably on
Marie's swoon, and the evident inte-
rest the notary took in her.
Abont month afterwards they met
Madame LIE Fevre and her son, both
well-dressed, riding in O pretty car
riage, with two horses. This unex-
pected sight led them to make in
quiry after her, and they found that
she had purchaseda a handsome house,
and was living in q quiet but very
good style. Thunder-struck at this