I could n't believe but what he was joking at first . You should have seen Peter . He had an old red shawl tied round his rheumatic shoulder , and he was waving his arms like a crazy man . I declare , I thought the chimney was afire ! Theodosia , Theodosia ! ' he shouted . ` Anna March has had a fortune left her by her brother in Australy , and she 's bought the old Carroll place , and is going to move up there ! ' That was his salute when I got home . I 'd have been over before this to hear all about it , but things were at such sixes and sevens in the house that I could n't go visiting until I 'd straightened them out a bit . Peter 's real neat , as men go , but , lawful heart , such a mess as he makes of housekeeping ! I did n't know you had a brother living . '' `` No more did I , Theodosia . I thought , as everyone else did , that poor Charles was at the bottom of the sea forty years ago . It 's that long since he ran away from home . He had a quarrel with Father , and he was always dreadful high-spirited . He went to sea , and we heard that he had sailed for England in the Helen Ray . She was never heard of after , and we all supposed that my poor brother had perished with her . And four weeks ago I got a letter from a firm of lawyers in Melbourne , Australia , saying that my brother , Charles Bennett , had died and left all his fortune to me . I could n't believe it at first , but they sent me some things of his that he had when he left home , and there was an old picture of myself among them with my name written on it in my own hand , so then I knew there was no mistake . But whether Charles did sail in the Helen Ray , or if he did , how he escaped from her and got to Australia , I do n't know , and it is n't likely I ever will . ''
`` Well , XXXXX all wonderful things ! ''
among as before from if like of to until with