Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-03-10
THE THREE GRAHDHoTHERs.

"And you would marry this fellow" said
Grandma Won Breeks Won Starch, in her bas-
SOONEST chat is the only word can think of
with which to describe them tones, elf you
could"
eyes, maam.' replied Gertrude. meekly, but
firmly.
The idea is simply preposterous declared
Grandmother Huffey's hfe-like voice
"Preposterous, indeed y responded the bas-
soon. "More than preposterous- disgraceful.
A Mechanic! common worklngman. house
painter.,,'
He's fresco- painter" timidly corrected
Gertrude.
(which amounts to the same thing" groaned
the bassoon.
Michael Angelo" began Gertrude
Heaven preserve u.s." shrilled the fife; "she's
bringing some Irishman into the discussion
now! Be SILENT miss Wen not hear another
word from you. And understand distinctly,
once and for ALL that if that person calls here
Tomorrow which no DOUBT he will have the i'm
pertinence and assurance to do. you are to dis
miss him instantly. or zee ,riR."
land endeavor to begin the new year"-the
bassoon took up the strain agan-"in man
ner betting descendant OF the iliustriGus
General Won Breeks Won Starch, whose uneX-
ampled bravery made him and Bergen-op-Zcom-
the CITY OF his brth-famous not only through
out Holland but the entire world, at time
when you We're not dreamed Of"
AS for Great-gran Peeky. she had sat softly
rocking to and fro In her cushioned rocker:
muncling her caraway btscuits-a store of
which she always carried in little satchel sus-
pended at her side-seepily regarding the group
OF takers, and saying not word herself. But
that was nothing strange for her. She scarcely
ever spoke save In monOsyllables. and never
even In them when Madame Won Breeks Won
Starch and Mistress Huffey were LAYING down
fEVnrto IF hoir kx< In
Dye) to servants, trades-peOple. or granddaugt-
ter Gertrude. And the last thing that could
have occurred to either Of the amiable law
makers would have been the idea of appealing
to the Old lady for an opinion on any subject
whatever. 1t suf1iced them that she paid with
out srnmbling the greater part of the expenses
of tire household out of the income which was
TO cease at her death, and yet allowed them to
manage all things pertaining to it in their own
way.
Gertrude--so named by Madame Won Breeks
Won Starch in honor OF the patron saint of Berg
en-Op-Z0om-had lost both her parents in her
infancy. and her father having been reduced to
poverty some time before he died by various
gentlemanly vices, she had been left wholly de-
pendent upon her three grandmOthers.
OF these Great-gran Peeky was the mother of
Grandmother Huffey. who In turn was the mother
OF Gertrude s mother while Granma Won Greeks
Won Starch held the same close relationship to
her father.
The bassoon grandmother was at the head of
the American branch Of her family (she had
been Won Breeks Won Starch herself, and had
married cousin OF the same name)-a family Of
great prOWess and many bags of gold in their
father-land some century and a half ago. She
was tall, stout and solid, with a round face, big
pack eyes. ABUNDANT irOn-gray fair, and a car
rage that Immediately suggested to the be-
holder the last syllable of her aristocratic name
The fife grandmother, five years her Junior,
was directly her opposite being short. slim and
Timber. with sharp-cut face, extremely thin
fair hair, and faded blue eyes.
Great-gran Peeky notwithstanding her eighty
three years. was BY far the best-lOOking of the
three Though she did look, must confess. when
munchlng her caraway- biscuits somewhat like
very nice meditative old rabbit. Her snowy
white tresses waved prettily above her still dark
eyebrows beneath which beamed with a mild
dreamy light her soft brown eyes. and pleas
ant winter bloom fingered on her wrnkled
face.
1t was from her Gertrude had received all the
plcture-oOOks and sugar plums, almost always
bestowed in perfect silence, that had frightened
and sWeetened her childhood. Grandma Won
Breeks Won Starch supplying the lessons in de-
pertinent. and Grandmother Huffey Qet me
whisper IT. the punsilments, usually inflicted
with slipper or the back of hair-b brush. But
In spite OF the lectures and lessons and other
dsagreeable things, Gertrude led tOlerably
happy life with her three grandmothers until
her eighteenth birthday. From that day dated
such strict surveillance. SO much sarcasm. so
many seedlings, that even the bair-brush-and-
slipper period seemed by comparison regret
able one. And all on account of the Young
man who came to fresco the parlor ceilings 4
handsome young man he was. possessing the
highly euphoniOus name of Everdeil Tremlett
But neither his good looks nor his romantic
name availed him aught with the two manag-
the wOrking-day race. with which the Huffeys
and the Won Breeks Won Starches had nothing
in common.
And therefore with no more thought about
the matter than if John the man-seryant had
been there in his stead. they allowed their grand
daughter to practice her music lessons in the
back parlOr-the sliding door being partly omen
while he was at work in the front
And so it happened that Gertrude, trying to
play an air from memory. and finding it cOntin-
ually euded her. was about giving it up in vex-
alton. when some one softly whistled it behind
her; and turning quickly on the revolving stool.
she saw the young painter, brush in hand
standing in the doorway.
Beg pardon, but that is what you wanted. is
1t nOt!' he asked as he ceased whistling, in
voice as deep as that of the bassoon grand
mother. though much more melOdOus
ION, yes, thank you" said Gertrude with a
blush; and turning to the piano again, she
played the whole air skillfully and gracefully.
Its beautiful thing" said the painter, still
standing In the doorway; "bnt think the song
whistle again. when he encountered the frozen
froWn Of Madam Won Breeks. Won Starch. as
she stepped into the room from the balcony.
and fed.
And the next day the piano was closed and
locked, and the fair performer a prisoner in her
own room; and Grandmother Huffey, meeting
Mr.. Everdell Tremett as he came to work. re.
quested him in one brief sentence to '.get
through his work and 60 about his business as
soon as possible
But Love-bless his merry little heart!-
laughs at locks and lOcksmths. and the very
next time Gertrude went for her singing lesson
to the Conservatory to and from the door of
which she was always escorted by either Mad
anne Won Breeks Won Starch or Mistress Huffey)
she found there new pupil with magnificent
bass voice, and that new pupil was the fair
haired, blue-eyed young fresco-painter Not
one word Of this meeting, nor Of the meetings
that followed it two or three times a week for
six months thereafter, did the naughty girl
breathe to either of the three
grandmothers, and the two younger of the trio,
exulted greatly over the strict vigilance with
which they guarded the future bride according
to their long-laid plans) of Diedrlch Won Breeks,
the rich Holland merchant due in New York
with the new year. But their exultation came
to an end on New-Year's Eve. On that evening
the Conservatory of Music gave a pupil con-
cert, and the very first duet was sung by Miss
HVa<l m