Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1879-04-08

| little room back of the drawing-rOom,
| which is in reality the library, but which
Mr.. Roy, he being a literary man, choos-
es to call his study. He is sitting at his
table, with NelPs letter spread out before
him, and is reading it for the fourth
time. There is nothing very remarkable
about it; it is not what one would style
a love-letter, and yet Dick would not for
all the world have his sister get a glimpse
of it.
"DEAR DICK, have been looking for
you to call, as you promised, and am
much surprised at not having seen you.
Your birthday, ! think you told me, is
about this time. Did you have party ?
and are you so elated at having attained
your majority that you are above visit
ing your friends? | cannot think that
because YOU are now man you have
given up all the friends of your childhood.
| Please call soon, and tell me all about
your presents Ever your friend, NELL. =
That is it; and in it Dick is trying to
| find traces of something more than
| friendship.
s'Nell is an awfully jolly girl, !" he says
to himself, leaning back in his chair and
| thrusting his hands into his pockets
| ''iust as full of fun as ever she can be. |
wonder whether she really does care any
thing for me? I'm not altogether bad
looking fellow, ifI do say it myself, and
| fancy | can talk quite as well as the
most Of 'em. How is one to tell whether
a girl cares more for him than for
another, when she persists in being jolly
with every one?"
Then he gets to thinking of some
means to solve the problem. How shall
he prove her? Presently an idea comes
to him, first family, indistinctly; then
more plainly and more vividly, until a
plan-an excellent plan, he thinks
stands out before him in beautiful sym
merry Everything seems to have work
ed in favor of it, and he is naturally joy
GUS over his discovery, M
He opens one of the drawers in his
writing table and takes out packet of
letters. Through them he searches until
he finds two that Janet wrote him while
he was away on his midsummer vaca-
ton. These he spreads open before him,
and taking a sheet of note-paper he be-
gins to write, now closely studying his
sisters letters, now slowly putting words
upon the paper. Half an hour and he
has finished. He folds thesheet, incloses
it in on envelope, and addresses it as
carefully as he has written it. Then he
rises. and, unlocking the door, meets
Janet in the hall She sees him take
down his hat to go out.
"Had YOU not better wear your over
coat?n she asks. I'm afraid you might
take cold again "
"Tm not going far" he answers;
only to post a letter." m
ITO Nell?n she asks, teasingly. Are
you not rather prompt in answering your
correspondents" .10.7 ea,r:
Dick, making no reply, goes out, while
she, laughing to herself. hurries away to
her numerous household duties
The next morning is the Ist of April
All-fool's Day, with its temptations to
practical jokes and its myriads Of little
innocent lies, when every one does his
best to make a fool of his dearest friend
as well as his direst foe. 1t is a bright,
sunny morning, that swells the buds to
bursting, and draws up the blades of
fresh young grass as a magnet draws steel.
Dick Roy is in the very best of spirits /;
he has persuaded Janet into believing
that he has taken fresh cold; has as
sumed a voice as hoarse as q veteran bull
frog; and has been looking the very pic
ture of distress, until the arrival Of the
postman-.iust as lie is creeping in to
breakfast and adding to his sisters anx-
iety by his distressed countenance-
causes him to brighten up, and in the
clearest tone remark, @ 'Pon my word,
Jean, my colds gone. Did it strike you
this was the first day of April?pa
An expression of relief mingled with
annoyance mounts Miss Roy's counte-
nance.
.'You awful boy y she exclaims. &" You
should be ashamed of yourself, trying to
fool your own sister, -.-.@Rs So
..And Succeeding, too laughs Dick.
The only letter this morning is one for
him. 1t is hidden by large yellow en-
velope, and addressed in bold heavy
hand that gives one an impression of i'm
portant business at once. As Dick opens
It and catches sight of the heading. his
face brightens in expectation, and con-
tinues Frightening until he has read it
quite through, when he is wearing the
broadest of smiles
"Hurrah p he shouts, his boyishness
making it's appearance through his new
ly acquired manhood" huIrah for Uncle
Arthur Hurrah ! Jean, we've been
left a fortune n
Janet looks at him unbelievingly.
She has been fooled once this morning,
and does not intend to submit tamely to
what she considers her brothers second
attempt.
eff you must joke, Dick" she says,
calmly, her voice and manner strangely
contrasting with his excitement, pray
don't take such a subject. You are play
ing your part very well, I admit; but
still l remember now what day it is
"But I'm not joking; it's fact. Here
is letter from the dear old boys lawyer.
Look at the postmark; look at the
letter-head; read the message he goes
on, excitedly, running around to his sis
ter's side Of the table and spreading the
envelope and its contents before her.
He is certainly not fooling her now, as
she is compelled to admit when she is
thus presented with the evidence. The
same heavy style of writing that was
without is within.
4'sf5ass 4DHAH 1sSg sfns ri; 1t begins),-@1 have
pleasure in informing you that the viii
of the late Arthur Roy, Esq. ,of this city,
bequeaths to his great-nephew and great
niece, Richard and Janet Roy (yoursel.
and sister), each the sum Of fifty thou
sand dollars These amounts are in
vested in United States government
bonds, and shall be forwarded to you in
due course. ~ .astbA
have the honor to be your obedi-
ent servant,
| ~. MADISON PERRY, Executor"