Middletown transcript., 1883-02-16
THE THREE GRANDMoTHERs.
BY MARGARLT EYTINGE.

THE THREE OfSANDAOA
BY MARGARET EYTINGE.
"And you would marry this fellow, .
said Grandma Won Breeks Won Starch,
in her bassooniest THAT is the only
word can think Of with which to de-
scribe them) tones, if you could ?"
Eyes, ma'am,'' replied Gertrude,
meekly but firmly.
"The idea is simply preposterous p
declared Grandmother Huffey's ife-like
voice.
Preposterous indeed ~ responded
the bassoon. "More than preposterous
-disgraceful A mechanic COM
mon working-man house-painter ~
"He's fresco-painter. /" timidly cor
rected Gertrude.
"Which amounts to the same thing, !"
groaned the bassoon.
Michael Angelo-"began Gertrude.
Heaven preserve us ~ shrilled the
fife; "she's bringing some Irishman
into the discussion now Be silent,
miss. Well not hear another word
from you. And understand distinctly,
once and for all, that if that person
calls here tomorrow, which no doubt
lie will have the impertinence and as
surance to do, you are to dismiss him
instantly, or IRE 1Oill. -
"And endeavor to begin the new
year''-the bassoon took up the strain
again" in a manner beftting de-
scendant of the illustrious General Won
Breeks Won Starch, whose unexampled
bravery made him and Bergen-op-Zoom
the city of his birth-famous not
only throughout Holland but the entire
world, at time when you were not
dreamed of.
AS for Great-gran Peeky, she had sat
softly rocking to and fro in her cush-
ioned rocker, munching her caraway
biscuits-a store of which she always
carried in little satchel suspended at
her side -sIeepily regarding the group
of takers, and saying not word her
self. 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
the law Ia favorite occupation of theirs,
by-the-bye) to servants, trades-people,
or granddaughter Gertrude. And the
last thing that could have occurred to
either of the amiable Lawmakers would
have been the idea of appealing to the
old lady for an opinion on any subject
whatever. It suficed them that she
paid without grumbling the greater
part of the expenses Of the 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 pa
tron saint Of Bergen-op-Zoom-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 dependent 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 Grandma Won Breeks
Won Starch held the same close relation
ship 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 a
cousin of the same name)-a family of
great prowess and many bags of gold
in their father-lend some century and a
half ago. She was tall, stout, and
solid, with round face, big black eyes,
abundant iron-gray hair, and carriage
that Immediately suggested to the be-
holder the last syllable of her aristo-
cratic 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, I must confess, when MUNICH
ing 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 a pleas
ant winter bloom fingered on her wrink-
led face.
It was from her Gertrude had re-
ceived all the picture-books and sugar
plums. almost always bestowed in per-
feet silence, that had frightened and
sweetened her childhood, Grandma Won
Breeks Won Starch supplying the lessons
in deportment, and Grandmother HUFF
fey det me whisper it) the punish
ments. usually inflicted with a slipper
or the back Of a hair-brush. But in