The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1876-10-12
PRIDE HAS ITS FALL.

station, for a moment crowded with
railway porters and lookors-on, was
soon deserted by all but two indiyid-
uals. One of them was an old man,
dressed in the garb of well-to-do
farmer, the other youth of about
fiye-and-twcnty, who seemed to be
waiting for some one to come and
meet him. To this person the old
man presently addressed himself.
"NIay I presume, sir" said he, "to
inquire if you are Clement B-%
ayes, my good man." replied the
youth, with a haughtineSs ofmanner,
sand have no doubt you are Mr.
Martin
at your service, sir" replied the
other.
swell, Mr.. Martin, continued Gle
ment, in the same tone, 81 began to
imagine that you intended to keep
me waiting. That would not have
l,oon tho host manner in which to
have insinuated yourself in my good
graces,"
The old man, instead of replying,
let his head fall upon his breast as if
in deep afiliction, and conducted the
new conner toward a large, oldfash-
Toned carriage, to which very
rough-looking horse was harnessed.
"Hcre is your carriage, sir" said
Martin, 'If you will be good enough
to get in, will have the honor of
conducting you to the Hermitage"
"That my carriage, sirl said Gle
mcnt. "Why, shall be taken for a
travelling pcddlcr."
But few days ago, Mr.. Clement
b, who now put on so many fine
airs, was a simple clerk ina crockery
warehouse in Paris, and possessed
the reputation of being a quiet, un-
pretending little fellow. What,
then, had brought about the sudden
and radical transformation? He had
become, since the previous day, a
rich man, and it may be well under
stood that the posscssor of an income
of twenty thousand frances year
finds it difficult to retain the modest
demeanor of a poor clerk. On the
previous day, while busting the large
piles of crockery under his charge, a
letter arrived for him by the post,
conveying to him the startling in
telligence that one of his uncles, Of
whom he had often heard as an &C.
centric and very wealthy old man,
hutwhom he had ncverseen, hadjust
died at his residence In burgundy,
leaving his nephew, Clement, sole
heir to his estate, to the exclusion of
many otherheirs.
The letter was froma notary in the
province, who desired him to leave
Paris Immediately for Joigny, the
town near which this uncle had re-
sided, where he would be met by Mr..
Martin, and old confidential servant
of the deceased, and conducted from
the railroad to the "Hermitagc," the
name which the deceased had given
to the estate,
Almost driven out of his senses by
such an unexpected stroke of fortune,
Clement FASTENED to obey the nota-
RVS directions, and, on his arrival at
Joigny, joined Martin, as we have
seen.
On joltcd the queer vehicle in
which our hero had so contcmptuous.
ly taken place, until, after a ride of
several miles, the occupants arrived
at their destination. Martin offered
the honors of the Hermitage to the
new proprietor, called all the ser,
wants and introduced them to their
future master, and then conducted
the latter to his own apartments,
"This was the sleeping chamber of
your uncle, said Martin, as they en-,
tered large apartment, furnished in
old.fashionod style. at was in this
room he died ten days ago"
But the nephew, instead of oyinc,
ing any emotion upon being shown
the chamber of his benefactor, threw
upon all around him look of scorn,
and cricd,-
Upon my word, I can't say l
think much of the old boys taste! |
never saw anything so very ugly in
my life"
UNntwiIbstorl;no s;,u r,,l;,l