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

never wavered, - replied the young lady,
giving way with the graceful sudden
ness Of her sex. WHO, unlike the noble
Briton, perfectly well know when they
are beaten and should surrender.
So the reconciliation was perfected,
and so swcetly tha DR.. Hazeldne bore
with respectable fortitude the further
announcement thR. his beloved was
under orders to prepare to accompany
her grandmother to the country ina very
few days, there to visit an ancient and
! honorable dame friend of Nine. Silsbies
youth, and sharer of her most bitter
prejudices.
Mrs. HalstCad, widow of the late Mr..
Silibie's brotl 7, sa3 her son Richard, II
young man, NQs,. ing no money and
Ie~ attractions, cTnvaJed successfully
the talent of clinging to the skirts of his
wealthy relations, were to remain in the
city house and keep it ready against
Nine. Silsbie's indefinite return, for
among that old Iady's whims was Lne
against shut-up and dreary house, or
one only offering the preparations and
welcome of servants. OF this spirit were
her parting injunctions to her sister-in-
| law
"Now, Sarah, mind! may be COM
ing home any minute, and don't want
to find everything put up and mutfled
away, as if there was funeral getting
ready, nor don't want the CRATES polish
ed and filled with cut tissue-paper, and
l don't want my chair set up against the
wall, nor my work basket readied up,
nor, in fact, my anything changed from
what it is at this very minute"
There is one thing however" sug-
gested Mrs. Halstead, in her false, cum
ming voice; "you will, of course, send
the silver to the safety vaults, or at least
put it out of sight. 1t is too tempting
for burglars there
And the speaker turned and pointed
through the open door of the dining-room
at sideboard, fitted with shelves at the
top, closed in by plate-glass doors Of i'm
merse thickness, secured with patent
lock. Upon these shelves was ranged the
delight of \ me. Silsbie's heart, the de-
sire of her eyes-the familyplate gilmore
generations of Silsbies than could be
contained in American history. All
were there, symmetricaIIy arranged in
the same order they had stood when
Nine. Silsbie was little girl, and gilt
teling with the polish it required half Of
one servants time to retain undimmed.
You will surely have that put out of
sightP" said Mrs. Halstead and Der
hostess angrily replied
"Not q saltspoon Of it! Don't | tell
you that detest dismantled house, and
to come home and see that sidebOard
stripped, as it was when ] came home
from Europe, would be a shock | should
never get over. Don't stir u thing, tell
you, Sarah. Your son is in the house,
and my man John, and there are police
men all about the streets. That's enough
| TO protect it, | should think, and every
one of these windows and doors are fitted
with patent locks and burglar alarms.
Ifyou take decent care of the house it
will be all that is required"
And Mrs. Hastead promised every
thing, and soothed madame's ruf1led
plumes by assurances Of Richards un-
dauntable courage and her own unslcep-
ing care.
The next day Kate and her grand
mother departed, and y fortnight later
came telegram to Richard Halstead
from Mrs. Hethercote's man of business,
to this effeCt:--
MADAME Silsbie died very suddenly
this morning. Body will be brought
home on noon train. Meet at the station
with hearse."
A few hours later DR.. Hazeldine re-
ceived tear-stained little letter, signed
Your own Kate" conveying the same
sad information, and also this sentence:
Poor dear grandmamma felt sorry,
know, at the last for what she had said
about you and about our future. for she
pressed my hand and looked up so mourn
fully and whispered, Burn the W Il and
mary but just then the pain took
her again, and although she whispered
something afterward about Queen Anne,
l couldn'ttell what. Her last words Of
all were, Take me home, and lay me in
front of the sideboard want to say
good-by TO- l suppose she meant
good. by to her beloved silver, and per-
haps there may be something particular
about the Queen Anne teapot Do you
know, Hal, have foolish notion that
she may have hidden the will, cutting
me off unless marry Richard Halstead,
in that teapot. 1t would be just like
her, but even if she did, and we could
get at it--for Mrs. Halstead has the key
in case of fire--we could not destroy it,
suppose. although grandmamma did say
so, you know. What do you thinkP l
shall be home tonight, and shall see you
in the morning, | hope"
When Hal Hazeldino read these words,
in spite of the solemnity of the occasion,
he struck the table beside him with his
fist, and INDUCED in short, plying
laugh.
Destroy the will if we could find it p,
muttered he. How calmly the dear,
little innocent thing proposes felony
! onl Of n oc y,,.iSn,, fo, EC,i NTrl,. ,,..,,1.