Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1880-12-31
The Old Teapot.

Maybe the teapot was Queen Anne,
and maybe not, and the tankard may
have belonged to Oliver Cromwell and
been used for beer of his own brewing
before he took to brewing the deadly
draught of which the Stuart died, or it
may not, but it was certainly very silly
Of Hal Hazeldine to contradict Nine.
Silsbie's pet theories if he wished to
marry Nine. Silsbie's granddaughter,
and so Kate told him, in as severe a tone
rs comported with various hysterical
little sobs.
He didn't look much like a culprit,
either, for the laugh in his dark eyes was
only half contradicted by the contrite
shake of the head, and the melancholy
tone in which he replied:
" ] know it, Kate-1 know it, but YOU
know it is such bosh to be for ever brag-
ging about your ancestors; or, what is
worse, about the old pots and pans they
left behind them. and it does make me
so sick to hear Dick Halstead always
tiattering the old lady, and pretending
to believe all her moldy old traditions,
and looking at that precious old beer
mug as if he saw Noll Cromwell's ugly
phiz peeping out of its depths, that /
never can rest till I've poured in a
counter of good, honest common
sense"
Kate replied: Can you never be seri-
Gus Just as grandmother was dismiss
ing me last night, she took up the por-
ringer | had just put beside her bed with
her night drink in it, and said, Kate,
listen to me, Just so sure as you marry
that ribald, prohigate young man, either
now or after am dead, just so sure my
curse shall follow and cling to you day
and night, in life and death, to you and
yours for ever! So now you know what
to expect, and what | say mean. Good.
mighty And, before | could answer, she
put me out of the room and locked the
door,"
" A regular oldfashioned family curse
wasn't it ?" exclaimed DR.. Hazeldine
But question arises in my minC
whether curse sworn on porringel
would be binding ? If it had been 1
Bible, now! How lucky that Oliver
Cromwell didn't leave a silver-and- golt
bound Bible, for dear Nine. Silsbie might
have had that beside her bedstead in
stead of the porringer-"
Stop! Grandmamma has Il Bible
and reads it, too, and you shan't sneer al
| herP"
And the pretty face looked 50 very
pretty in its flush of wrath and remon.
STRANGE, while in voice cd dly com.
pound of sorrow and triumph. his fancet
went on -
And now, perhaps, you will really
believe there is something serious when
I tell you that this morning grand
mamma sent for her lawyer, and was
Shut up with him three hours; when he
was gone she sent for me, and solemnly
informed me that she had made her will
and that it all depended on myself
whether | was u beggar or heiress of {
! quarter of a million"
And the porringers! interrupted
Harry, in low voice; but without heed
| ing Kate went on -
But that / was to marry Richard
Halstead within three months, and we
were both to sign a promise that so lonl
as we lived not one piece of that hatefu
silver should in any way pass out orou
hands, and should be left TOTO"
ITO your children, ell Dick Hal
stcads children-his and yoursP" "AnG
/ you agreed to take Halstead, and the
| quarter amilion. and the family silver
/ SUPPOSED"
" He couldn't treat me any worse thar
you do, Harry Hazeldine, and since yor
know so well what I decided, it is quite
useless for me to tell you"
And, with this dignified rejoinder
Miss Silsbie was sailing out of the room
with her customary grace, when de-
termined hand grasped her arm, and a
stern voice said -
Ono, Kate, you shan't leave me so
Tell N in two words. Do you choose
Halstead and riches, or me and povertyP'
Well, then, in two words, though