The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-09-24
heirs. Mrs. Bevel was stunned, the
others were indipnant.

at was really like insanity" pro.
tested Maud. IF we had only guessed
it, and stopped papa in time! Why
Arthur estimates that pa could not have
spent less than seven thousand pounds in
! buying those trumpery things. Seven
thousand pounds! And think what that
would be to us now"
"Oh, dear! oh, dear! how comfortable
we.all could have been" moaned he1
mother, while Matilda, between angry
sobs, protested that she never should
be able to forgive pa quite. 1t seemed
as if he hadn't cared bit for his own
family. only for those horrid, useless,
ugly old duds, which nobody would ever
want so long as the world STOOD"
! "Oh, Matte! don't talk SOL" urged
her mother. "Your pa never meant
any wrong. 1t was just a disease with
him to buy things. And they'll fetch
something I dare say. We shall get a
part back"
"Yes, couple of hundred pounds,
perhaps. What's that out of seven thou
sand poun s? I declare, to think of it
makes me feel as if / should like 10 bite
somebody" remarked the amiable Ma
tilda, with a click of her sharp little
teeth. The others, more outwardly re-
spectful, were no less inwardly miser-
able. None Of them had any hopes from
the sale.
The two months advertising were duly
fulfilled, and the collection removed to
the auction-rooms. Very bare did the
old house look after it was gone; but
that mattercd little, for its occupants
were preparing to move as seon as the
sale was over. They waited for that,
but with so little hope or interest in the
affair that it was not till late in the after
noon of the third day that Bryan troubled
himself to "step down" and learn the
result. He came back so red and ex-
cited that his mother turned pale with
apprehension, while the girls crowded
about him.
What's the matter9 Has it all gone
wrong?"
Il always knew it would"
Haven't they fetched anything ?"-
this from Matilda.
Anything! Ishould say 50. Mother,
my father was tight all through, and
The rest of us pack of fools: What do
you think the things have sold for?"
1.-TWO hundred" Five hundred"
A thousand" the last in a timorous
voice.
"A thousand! Just wait and hear.
They were selling the last lot when got
there. BY Jove, it was the old sign
board we all jeered at. Well, Mat
brought thirty-two pounds!"
"Oh, Bryan. perfectly impossible"
It. did. though. Well, that was stun
ner; but when at last got hold of Ashe,
and heard the full amount of the sale,
YOU might have knocked ME down with
y pin-feather. Now listen! what do
lou think of-forty-three thousand
pounds?"
Tableau.
Mrs. Bevel nearly swooned.
"Oh, my poor, dear john" she cried,
when she came to. And me thinking
him so silly all along"
"Silly! He was the only knowing one
among u.s." declared Bryan. eff he had
put the amount-the whole cost-at COM
pound interest forty years ago, it never
would have fetched anything like it.
You see, he began, when people didn't
know the value of such things, and he
has held on for this rise. Iheard 'em
talking about 1.-THE Marquis of West
minister and Lord Dudley, and any num-
Der of tremendous nobs-and they said
10 collection like it had ever been offered
for sale, and they didn't believe there
would be such another again Every
thing was choice; selected with the ut
most Judgment and ability, one of them
said. I declare I'd give good deal if
] could ask the poor old governors par
don. He was the wisest of US oil, and
rone of us suspected it."
"Well, never was so astonished"
gaSped Maud. "Forty-three thousand
pounds! Why, it makes rich people of
us. How pleased Arthur will ber'
"Yes; and he wasn't overpleased
when he thought we were only going to
lave two hundred pounds apiece" said
Matilda. "Inever would have believed
it. "Dear pa, if we only had known.
how differently we should have felt
about it ALL"
Little Rose had stolen away to her
own room. where stood the ebony chair,
her fathers last gift. She touched it
gently, with tears in her eyes.
Dear papa! poor papa!" she muir
INJURED, eff only we had known. For I
was rs bad rs the rest of them some
times, papa. I was, indeed; and l
thought you were foolish and whimsi-
rll, and felt vexed with you. How un-
kind we were. and all the while you
were doing this for us. Oh, papa. papa,
hope that wherever you are, you know
that we understand it all now, and love
lou, and are so sorry. Do you, papa"
So, though too late for his satisfaction
in this life, old Mr.. Bevel's hobby was
vindicated in the end. Let us hope, with
little Rose, that wherever he is now, he
has the comfort of knowing it.-Harper's
BazIr.