The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-08-03

the air OF summer hotels. Yet. after
all, no one saw her arrive, no one saw
her register. You will remember that,
being in the secret speak not for N.Y.
self, but for the outside world She was
found sitting by the hearth, like Poe's
raven or any other understandable object
At least there was a tremendous train
brocade, l am informed-diamond
buckles (genuine) on satin slippers;
more diamonds and sapphires than sup
posed any ten fingers could accommo-
date: quantities OF lace livery costly, fem
mime critics said;) and doubtless she was
somewhere there inside, for even her
small brown wrinkled face. scarcely
showed, so prodigious were the gray
curls and lace lappets. A very hand
some old lady, though spite of her
wrinkles, with marked resemblance to
Lorne (who stood behind her chair,)
and eyes at seventy as brilliant as they
could have been at seventeen. Not in
the least like Poe's raven in plumage, or,
for that matter, in conversation, as when
first discovered she was talking volubly,
and she never once left off.
81 am saying to my grandniece." she
went on, "that want to know you all,
for no doubt knew your fathers and
grandfathers before you. He! he! he!"
IF you want to know what that is, it
stands for shrill litter which the old
lady habitually introduced with inde-
scribable effect.) II am like some old
woodman who can point out every sap
ling of planting fifty years before. I
know every person of any consequence
in che United States start from Mrs.
j. G. Tudor Smith-"I have the Ameri
can heraldly at my fingers ends; all the
shoemakers' avis and spades rampant
the 'noblesse oblige' oppressed with
grocer's scales 'gules,' or yard of
measure CLIQUE, in the country. Great
nonsense-great nonsense all of it. Bless
me, child!-pouncing suddenly on Nell
lie Berlap's ring-'where did you get
that ring? My dear Lorne" Ito that
young lady, who was showing distress
and an evident disposition to interfere.)
''pray let me alone. Remember am
not only your aunt, but your great-aunt,
and ought to be quite old enough to take
care of myself. What name did you say?
Berlaps? Not Peter Berlaps's daughter?
He married Mary Dibbs. Yes?" You
might have heard pin q drop. Il
thought so. There's likeness, not so
much to yonr father as your grandfather.
You remember him? He was just about
my age. We lived in Tyler street, and
he in Little street. over his store, in
those days. He made the best pans and
kettles in the town" sensation. "We
bought all our tinware of him, and he
never blazoned it with any of those
heraldic beasts either" pointing to the
ring) HE was an honest man, a good
man; the whole town respected him. I
think he WAS mayor afterward, elected
by both parties. 1t is q very pleasant
thing to see his granddaughter, my dear,
such a fine, handsome, intelligent girl,
who might show beside duchess in any
court for beauty, breeding and wit; and
the longer live, the more proud / am of
my dear country, with its republican in
situations, and Its people, its plain arti-
sans and merchants, who.are fit compan-
ions for the rulers and mobiles of osher
lands"
The old lady's voice broke here
slightly, and something like thrill
quivered through her audience, Mrs. j.
G. Tudor Smith excepted. of course.
She had bristled more and more. Her
face was red, her voice shrill, as she be-
gan: !" Really, madame, never heard
anything SO singular in my life; and as
1 have coat of arms of my own, may
ask what you mean by your remarks
about American heraldry and awls-and
and yard sticks?"
Out came the old lady from behind her
huge feather fan.
my good soul"-he! he! hei-''any
remarks that can be made about Ameri-
can heraldry and aristocracy are difficult
to understand; for where is your aris-
tocracy? Is it in the brewers daughter,
who is SO much distressed about the
common people or in the family of the
man who began in a corner grocery, and
says. 4 done it., while his daughters talk
about art and rave about blue blood Is
it in the descendants of the thrifty SER
want, who was promoted from the stables
to somebody's stewardship in the old
days, and under letters patent would
have owned half the United States could
he have but fenced it in? or is it in the
grandchildren of some worthy farmer,
or bo0kbinder, or printer, or shoemaker,
or cutler, who signed the Declaration of
Independence, or stood sentinel at Val
ley Forge, and who were classed by the
opposing British officers as the peasantry,
while in our day We honor them because
they were the people ?"
Lorne, ples,lingly: my dear aunt"
Mrs. j. q. Tudor Smith, in q wither-
ing way: "No doubt, madame, you speak
for yourself, trace nv ancestors back