The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1875-02-19
MI j S g G iIarao Gus =.
A Pictorial Prayer-Book.

scene of my story is the office of one of the
most respectable notares in Paris, Mon.
sieur Dubois, man of the old school
universally respected for his good sense
probity and benevoence. There were
present, besides the notary himself, u 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 insignifi-
cant looking little man; and a woman very
shabbily dressed, who sat at some distance
from the Others, holding the hand of a
beautiful little boy.
Her death was rather sudden" said
Madame Moranville, the richly clad lady,
to the little man iu black.
"Yes," replied he, coolly "but no doubt
she was well prepared"
Have you-any idea of the contents OF
the will ~
mot the slightest; but we shall soon
know. Dubois will open the will direct
ly."
Pray, who is that shabby-looking wo-
man, What business can she have here ~
"Oh, don't you know herr 1t is the
runaway niece, Marie, who made such a
disgraceful match some year ago with a
lieutenant in the army-a man Of low
BIRTH"
II wonder she has the assurance to come
into our presence"
$50 do l. the more so, because our de-
ceased relative, good pious woman as she
was must have looked upon her disoLedi-
ence and ingratitude with horror"
A hot A.
speakers; she was yet scarcely in middle
age, but sorrow had been beforehand with
time in robbing her cheek of its bloom and
her eyes Of their lustre.
pray, what brings yon here?" said Ma
dame Moranville, haughtily.
MADAME" replied the poor widow, 81
am not come to interfere with your rights;
know have deserved nothing from my
aunt but her pardons and that / hope to
hear she has left me-"
"What cried Madame Moranville, "par-
don to you, the disgrace of your family,
who fled from the protection of your aunt
the best of aunts-with low fell
low 2"
"Madame, l acknowledge my fault;
have been ungrateful and disobedient-
knew it; but my sufferings have been SO
great that hope heaven has pardoned me,
for have looked upon the loss of my hus
band, and the poverty and sorrow attend
ant upon it, as u punishment from above
"And you deserved"
"Ceasc these reproaches, Madame" said
the notary in stern tone, "your cousins
fault is not so very gricvous as to call for
them"
but why should she insult us with her
presence here 7"
"She has 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 q sum Of
9S,000 in the hands of a notary; the Sec
ond of furnished country scat of the same
value and some family jewels; the third of
an illustrated prayer book. The will then
proceeded as follows:
Il desire that my property may be divi-
ded into three lots the first to he eight
thousand pounds; the second the chateau,
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 a proof of my sincerity / mention
her in my will My beloved cousin, Ma,
dame Moranvillc, will have the first choice;
my brother-in-law, Monsieur D'Arlemont,
the second, and Marie the last"
"Ah, my sisterin-law was a sensible wo.
man." cried Monsieur D'Arlemont.
YES" said Madame Moranville, litter.
ing, "she has given proof of it, Marie will
only have the prayer book"
The notary, who seemed scarcely able ia
contain his indignation, interrupted the
tittering. "What lot do you choose, ma.
DAME" said he.
1.-THE eight thousand pounds"
"You are determined on that T.
Most undoubtedly"
MADAME Moranville, you are rich and
your cousin is very, very poor; cannot you
leave this lot and take the prayer-book,
that by this"-he seemed for moment al
q loss for an cxpression-"this strange will
has been put in the balance with the other
| lots ?"
"Are you joking Monsieur Dubois 2" cri.
ed Madame Moranvile; "or don't you sec
that my honored cousin has made hei
will in the express intention that the pray.
| book shall fall to Marie who was to have
the last choice 2"
"And what do you conclude from
| that2"
~ conclude that she desired her niece
should understand that prayer and re.
pentance were the only succors she ought
| to expect in this life. All, she was a saint
| that dear woman !"