The Portland daily press., 1869-02-26
Selected story.
A FRENCH WILL STORY.


by her solicitor"
"Shall we inherit anything?"
I'm. Ig must De supposed so; We have claim"
Who is the miserably dressed parsonage
who has intruded herself here?"
"Oh, she?" said the little man sneeringiy
"she won't have much in the will. She is a
sister to the deceased"
What that Anne, who welded man of
nothing an oficer?"
Precisely so."
'She must have no small amount of impu-
dence to present herself here before respect
table family"
"The more so, as sister Egerie, of noble M
birth, has never forgiven her that mlssalh-
ance"
Anne moved this time across the room IN
which the family of the deceased was assem-
bled. She was pale, her fine black eyes were
filled with tears, and precocious wrinkles
marked her brow.
"What do YOU come here for ?" said. with
great haughtiness, Madame de VilIeboys. the
lady who moment before, had been interro-
eating the little man who had inherited with
her."
Madame" the poor lady replied with
of what does not belong to me: 1 come solely
to see Nj. Dubois, my sisters solicitor, to in
quire II she spoke of me in her last hours"
what! do you think people busy them
selves about you?" arrogantly observed Mad
anne de Vileboys; ''the disgrace of great
house-you welded man of nothing, sailor
of Bonaparte's.
madame, my husband, though child of
the people, was brave soldier, and what is
better, an honest mau," observed Anne.
AT this moment venerable parsonage, the
notary. Dubois, made his appearance.
"Cease," said he, "to reproach Anne with
a union which her sister has long ago for
given her. Anne loved brave, generous and
good man, who had no other crime to charge
himself with than poverty and the obscurity
OF his name. Nevertheless, had he lived if
his family had known him as well as knew
him /, his old ffiend-Anne would be at
this time happy and respected"
But why is this woman here?"
because it is her place 10 be here" replied
to attend"
M. Dubois then proceeded to open the will.
81, being sound in mind and heart, Egerie
de Damaning, retired as a boarder in the
Convent OF the Sacred Heart of Jesus, die.
tate the following wishes as the expression of
my formal desire and principal clause of my
testament:
After my decease there will be found two
hundred thousand francs at my notary's, be-
sides jewelry, clothes and furniture, and also
chateau worth two hundred thousand
francs.
In the convent where / have been residing
there will only be found my book, Heures de
la Verge, holy volume, Whichkremains as it
was when l took it with me at the time of
the emigration. 1 desire these objects to be
divided into three lots.
The first lot the two hundred thousand
francs.
The second lot, the chateau, furniture and
jewels.
The third lot, my book, Heures de la
Verge.
have pardoned my sister Anne the grief
she has caused TO us, and would have COM
torted her in her sorrow if had known
sooner of her return to France. / compro-
mise her in my will.
Madame de Vileboys, my beloved cousin,
shall have the first choice.
81. Vatry, my brother-in-law, shall have the
second choice.
Anne will take the remaining lot.n
"Ah! ah" said Vatry, "sister Egerie was a
good one; that was rather clever on her
part"
"Anne will only have the prayer book, !"
exclaimed Madame de Villeboys, laughing.
The notary interrupted her jocuiarity.
MADAME" said he, (which lot do you
choose?"
"The two hundred thousand francs in
meney."
aHaye you fully made up your minds"
Perfectly so."
The man of law, addressing himself to the
good feelings of the lady, said:
MADAME, you are rich, and Anne has moth
ing. Could you not leave this lot, and take
the book of prayers, which the eccentricity of
the deceased has placed on a par with the
other lots?"
"You must be joking, M Dubois w exclaim-
ed Madame de Villeboys. "You must really
be very dull not to see the intention of sister
Egerie in all this. Our honored cousin fore
saw full well that her book OF prayers would
fall to the lot of Anne, who has the last
choice"
sand what do you conclude from that p"
said the notary.
SI conclude tlAese slAe- inteaas to intimate To
her sister that repentance and prayers were
the only help she had to expect in this
world"
AS she finished these words, Madame de
Villeboys made a definite selection of the
ready money for her share. Monsieur Va
try, as may be easily imagined, selected the
chateau, furniture and diamonds as his lot.
Monsieur Vatry," said M. Dubois to that
gentleman, seven suppose it had been the il-
tention of the deceased to punish her sister,
it would be noble on your part, millionaire as
you are, to give at least portion of yours to
Anne, who wants it SO much"
"Thanks for your advice, dear SIR" replied
Vatry. "The mansion is situated on the
very confines of my woods and suits me ad-
mirably, all the more so that it is ready fur
nished. AS to the jewels of sister Egerie.
they are "reminiscences which ought never
to part with"
"Since it is So" said the notary, "My Door
Madame Anne, here's prayer book that re.
mains to you."
Anne, attended by her son, a handsome
boy, with blue eyes, took her sisters old
prayer book, and making him kiss it after her
she said:
"Hector, kiss this book, which belonged to
your poor aunt, who is dead, but who would
have loved you well had she known you.-
When you have learned to read you will pray
to heaven to make you wise and good: and
happier than your unfortunate mother"
The eyes OF those who were present were
filled with tears, notwithstanding their efforts
to preserve feeling of indifference.
The child embraced the old prayer book
with boyish fervor, and opening it, exclaimed !:
oh! mamma, look, what pretty pictures"
"lndeedF' said the mother, happy in the
gladness of her boy.
''Yes The good Virgin in a red dress.
holding the Infant in her. arms. But why'
mamma, has silk paper been put upon the
pictures ?'
$50 that they may not be injured, nv
DEAR"
"But, mamma, why are there ten silk ra-
pers on each engraving?"
The mother looked, and uttering a sudden
Shrek, she fell into the arms of Nj. Dubois
the notary, who addressing those present.
said:
leave her alone; it won't be much: peo-
pie don't die OF these shocks. As for YOU
little one," addressing Hector, "give me that
prayer book, you will tear the engravings."
The inheritors withdrew, making various
conjectures as to the cause of Annes sudden
illness, and the interest which the notary
look IN her month afterwards they met
Anne and her son exceedingly well-but not
extravagantly-dressed, taking an airing in a
two-horse chariot. This led them to make
inquiries, and they learned that Madame An
ne had recently purchased mansion for one
hundred thousand francs, and was giving a
first rate education to her son. The news
came like thunderbolt upon them. Madame
de Villeboys and M. Vatry hastened to the
notary for explanations. The good Dubois
was working at his desk
perhaps we are disturbing you," said the
arrogant lady.
"No matter; was in the act of settling a
purchase in the State funds for Madame
Anne"
"Whatl after purchasing house and
equipase, has she still money to invest?"
Undoubtedly so."
But where did the money come from?"
"When? ?"
when she shrieked on seeing what the,
prayer syT oook which she inherited contained
we observed nothing.n
HOhf I thnuub4