The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1870-03-23
Sqlect STORY.
a STRANGE INHERITANCE.


ais she dead, then?'
Eyes, madame replied the gentleman
in brown coat and short breeches
"And her will p
as going to be opened here Immediately
by her solicitor"
"Shan we inherit anything?"
at must be supposed so, we have a
claim"
'Who is the miserably dressed person
age who intrudes herself here?"
| ooh, She" said the little man snee-ing-
| ly, "she wont have much in the will She
is sister of the deceased"
'What, that Anne, who married man
of nothing, an offieer?
Precisely So"
"She must have no small amount of
impudence to present herself here before a
respectable family"
1.-THE more so, as sister Egerie, of noble
| birth has never forgiven her that misalli-
ance"
Anne moved this time across the room
in which the family of the deceased were
assembled. She was pale, her fine black
eyes were surrounded by precious wrin-
kles.
"What do you come here for?' said
with great haughLiness, Madame de Vile
boys, the lady who, moment before, had
been interrogating the little man who had
inherited with her.
Madame" the poor lady replied with
humility, 81 do not come here to claim
part of what does not belong to me, 1
came solely to see NJ. Dubois, my sisters
solicitor, to enquire if she spoke of me in
her last hours"
what do you think people busy
themselves about you? arrogantly obser-
we'd Madame de Villeboys, the disgrace of
great house-yon welded a man of moth
ing a soldier of Bonaparte."
Madame, my husband, although a
child of the people, was brave soldier,
and what Is more, an honest man, observ-
we'd 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
forgiven her. Anne loved brave, gener-
Gus and good man, who had no other
crime to reproach himself with than pow
erty and the obscurity of his name New
ertheless, had he lived, if his family had
known him as well as / knew him-I, his
old frend-Anne would be at this time
happy and respected"
"But why IS this woman here 2"
Because it is her place to be here" re-
piled the notary gravely. "I myself re-
quested her to attend"
NJ. Dubois then proceeded to read the
will.
81, being sound in mind and heart, Ege-
RE, de Damening, retired as boarder in
the Convent of the Sacred heart of Jesus,
dictate the following wishes as the express
sion of my formal desire and principal
clause of my testament.
after my decease there will be found
at my notary's two hundred thousand
francs in money, besides jewelry, clothes
and furniture, and also a chateau worth
two thousand francs.
ain the convent, where 1 have been re-
siding there will only be found my book,
'Reltres de Ia Verge a holy volume,
which remains as when l took 1t with me
at the time of the emigration. desire
that these objects be divided into three
lots.
'The first lot is the two hundred thou
sand francs.
"'The second lot, the chateau, furniture
and Jewels.
"The third lot, my book 'Heares de Ia
Verge"
al have pardoned my sister Anne the
grief she has caused to US, and would have
comforted her in her sorrow had known
of her return to France sooner. l COM
pensate her IN my will.
Madame Yilleboys, my beloved cousin
shall have the first choice.
an. Vatry, nay brother-in-law, shall
have the second choice.
Anne will take the remaining lot"
"Ahl ali p said Vatry, SISTER Egerie
was good one that was rather clever on
her par"
ANNE will only have the prayer book, i"
/ exclaimed Madame de Villeboys, laughing.
The notary interrupted her, jOcularly.
Madame" said he, what lot do you
choose to take2'
''The two hundred thousand francs in
money"
"Have you fully made up your mind. "
Perfectly SO"
The man of law, addressing himself to
the good feelings of the lady, said: Mad
anne, you are rich, and Anne has nothing.
Could you not leave this lot, and take the
book of prayers, which the eceentrclty OF
the deceased has placed on par with the
other lotsP'
"You must be Joking, NJ. Dubois?' ex-
claimed Madame de Villeboys; you must
really be very dull not to see the inten-
ton of sister Egerie in all this Our hon.
ored cousin foresaw full well that heI
book of prayers would fall to the lot o.
Anne, who has the last ehsice."
"And what do you conclude from that ?
said the notary.
'I conclude that she intends to init
mate to her sister that repentance and
prayer were the only help she need expecf
IN this world"
AS she finished these words, Madam,
de Villeboys made definite selection o
the ready money for her share. NJ Vatry
as may be easily imagined, selected the
chateau furniture and jewels as his lot
Monsieur Vatry," said NJ. Dubois x
that gentleman, even suppose 1t had beel
the intention of the deceased to punisl
her sister, it would be noble on your part
millionaire that you are, to give at least
portion of yours to Anne, who wants
! SO much"
Thanks for your advice, dear sir" re
piled Vatry. "The mansion is situated o
the very confines Of my woods, and suit
me admirably, all the more so that it
ready furnished, As 10 the jewels of sii
ter Egerie, they are "reminiscences which
ought never TO part with"
"Sinee it is so" said the notary, ''m
poor Madame Anne, here's a prayer boo
: that remains TO you"
Anne, attended by her son, a handson
/ hCvr With blua avaS took her siSfay5S III