The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-07-09

| oollA hilO lib WollG W
New York in the first train this morning,
she tried to rise unconcerncdly from the
table, and fell in dead faint on tho car
pet among them.
When Nelly came to, she was un-
dressed and in bed, and Aunt Mary was
larning stockings at the foot.
ooh, let me get up, Aunt Mary I
don't want to lie here |"
"Now, Nell, be reasonable You're
ILL.,"
"Oh, Aunt Mary, I'm not"
"Nelly, if you will lie still to-day, I'll
let you have that old box of curiosities
i'll my room to look over. Will you?"
81 don't know"
Aunt Mary went for them. Nelly shut
her eyes md let the wave in all its bitter
hess surge over her once; when Miss
Golding came back, bringing box of
old mahogany, black and glossy with
time
"Thcre !" setting it on the bed.
With wintry little smile of thanks,
Nelly lifted the cover. The old mahog-
any box contained strange things. Pic
lures on wood and ivory, Illuminated
manuscripts, webs of strongc lace, an-
tiQuc ornaments, ancient cmbroiderics,
great packages of old letters, sealed TASKS
of unfamiliar perfume, ancient brooches
of red gold, finger rings of clumsily-set
gems tied together with faded ribbons, q
knot of hair fastened together with n
gold heart, the silver hilt of sword, and
lastly, tiny octagon portrait of an old
man, done III chalk upon a kind of vel
lum and enclosed in n frame of tarnishcd
brass.
"Who is this that is so ugly, Aunt
Mary?"
"'rhat, they say, is my great grand
father, Nelly"
"What is it painted on-this queer
stuff"
"Well, it is kind of leather, I be-
licve. They used to write OH it in old
times"
"Hc is uncommonly ugly, isn't he ?"
said Nelly, wearily.
AS she spoke, tho little case fell apart
i'll her hands. A yellow, folded paper
was revealed. She opened it, and saw
that it was written upon.
"Why, bless my soul, what have you
thcre?" exclaimed Miss Golding, rising
up in n strange alarm.
She snatched it from Nclly's hand
cit can't be the will !" she cried.
Nelly looked on in dumb surprise.
Aunt Mary read few words, then rushed
away in wild agitation to the library
where her brother was sitting. Nelly
could hear them talking, the two; thon
her brother came then the old house.
keeper was called from the dining-room !;
and so much confused conversation she
never heard before BY and by, they
all waited upon hcr in body.
"Nelly," said her father, sitting down
Oh the foot Of the bed, "you arc an heir
ess."
"This is old Grandfather Goldins
will "A" exclaimed Aunt Mary, hourishing
the bit of yellow paper.
cit seems that he was worry eccentric, ,
Gregory condescended to explain. che
was worry rich, and had some hard sons
and some grandsons who promised to be
harder, and he fell out with the whole
set, who were waiting for him to die.
He declared that no money Of his should
encourage the young peoples excesses
q little poverty would help tho family,
and the fourth generation would appre-
ciate his money, and probably make
good use of it. When he died, no will
could be found and though there was u
famous struggle for the property, it went
into the hands of trustees, through the
oath of the lawyer who drew up the will !;
and thcrc it has been, descending from
one person to another, and accommodating
i'll value, until you and I, Nelly, arc as
rich as Crms,s"
elbow, Grcgory?"
"Ain't WE the fourth generation? ?
Father was the only child, we arc his
only children all the back folks are dead
and it slides down to us on creased wires.
Hnrrah for Grandfather Golding!"
Is this true, fathcr?"
"Ycs, my dear. The property is chief
ly in Leeds, England. The housekccprr
who came over last summer, you know,
happens to know all about it. 1t is in safe
hands, and our claim is indisputable.
What did Nelly do? The little goose !
Instead of flying off in thoughts of car
riago, and dresses Of cloth, of gold, and
a trip to Europe, she buried her face in
the pillows, and murmurcd under her
breath, ooh, John! Oh, dear, dear
John !"
And it was no castle in the aif Three
months proved that Nelly Golding was
the mistress of gold untold, almost. And
then little note went to Kansas saying !:
"DEAR JoHN--I am waiting for you
with fortune. Will you come for me
now?
"NELLY."
And he camc instantly; and though
- - L.,