The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-11-10
Major HammOnd's Ring.

Major HammOnd's Ring.
"What's this?" cried Miss Hammond.
breaking open letter just handd to her by a
servant. You read it Maggie, your eyes
Small wonder at that, indeed, seeing that
Maggie is aged kabout feighteen, the other
about sixty five, at the very least, PLEASANT
looking, well preserved spinster, with brown
resoute face and sausage curls over the FORE
head. Maggie, a handsome, modern girl,
sits down and reads:
MADAM,-The Pensioners of st. Crispiu Gieles-
ham, in vestry assembled, have determined TO re.
build their parish church, pronounced unsafe by the
surveyors. contributions are earnestly requested
The alterations will necessitate the removal Of MANY
vaults and graves among others that of the Ham
mond family. 1t is the wish of the ehurchwardens
to respect the wishes of survivors and others IN the
disposal of the remains. Any directions Won NAV
have to give, you will be good enough to communf.
cate to the undersigned
Yout most humble and obedient servants
THOMAS TRUSCoTT.
WILLIAM BONNER,
Chnrchacdrdens,
The two Misses Hammond Margaret and
ELEM are joint proprietors of the comforta-
bic estate of Westbury, near Gigglesham. and
OF the handsome mansion thereto belonging.
Maggie, the young girl, is a distant cousin
although she calls them aunt-and lives with
them. There is also a young man, Ralph
Grant, somewhere about the place, of whom
more anon.
Old Tom Hammond, the father of the two
maiden sisters, was born in the year 1740, and
might have seen the heads over Temple Bar
after the rising of 1745. He lived till 1880.
He had married late in life and left only these
two daughters. Thus two generations bridged
over space of time generally occupied by
many successive lives; as in the case of an
other branch of the family, the founder of
which, Major Richard Hammond, the uncle
OF the two old ladies, who had been at the bat
tie OF Quebec when General Wolfe was killed
being the great grandfather of Maggie Lau-
derdale and Ralph Grant. Major Hammond
was the elder of two brothers, and should
have inherited the Westbury estate: but he
offended his father by what was called low
marriage and was disinherited in conse-
quence.
Tom Hammond had done his best to RENE
dy his fathers injustice, as he could without
lnJuring himself and his own, by making a
settlement of the estate in failure of his own
issue, upon the lawful descendants of Major
Hammond, his brother; providing that if the
issue OF his elder brother should fail, the esl
tate would go to the issue Of younger broth
er Henry, who by the way, had been well
provided for by the small estate of Eastbury.
This brother Henry was now represented
through the female line by Mr.. Boobies of
Boodle Court, who now also held the East
bury estate.
The descendants of Major Hammond are
now conhned to these two young people,
maggie and Ralph. They are both orphans
and without means, their forebears having
been mostly in the soldering and official
lines. Ralph is lieutenant in the artillery,
and his battery is now in India; but he is at
home on sick leave; and he has taken adyan-
taee OF his furlough to win the affections of
his fair cousin. As the Westbury estate
would come to be eventually divided between
them, 1T was considered most fortunate
thlng that the young people had come to an
understanding. Ralph was to leave the SER
vice when he married, and take the home
farm. By-and.bye he would fall naturally
INTO MS position as country squire, and it
was arranged that eventually he should as
sumo the name of Hammond, hoping to con-
tinue the old line.
ms preamble being necessary, let us now
rrturn to the comfortable, old-fashioned
drawing-room at Westbury.
what do you think of that, Ellen ?" cried
Miss Hammond, having read over once more
the circular to herself with subdued emphasis.
MISS Ellen was sitting looking into the fire,
ner great wooden knitting-pins and bright
colored woods lying idle on her lap, as She
self.
''Do you hear, Ellen ?" cried Miss Ham,
mond more sharply. ''What do you think of
that letter from Tuscott?'
II don't like the idea at all, Margaret. No,
not at all. Why can't they leave our ances-
tors alone? And ana sure, always looked
forward to being buried there myself''
La! don't talk about that, Ellen, and Won
i've years the younger" said Miss Hammond
6rlskiy; land as we can't prevent its being
done, we must make the best of it. Ralph
mad better go over and see to it."
Very well. sister; as you like" said Ellen.
PRESENTLY she resumed; 'Sister' I've been
thinking that this would be good chance to
try to get back Uncle Richard Hammond's
ring"
"Uncle Hammond's ringr repeated the
elder sister. 81 don't understands
You must have heard our father talk
about It,. The family ring that ought to have
gone with the estates-a ruby and sapphire
that General Hammond brought home from
Ceylon."
Il ought to know all ABOUT it Ellen, I dare
say; but you were so much more with nv
poor father, and had more patience with his
stories."
"My father often tried to get the ring and
had offered to give Major Hammond large
sum for it. But he was so vexed with father
for supplanting him, that he vowed he never
should have it;and they say, sister, that rath-
er than it ever should fall into his brothers
hands, he had it buried with him upon his
hnger. Our father always said that if he had
chance he would have the coffin opened to
see.''
Maggie, who had retreated to sofa, and
buried her head in a novel, reused up at this,
and Joined in; Il hope you will, auntie. /
do hope you will have it looked for"
II don't know, my DEAR" said Miss Ham
mond. 81 don't approve of violating the
sanctity of the tomb.''
With the eldest Miss Hammond a phrase
was everything; she delighted to bring
thing within the compass of well rounded
phrase, upon which she would then make a
stand-invinclble. So Maggie threw up her
head in kind of despair, and ran off to look
for Ralph, who when last heard of was smok-
ing cigar on the terrace.
Ralph," said Maggie, as soon as she had
submitted to very smoky kiss-they were
In the very heydey of their young loves,
when Kisses were appreciated even when Pa
vored with tobacco-"Ralph, auntie is going
TO give you commissioning 90 and see
about vault at st. Crispins where some of
our ancestors lie.''
II know" said Ralph; "they are going to
pull the old place down. All right; ri do
it"
Then Maggie went on to tell him about the
ring, and how Miss Hammond would not
have it searched for But it is a very yalua-
BILE ring-a family one, too. It would be a
great pity to miss it fits really theIe.'
Rplph agreed.
''Well then mind you look for it, sir; only
stop to it,"
"pm fly" said Ralph with knowing wink
and attempted renewal of the osculatory
process; but Maggie escaped him this time
and came fleeing in at the dining-room win
dow painting into the presence of her aunts.
Since she first left the room visitor had
appeared-a Mr.. Boobies, a distant relative,
who had inherited some of the family prop
erty, as before explained; tall, grim-looking
man, with thin, iron-gray hair, carefully
brushed off his temples.
The aunts were looking rather serious, not
to say frightened, and both started guilty.
when they saw Maggie.
'Leave us, dear, please" said Miss Ham
mond, gently.
Maggie had just caught the words, mo
marriage at ALL" from Mr.. Boobies, who
seemed to be speaking loudly and excitedly;
ana sne went out wondering what it all
meant. Some piece of scandal. no doubt.