Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-04-08
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SOX X Q0ElClL LIZ DESK.
Idwash d dssk, IGvin6 belonged
Parson Phimstickle's grandfather; and
Parson Phimstickle himself was by no
means young man; so, of course, Ii
was an old desk. And then, indeed, no.
.bodygknoNs WHIP hid it before Pason
Phimstickle's grandfather came into
,posseasi0ns = miehts have heensonesti
more remote ancestor, or it might have
been the furniture-deale sPArson Phim-
stickle's daughters were Of the former
opinion. They were convinced that it
had belonged to some old English fami-
IN who, daring the persecptions of the
Pnrtans, fled to America, and from
whom they, Hannah and Jerusha Phim
1stickls were proudto believe themselves
descended.l = issa y. ngituIi s5ga.1l q
~ II was curious desk-so everybody
thought. In the lower part there were
three large drawers. You turned down
the upper, sloping front, and there was
b writing-desk, I, which, when II was
closed, concealed very many small draw.
ers and pigson.holes of various sizes.
Some oflthese drawers were quite deep
and long; others were shallow and small
Although everybody thought 1t was
curious desk, nobody suspected how very
.curi0us treaty. YVES. Bli0q las So
=. For years before Parson Phimstickle
had this desk it stood In the low attic OF
the old family mansion: which swas full
Of curious relics of the sPhimstickle
family. 80.
-Parsoni Phimstickle's two daughters
were of arOmantic Iturn of mind, sand,
having read q great many marvellous
stories OF young ladies who unexpected
lly became heirs of immense fortunes, or
captivateds and married beauty, culture,
riches and fame, combined in one man,
who was only too happy to be allowed
the privilege of laying them all at the feet
of his adored enslaver, Hannah and
Jernsha lived in continual hope of some
more inclined TO indulge such hopes from
the fact that they had second or third
cousin (there, was some dispute as to the
exact degree Of relationship who was
known to be wealthy When they were
little girls and he was "a young man he
had gone to California, and had not been
heard. from for great many years; but
according TO latest information he was q
bachelor with NO nearer relatives than
themselves. 80, ono as x,aitvf.o o.
Hannah would sometimes say to
Jerusha :o"We shall some day hear from
that second cousin of ours, you may de-
pend.ll Mamma used to say he was very
fond of me when was little girl. When
he comes back how shall rush into his
embrace, exclaiming, My long-los sec
ond cousin!'" Then Jerusha would re-
ply: Hannah, will you never remember
that Cousin John is not our second, but
our third cousin. You know he lis our
fathers cousins son. But don't you re-
member mother told me that when / was
a baby, riding in q stage with her, a gen
tleman gave me piece of candy, which
held tight in my hand long time, and
he said, THAT child is born to be richr"
f." Who knows what the future may
brings" Hannah would reply, with the
hopefulness of youth. ..f.y.yos 49,, p
Hannah and Jerusha Phimstickle were
in the habit of making a yearly visit TO
the old Phimstiekle homestead On one
of these occasions they came across a
ponderous volume containing the geneal-
ogy Of tine Phimstickle family through
out all its; ramifcations. This volume
they pored over till they had traced their
origin back to Sir William Phimstickle,
Knight and Alderman of London. 9RaH 4
Jerusha," exclaimed Hannah, / al
ways thought we had noble blood in our
veins, for water will flow under my in
step; and then" she added, holding out
q well-formed hand, that is no plebe-
Ian hand. And do you know, my dear, j
don't think that Joe Jobstock is exactly
the person for Phimstickle to marry.ps
WHO ever said anything about marry
ing Joe. JobstockW replied Jerusha, with
toss of her head and rosy flush @7sa
"I don't know that anybody ever said
anything about it; but should Judge,
from what 4 have seen that somebody
had thought about it, at least."- 't'.'4 ft'
.is"P I'm sure don't pretend to understand
YOU" replied Jerusha; and, as for an
cestry who knows what Lord or Duke
the Jobstocks sprung from originality
go" To be sure" replied Hannah pacif.
'ically 81" but let us go up into the attic
and see IL we can find any old relics of
this, Sir William I nknow there are
things there that belonged to our great
great s g graz, t9sn perhaps there are
= They assembled to the low.roofed, dim.
ly-lighted attic 1t was seldom entered,
being accessible only byna very dark,
Steep, narrow and crooked flight OF
stairs, and had long since been given
over to dust and cobwebs. There stood
the old spinning. wheel which their
grandmother 8had used when girl.
They surveyed 1T with some curiosity
and then turned to the desk which had
been their, great-grandfather's 1t was
very much dilapidated. "''s
Don't touch that dusty thing, said
Jerusha to her slater, who was more enc
thusiastic and persevering in her search
after antiquities. iie3 ~ y RAH4
~ IL just want to see If there isn't an old
will or anything in these drawers" re-
piled Hannah, opening one after another,
I" No, they are all empty" she added
soon, with a sigh of disappointment. All, 4
II the old desk, could but have spokeni
hs" Here is the place to look for Wills"
called Jerusha from behind q huge chest
as she drew, forth a package of papers
yellow with age. They were receipts
and letters written by hands long turned
to dust "That is all, she said, replac-
ing this papers in the chest nts aiisirY q
~ "Rut here is one you dropped ,ex-
claimed Hannah and q will, too, sure
as / breatAelp lHiyuEg ~ si'5ibsqaei9i z
M" !" But" said Jerusha, looking over her
shoulder, lit Is, only the one of which