The true northerner., 1875-06-11

Nonsense, said Miss Shippen. 81
shall be rich, of course. And you don't
suppose I'm going to take the first red
headed doctor that offers, do youl /
shall have plenty of beaux. 1 always
have had. And now-dear me, you
must think a good deal of yourself, de-
clare"
Whereupon the doctor, ready to die of
rage, departed, and banded himself with
nurse Petting, already Miss Shippen's
sworn enemy.
That evening young Smith made ten
der advances, and received an equally
insulting rebuff Miss Shippen had now
four enemies, for Mrs. Smith, of course,
sympathized with her son.
The lawyer only remained civil, and
into his ears, whenever she could catch
him, Miss Shippen poured her plans for
the future. Even when at last the whole
party were assembled in the parlor, two
gentlemen of grave manner, as yet un-
known to the group, being among
them, Miss Shippen found her spirits
too high to be quenched, and chattered
on, regardless of the angry faces about
her.
Poor uncle Dear me, who would
have thought, she said" me that he
hated sol I'm going to have basket
phaeton and a pair of ponies, and drive
up in the Park. Gloves to match my
,, dress-whip in my hand, silver handle.
I'll make show, won't / Z Poor old fell
low Now who'd ever have thought,
when / used to make such fun of his
umbrella j declare how the world does
go, doesn't it 2 And it won't be long to
be out of mourning, either. shan't go
into half 1t don't suit me. I'll wear
crimson and blue and corn-color. Moth
ing but silk velvet in winter. Well, what
is it p This to the legal gentleman.
Silence, if you please, for moment,
Miss Shippen," said the lawyer.
"Mum as mouse, if you are going to
read the WILL" said the lady.
The lawyer unfolded the parchment.
The two grave strangers became solemn
ly attentive.
The 4" / Samuel Shipper, being" etc.,
was finished. Then came a legacy of
five hundred dollars to Mrs. Smith,
which made her burst into tears, and
another of the same amount to Mrs.
Petting, which had the same effect on
her.
"You're welcome, I'm sure, said Miss
Shippen. 81 don't begrudge it to you;
now for me, suppose.
The lawyer smiled, and went on read
ing.
1t was all a muddle to poor Miss Ship
pen, but she extracted from the bulk the
fact that "The Sailors and Soldiers
Asylum of -" was endowed with
one hundred thousand dollars: the
Crabtown College" with another hund-
red thousand; and that another hundred
thousand was divided among ten chari-
ties.
Her face grew long; her cheeks flushed.
Gam l left out z" she muttered.
Here you are, Miss Shippen," said
the lawyer:
To my niece, Anna Maria Shippen,
who, but for her impertinent conduct
would have been my heiress, leave my
blue umbrella, as a reminder that in the
end good feeling and true politeness are
always the best policy. Let her hang it
i'll her room, and look at it often as q
warning in the future"
Anna Maria looked around her, saw
the triumphant grin of her enemies,
burst into tears, and dashed out of the
room. That night she went home. No
one attended her to the door; no one
opened that of the carriage. She drove
to the depot alone, without escort; and
the umbrella still hangs in the closet of
Mrs. Smiths front bedroom, and often
illustrates the story she is fond of telling
to her lodgers of the poor dear gentle
man who left his niece something.