The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1861-07-04

faVoHte position of Engishmen in front Of the
! hre. There, ali glitterng in the distance, rose
| up solid and splendid, an appearance which
lew men could see without emotion-twenty
| thousand pounds 1t was not life and death to
him, as it was to poor Mrs. Christian 1t did
not make all the difference between sordid want
and comfortable existence; but you may we'll
believe it did not appear before the lawyers
eyes without moving himSinto considerable
degree of excitement. Such fairy appartion
had never appeared before in that cold, spac-
lous, uninhabited room. Involuntarily to
himself Mr.. Brown saw his house expand, his
life open out, his condition change Roseate
lights dropped into the warming atmosphere
which had received that vision; the fairy wand
vowed through the dim air before him in spite
of all his sobriety The wiles of the enchant-
ress lured John Brown as effectually as if he had
not been hve-and forty, and old bachelor, and
an attorney; and after half an hour of these
slowly-growing, half-conscious, halfresisted
thoughts, any chance that had brought the
name OF dead womans lost daughter to his
memory, would have called forth very differ
ent 'confOund Phoebe Thompson!' from that
which burst from his troubled lips in the house
in Grove street. Possibly is was some such
feeling which reused him up moment afore.
when the great cat came softly purring to his
feet and rubbed against his slippers. MIR. Brown
started violently, thrust puss away, flung him
self back into his chair, grew very red, ana
murmured something about ian ASST ashamed
to detect himself III his own vain imaginations.
But that sudden waking up did not last. After
he had filed his glass and emptied it-alter he
had stirred his fire, and made a little noise, with
some vague idea of dispelling the spell he was
under-the fairy returned and re-took posses
sion under a less agreeable aspect. Suppose
fNL HI I.
the poor Christians They were not very car
relations, and the old woman had rich. o
leave her money where she liked. Still there
was human heart in j. ohm Browns bosom
Somehow that little episode in the street re-
urned to his feconection Bessie running
across, light and noiseless, with her message
How young the creature must be after all to
have so much to do Poor little Bessie! she
had not only lost her chance of being great
fortune, and one of the genteel young ladies' of
Carlingford, but she had lost her chance of the
doctor, and his new house and rising practice
Shabby fellow to leave the pretty girl he was
fond off, because she was good girl, and was
everything to her old father and mother. I
wonder will they say that's my fault toe r said
John Brown to himself aud stumbled up to his
feet again on the stimulus of that thought, with
a kind of sheepish not unpleasant embarress-
ment, and foolish halfsmie upon his face
Somehow at that moment looking before him,
as he had done so many hundred times stand
ing on his own hearthrug, it occurred to him all
at once what bare room this was that be spent
his evenings in-what an inhuman, chilly pen
urious placel scarcely more hOmlike iban that
bit of open street, across which Bessie came
tripping this afternoon, wanting TO speak TO
him. Nobody wanted to speak to him. No
wonder he had a threatening Of rheumatism
Ia +r.,;,, l., r,c,
room! He could not help wondering to himself
whether the drawing-room was any better In
tho new start his long-dormaht Imagination had
taken John Brown actually shiveIad IN the NOR
al GOODNESS of his spacious, lonely apartment
In his mind he daresaid taat the Christians
looked a great deal more comfortable in that
little box of theirs, with that poor little girl
working and teaching and keeping all streght.
What fool that young doctor was what il
he did work a little harder TO make the old peo-
pie an allowance? However, it was no bust
ness of his. With sight of general discon-
tent Mr.. Brown pulled his bell violently, and
had the fire made up, and asked for his tea
His tea! he never touched it when it came, but
sat pshawng aud humpbing at it, making him
self indignant over that tool of a young doctor
And what if these poor people, sour and sore
after their misfortune, should think that this
too was his fault
CHAPTER lIT.--THE LAWYERS VISIT 10 THE
HoUsEEEEPEG.
Next morning Mr.. Brown, with his hands in
his pockets and his shoulders up to his ears as
usual went down at his ordinary rapid pace to
old Mrs. Thompson's house. Nancy had lock-
ed the house door, which, like an innocent, al
most rural door 1T was, opened from Without
She was upstairs, very busy in q most congen-
ial occupation turning out the old lady's ward
robe, and investigating the old stores of lace
and fur and jewelry She knew them pretty
well by heart before; but now that according
to her idea they were her own, everything nat
urally acquired new value. She had laid them
out in little heaps each by itself, on the dress
ing table; a family glittering row OF old rings
and breaches, most of them entirely valueless,
though Nancy was not aware of that On the
bed--th9 bed where two days ago that poor old
pallid figure still lay i'll solemn ownership OF
the property around Infancy had spread
forth her mistresss ancient boar and vast nuffs.
Ealf century old; most of them were absolute
ly dropping to pieces but as long as they held
together with any sort of integrity Nancy was
not the woman to lessen the number of her pos
| sessions. The bits Of lace were laid out upon
the old sofa, each at full length. With these
delightful Accommodations all around her, Nancy
was happy. She had entered, as she supposed,
upon an easier and more important life Mis-
tress of the empty house and all its contents,
she carried herself with an air of citation and
independence which she had never veutured to
display before No doubt had ever CT ossed her
mind on the subject. She had taken it for
granted that the expulsion Of the Christians
meantsonly her own triumph. She had even
taken credit, both to herself and other pehple,
for greater outlines than she really had incur
red. The will was not her doing, though Mrs.
Christian said so and Nancy was willing to be-
lieve as much; but she was glad to be identi-
fed as the cause Of it, and glad to feel that she
was the person who would enjoy the benefit
She was i'll this holiday state of mind, enjoying
herself among her supposed treasures, when she
was interrupted by the repeated and imperative
demands for entrance made by Alr. Brown at
the locked door.
Nancy went down to open it, but not in too
great hurry. She was rather disposed to pat
ronise the attorney. She put on her white
apron, and went to the door, spreading it down
with a leisurely hand. To Nancys surprise
and amazement, Mr.. Brown plunged in with
out taking any notice Of her. He went into the
parlor, looked all around, then went upstairs,
three steps at time, into the best parlor, un.
comfortably near the scene of Nancy's opera
tons. There was the old cabinet for which he
had been looking. When he say it he called
to her to look here. Nancy, who had followed
him close, came forward Immediately. He was
shaking the door of the cabinet to see if it was
locked. 1t was proceeding Of which Nancy
did not approve.
4 suppose this is where she kept her papers,
said Mr.. Brown, get me the keys, l want to
see what's to be found among her papers touch
ing this daughter of hers. You had better bring
me all the keys. Make haste, for l have not
any time to lose
'Missis never kept any papers there SAID
Nancy alarmed and a little anxious. There's
the best China tea-set and the silver service
| that's all you'll find there
Bring me the keys, however said Thrown.
Where did she keep her papers, Ell? You
know all about her, suppose. Do you know
anything about Phoebe Thomson, that I've
got, to hunt up? She was Mrs. Thomson S,
daughter, understand. What caused her to
leave her mother? l suppose you know
What is she2 How much can you tell me about
her q
As much as anybody living said Nancy, too