The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-01-09

NV' NuNh ~ 'hihE HpsolpiO
barely possible--although he has never
seen any of those nieces and nephews,
VINO, for all know to the contrary,
may be unworthy of the affection of
such good old gentleman
"How do You know that you may
not inherit this very house in which
yon live 2
at might be. It's not worth much
more than 10000 francs. The neph
ews and neces wouldn't miss that
amount much, as the house needs re
pairs There are also other things
about this house that need improving
The good old man had unlimited con
tidence in his janitor, who has been
swinding him for years whenever he
got a chance. The villain lives like a
prince, and pays no attention whatever
to the comfort of the tenants of the
house. He neglects his duties in a
most shameful manner. I'll bounce
him ont of here in three shakes of a
sleeps tail if have anything to say
about it. The way I'll turn the ras-
Gals out as soon as | get in will sur
prise the country. Then, again, there
is that high stepping Madame La
Strange on the first floor, who carries
her head 80 high, and who looks down
on poor people who are her betters.
You can just bet your dulcet existence
I'll take her down peg. III teach
her to put on airs to property owners
Just let me be boss of the shanty fol
FIVE minutes, and the promptness with
which she will be requested to hand in
her resignation will take her breath
away. And the best of it is, she has
just had new paper put up in the room
at her own expense-but she has got
to 90 all the same Tn going tc
raise the rent, on general principles, oi
every tenant in the house.
"But you said that business was dul
In this part of the town, so | think you
/ should rather reduce the rents than
raise them.
"Not if the court knows herself, and
| suspect that she does.
IF / was in your place l would not
raise the rent on the poor people. Why
not let them feel the benefit of the
good fortune that has befallen you p
"My dear sir, am old enough to be
able to attend to my own business
without the advice of strangers" re-
sponded Mrs. Colimard with some as.
perity.
"Pray do not become excited, mad.
am. Perhaps there is really 10 occa.
sion for it. On the other hand, who
knows but what the good old man
may have left you that big house on
the corner
"Why, that's worth at least sixty
thousand francs
"And why shouldn't he leave you
that house? If the old gentleman
took it into lis head to do something
for your family why should he not
have concluded to do something hand
some ?"
"What you say is very reasonable
indeed | hadn't thought Of that
| But now that | come to think of it, as
nobody compelled the dear old man to
be good to us, why should he pick out
the meanest of all his seventeen house.
for us Why should he do less for us
than any of the other legatees ?"
"Why should he? 1t would almost
look as if he had spite at you, if he
poked off this house on you when he
had so many better ones"
That's So But let US be Just He
was under no earthly obligation to dc
anything for us whatever"
That's so. But what obligation
was he under to do anything for hi,
nephews and nieces whom he never
saw? 2
"While on the other hand he spent
whole hours in the midst OF our fam
ily," said Mrs. Colimard, musingly.
at is not relationship, but love anG
affection that control men when they
come to make their last will"
! 'That's true. And he had a great
deal more love Tor us than he had foI
his nephews, who had not the decency
to hunt him up and make lite pleasant
for him"
"You see, then, that really you have
Just as much right to his property a:
those nieces and nephews, who for all
we know to the contrary may be very
unworthy persons, and who might do q
great deal of mischief if they had mo.
| ney.'
Mrs. Colimard seemed to be absorb
ed in thought for a few moments, and
then she sighed.
IF right and justice were only to
prevail in this matter
"What then ?"
l say if right and justice were to
prevail why should not we inherit the
old mans sixteen houses, and the
nieces and nephews get this old tum-
bled down barrack of a place for their
share 3'
just at this moment the shop door
was opened suddenly, aud Mr. Col
imard entered. He was as pale as 8
ghost, and seemed to be laboring un,
der great mental excitement, 1t is i'm
possible to describe the nervous frenzy
with which his wife calculated
"Well 2
Mr.. Colimard was so much out OF
breath that he could not reply al
| once.
Speak, them she fairly shrieked
"Ie has-only leit-the boy-thirty
thousand francs"
Madame Colimard sank back into
the chair in a half fainting condition
but she revived almost Immediately
and with blazing eyes and compressed
! lips she hissed:
"Ihe old oiper !"