Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1874-04-03
seletted s9listellanp,
THE PICTORIAL PRAYER-BooK.

IL was many long year ago, ana the
scene of my story is the office of one of
the most respectable notaries in Paris,
Monsieur Dubois, man of the old
school, universally respected for his good
sense, probity and benevolence There
were present, beside the notary himself,
a lady of middle age. richly dressed; she
could never have been handsome, but
perhaps had her countenance been less
proud and disdainful, she would not have
appeared as she did positively ugly
an insignificant looking little man; and
a woman very shabbily dressed, who sat
at some distance from the others, hold
ing the hand of a beautiful little boy
''Her death was rather sudden" said
Madame Moranyillc, the rich clad lady,
to the little man in black.
yes" replied be, coolly; "but no
doubt she was well prepared"
Have you any idea of the contents Of
the will p
Not the slightest F; but we shall soon
know. Dubois will open the will directly.
Pray, who is that shabby-looking
woman? What business can she have
here Z"
"Oh, don't you know her 1t is the
runaway niece, Marie, who made such a
disgraceful match some years ago with a
lieutenant in the army--a man of low
birth"
Il wonder if she has the assurance to
come into our presence.
$50 do | /; the more so. because our
deceased relative, good, pious woman as
she was, must have looked upon her dis
obedience and ingratitude with horror"
At that moment Marie approached the
speakers ; she was yet scarcely in middle
age, but sorrow had been beforehand with
time in robbing her check of its bloom
and her eyes Of their lustre.
pray, what brings you here p said
Madame Moranville. haughtily.
Madame" replied the poor widow,
~ an not come to interfere with your
rights; know have deserved nothing
from my aunt but her pardon, and that |
hope to hear she has left me-"
what" cried Madame Moranyille,
"pardon to you. the disgrace of your
family, who fed from the protection of
your aunt--the best of aunts-with a
low fellow 2"
Madame, I acknowledge my fault; |
have been ungrateful and disobedient-I
know it; but my suiferings have been so
great that | hope heaven has pardoned
me, for ! have looked upon the loss Of
my husband, and the poverty and sorrow
attendant upon it, as a punishment from
above"
"And you deserved"
"Cease these reproaches, Madame"
said the notary in a stern tone; your
cousins fault is not SO very grievous as
to call for them"
"But why should she insult us with
her presence hero p
'She has a right to be here" replied
the notary, ''she comes at my desire"
He then proceeded to read the will, in
which, after the usual preamble, the de-
ceased divided her property into three
parts. The first was composed Of sum
of G8, 900, in the hands OF notary the
second of furnished country seat of the
same value and some family jewels the
third of an illustrated prayer-book. The
will then proceeded as follows:
II desire that my property may be di-
vided into three lots; the first to be eight
thousand pounds; the second the cha
tcau, furniture and jewels !; the third my
prayer-book, which is still in the same
state as when / took it with me in the
emigration in the Reign Of Terror. |
pardon my niece, Marie, for the sorrow
she has caused me and as proof of my
sincerity mention her in my will. My
beloved cousin. Madame Moranyille. will
have the FIRST choice my brother-in-law,