Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1912-03-16
A BOX OF OLD BOOKS

Uncle James liked to read bit aloud
now and then, when q passage struck
his fancy, and / was busy with my
needle and at liberty to listen. He
loved his Shakespeare next to his
Bible, and l am only too glad to see
it back in it's old place. I'll take
them all out and carry away the box
Then, after dinner I can put them on
the book shelves."
50 the forenoon was spent in care
fully unpacking the books, some Of
which certainly justified Cynthia's
criticism, for shabby, indeed, they
looked, and still Miss May handled
them with loving touches in fond re-
membrance Of old Uncle James. At
last all were out on the hoor, and the
box was carried to the shed adjoining
the house.
Dinner over and the neat kitchen
made still neater by Its owners skill
full treatment. Miss May turned her
attention once more to the books, feel
ing secure from interruption as the
threatening clouds Of the forenoon
were now sending down a steady fall
of snow, which meant no callers from
the village people. The Shakespeare
and the Bible were given the place Of
honor, followed by all the others Of
better rank, and last Of all the big
dictionary of which Uncle James made
frequent use. He often said q man
need never feel poor. If he had a dc
tionary In the house.
Dear old man" sighed his niece"
how he used to laugh over that joke
as he repeated it. Well. I do not be-
lieve he ever had much money any,
where. The girls certainly did not find
| much, and seemed greatly diBappoint-
ed at there being so little to divide.
| I'll take these old covers off from the
books. Their own bindings are better
looking than this paper and cloth.
Cynthia said he took a notion to put
them on during that last visit at her
| house, and she let him do 1t for 1t
kept him busy and out of the way.
am afraid he was not very happy in
| her home"
| Nc sooner said than done and a
cleaning pair of sharp scissors soon
severed the fastenings which held the
covers in place. The dictionary was
quite obstinate in giving up it's cover
and received a vigorous shake at the
| hands of Miss May before it wae
| cleared from it's surrounding cloth
which was sewed on with great pains
taking.
On shaking it, however, out flew
from between it's leaves several bits Of
| paper, which tidy Miss May gathered
up carelessly enough until one caught
| her eye. To her surprise it proved
/ to be q. bank note for one humid
red dollars, and careful search reveal
Ell others Of like amount till Miss May
found her uncle's joke had hidden
meaning, for in the dictionary were
| slowed away at least one thousand
| dollars,
Nor was this all. Another cover
removed brought to light carefully
| folded paper, which purported to be
| her Uncle's last will and testament,
made evidently before he left for the
city on his final visit. BY this will
his daughters received fair share Of
| their fathers savings, and to Miss
May was given an equal amount in ad-
| dition to the books. A codloil added
not long before his death expressed a
| hope that his favorite niece would
enjoy the books and make good use
! Of their contents.
mo wonder Cynthia could not find
a will" exclaimed Miss May. I'll
| take this over to Squire Lawson right
now, and see what he has to say.
know he claimed to have made will
for Uncle James, but supposed it had
been destroyed, as they could not find
| it,"
SO Mrs. Smart's prediction Of a snug
| fortune became verified, for Uncle
James had more money than most
people credited him with, and all her
friends rejoiced with Miss May in her
prosperity.
AN IDLER.