The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1882-11-16


ri the table
A breakfast ss different from the iris
pork and heavy bread aboninAsions OF u
Ciietson house as possible French roll
! piled in silver basket: peaches. elc'
cofiee in ogg-shell china. birds hroiled 0
soas;. and eggs wrapped in damask nal
kins; while = superb amaryllis, 10 fu
bloom. gave the element Of color, and NJ
| Merrion, in picturesque morning wrsI
per Of cherry silk. read the newspaper
while Clara looked over her lettsn.
/ And no one could have recognized Jsso
Clickson's pale little widow in this bright
blooming girl. For there is no beeantih
er like happiness
Oh. Montague' she cried. dropping he
letter. what am TO dor
What is the matter. sweethArt7 inquire.
Mr. Merrion. calmly folding over hi
newspaper.
The whole Clickson family cried Clara
All coming TO spend an indefinite periot
OF time with us'
Ali said Mr.. Merrion. Your first hus
bands relatives. Have you invited them
oh, no, mol cried Clara Invited them
WHOM they were so hard and cruel and in
hospitable to me in my hour Of need, and
all but turned me out OF doors at lastp
Then, said Mr.. Merrion, we must treat
them as any other impertinent intruders.
Ny little Clara shall not be tormented by
a set Of harpies. just give me the letter,
love; I'll settle this business Oh, by the
way. | have to run out to Chestnut Hill
this morning to see the conservatories
there. But I'll send Phipps, my lawyer,
to the depot to meet them. He'll make it
all right.
But. Montague. faltered Clara, what
shall do if they descend upon me like
the locusts Of Egypt, and you not here9
They won't come, my dear, said Mr..
Merrion. shrewdly.
Nevertheless Clara was very nervous all
day, and could not settle peacefully to
work in the exquisite little glass ceiled
studio, with the Venetian-red walls and
draperies, which her husbands
affection had provided for her, for the re-
collection of Mrs. Clicksons cold, hard
face overshadowed her like nightmare.
The two maiden daughters sour regards
were still fresh in her memory, and she
could not think of the stolid stupidity Of
Mr.. and Mrs. Philo without shudder.
The Clickson family arrived at the de-
pot hot, dusty. crumpled, like all travel
,rs. Miss Lorinas hat was crushed, Miss
complexion was all washed
way with perspiration, Mrs. Philo had
nislaid the key Of his bag.
Tho old lady was cross and dictatorial,
much inclined to find fault with the m an
cement of the road, and old Mr.. Clickson
at all in a heap in the corner. about as
ross as an elderly hyens.
Into this cheerful family party Mr..
'hipps bowed himself--a courteous, mid
le-aged gentlemar, with perpetual
mile and coaXing way of speaking,
ihieh bespoke your confidence before you
new it.
Do address Mrs. Eben dickson! said
e. suavely.
You do, said the old lady, trying to
Iraighten ont her bent spectGles, which
Ir. Philo had sat on all the way from Vel.
Nv Brook depot.
represent Mr.. Merrion, said he. You
ave no doubt heard OF the sickness in the
'mily and have come to help nurse Mr..
[errion's daughters?
Eh? said Mrs. Eben Clickson, holding
le spectacles by one joint. He was a
idower, eli? With family? Well, then,
lara hain't done so surprisingly well af.
r all. But what is the matt er with the {
'ung gals? pity them if Jasons widow
to be their stepmotherl
Ths Doctor hopes, said Mr.. Phipps, /
at it will not be anything more serious c
an scarlet fever. The indications. at a
esent are g
Scarlet feverl screamed Mrs. Philo. /
usband, lets go back We've neither of 0
never had it. b
Is it malignant? gasped Miss LORNA. t
Why didn't Jason's widow telegraph to Il
? shrieked Miss Maurandia.
She has had great deal TO occupy her e
nd. said Mr. Phipps, smoothly. You q
rhaps haven't heard that her husband n
! gone away and left her. n
And took all his money, gasped the old a,
man. M
1 is but too probable, said Mr.. Phipps. Il
II her? repeated Miss LORNA. Humph T
,rass-widow! Didn't / always say that n,
ra Clickson wouldn't come to no good? ct
'he can't expect us to countenance her, b,
Miss Maurinda. severely. al
adde's, said Mr.. Phipps, will show fu
! the way TO Mrs. Merrion's residence?
Certainly not, said Mrs. Eben Clickson. ne
int my business to countenance any te
nan whose husband has deserted her. er
I let her know, please, that her
husbands family are very much put an
and hope she won't expect them to re. H.
10 her again. -
nd think, observed Miss Maurandia, ~
it is very cool Of her to suppose that =,
will turn free nurses to her second -,
bands family, when we're all delicate ~
selves
[iss LORNA made no further remark, ~
gathered up her parcels and packages a.,
started for the train. whittier old Mr.. ga
kson and Mr.. and Mrs. Philo had al.
ly led the way; for, dearly As the Click
family had cherished the prospect Of
this sojourn in Philadelphia, hotel e1- mi
ons and boarding house bills we're ont vii
le 1uesfion ar