The Republican journal., 1870-03-03

would bring them
Il have not forgotten the poor" replied
the old lady, a little sharply, | thought, "as
YOU will see from my will. These diamonds
were my husbands wedding gilt to me. |
had them set in these loc1ets on that account.
They are to be buried with me exactly as
they are.
''Ccrtainly-certainlyr said the doctor,
hastily "Any wish of yours, my dear mad
am, is, as you must be aware, sacred to us
ALL"
But as | looked around saw some queer
glances exchanged and Mrs. Hurdle, pale,
delicate nervous woman, whispered to Miss
Arethusa:
Isn't it shame? Real diamonds that
cost old Vail thousands of pounds, as I've
been told by mother" And Miss Arethusa
in reply, cast up her eyes and shook her head
dolefully.
That night the old lady died-very sudden
iy, with only gasp and quiNer to mark the
last change, and before noon the next day |
and Miss Grace had decent, laid her out,
and Miss Grace, with tears .alling quietly,
had crossed the poor withe'ed hands, and
placed in them few Th'te flowers which
she had gathered from her own flower-pots
up stairs.
"Poor Aunt Abigail" she said, "a sad and
lone lot was hers. | trust that she is now
happy with the husband and children whom
she so loved'
AS for the rest of them-Dr Hurdle and
Mr.. Simon, and young Captain Findley, and
MIR. Podges (Which two last had come by
post upon hearing the news) they came at
once to see that all was right and Miss Are
thusa just peeped in at the door with her
scented handkerchief to her face while Mrs.
Hurde kept away altogether, because, she
said, her nerves were SO delicate she couldn't
bear the sight ola corpse.
Well, they decided to have the burial on
the day following; and that night and Miss
Grace and Mr. Simon were to take turns in
watching the corpse, which was laid in cof-
fin, the lid already screwed down. By the
old lady's own desire, the funeral was to be
a very quiet and plain one, only we, and the
servants, and a few invited neighbors attend
ing.
Miss Grace had the first watch, and then at
ten O'Clock it came to my turn For two
hours | sat there watching alone beside the
closed coffin, for didn't care to have any one
with me, and then at twelve Mr., Simon came
in and whispered that / might now retire,
and he would watch till daybreak. Iasked
'Would he have some one with him ?" but he
answered No." so went out, closing the
door softly and left him there alone.
| felt very tired with the exertion of the
day, and so thirsty that 1 thought | would &C
to the kitchen and get cup Of tea before re.
firing. There found the cook sitting up witt
two or three friends who had dropped in to
keep her company.
''Sch doings?' exclaimed she, as | made
my appearance. "There they all be up stairs
in the dining room, a-eating and a-drinkine
a poor missus' best, as if it twas more feas
than funeral, and she not yet in her grave
I've been kept a-brilin' chickens and maxim
Welsh rabbits for 'em, and that ere Capt'l
Findle's a-tellin' jokes about his re egiment, an
settin 'cm all a-lartin and the doctors more'r
| halftipsy on missus' old madeiry andifyoul
b'leve me, Miss 'Thusa and that bald headed
red-flced Podger are a courtin on the sofy
behind the wndoW-curtings Sich doing
christian ever seen betoSi Miss Tbs tFacs 1nly WIS ES
gone to bed, as she ought to, and Mr.. Simon
which has looked solemn and oneasy all tn,
time, Oh, my poor old missus"
| When, having taken my cup of tea, peep
ed in at the dining room door, l found it jus
as the cook had said They had all taken
late supper, and were still, at half-past twelve
lingering over the table; the ladies being
still there because Mrs. Hurdle was afraid t
retire without her husband, and Miss Are
thusa wouldn't go up stairs without Mrs
| Hurdle. They had half a dozen bottles of the
old lady'S madeira on the table.--wine Whicl
had been stored away forty years b etorc b,
| her husband, and which she never produced
except couple of bottles at Christmas
And there they all sat, drinking, and laugh
ing at Captain Findley's tipsy jokes, ane
planning what they were going to do will
the property the old lady had left them
Poor Old lady! | couldn't help wondering
as | went on to my room, what she woul(
think Of all this if she could come back an(
| see it.
l had to pass the door Of the room in whicl
lay the corpse, and | trod softly, as peopl,
do on such occasions, as if any noise would
disturb that last deep slumber, ! was jus
past the door, when it seemed to me heart
some unusualsound in the room | stopped
and listened a nd heard it again 1t was lik,
the noise of some instrument scraping ant
grinding; and now and then a slight tap 0
a hammer. What could Mr.. Simon be DO
ing? | went up to the door and put M
hand on the knob, but found it was LOCKED
inside.
The noise had ceased the moment touched
the knob, and then Mr.. Simon came to th
door aud opened it an inch OF two; and il
the dim light | saw that his face looked quit
pale.
"Who is it? What do you want Mrs
Hobson 9'' he said quickly, and with a sort 0
tremor in his voice.
Nothing; was passing, and thought
would just look in"
''It's all right" he said; and shut the doc
quickly.
! stopped at the end of the passage, think
ing Of the strange sound had heard, and 0
Mr.. Simon's manner, and then | saw hin
open the door noiselessly and look up an(
down the hall, and then again the door wa
closed and presently heard the same creak
ing sound as before. 1t was like the noise
that had been made by the undertaken il
driving down the screws OF the coffin.
l knew that to the room in which lay tn,
corpse was another door, opening into a par
TALLY furnished and unused chamber Th
door was always kept locked; but l remem
bered that one of the panels was warped ane
cracked. And I went around, softly as
could, to this chamber, and there, in tn,
darkness, saw gleam of light shining
through this crack from the room in whicl
lay the corpse. | crept up, and cautiously
peeped through.
Yes: it was just as I expected. l shuddel
now when | think of it.
In the middle of the room was the coflil
which had seen some hours before carefully
and securely screwed down. 1t was nov