The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-03-10
DACRE'S GRANGE.
" K. [. II.

\ quaint and comfortable drawing room, not by any means t'thcilc. but one where a bugh, chccry hre and crimson cuttnn, and ho>p.l,.ble-iooking ann chairs fnslted thc scA,, visitor To rest.
 1, wa, particularly coSy-!oo!;ing one snowy December morning not far from hris,masiIde. when the deep ~h,,c snows were nant!Ins all the nelds and fells of tumbcr,and.tn the winty winds were moaning crca,Iy round Dacre's Grange. Three yoang ladies. dressed in the latest ftshian. louaged gracefully near the huge stttc and glowing cnhers. car r5ing on 4 rather ucsli,ory ana InterInit- tent oonvcrs ition. Al of them were pretty or rather handsome: all of them were Daeres, wiih the very bluest of blood Il ,wing m thcir veins and though the occasion ot their pres@n, visit To the Grange ~as a sad one. they seemed all ,o be pos scsscd O. cx~clien, health and spirits.
 Where can that cr.tturc have gone :" exclaimed Ada pacIc. quite regardless oi any preSaoGs remark.
 Her book had lain neglected in her lap iuI some time, while her beautiful eyes were turned drcamily tu the ceiling. as II Tn contemplation. She occupied large and well cushiuaed sofa, and pillow cd her shapely head among rare tapestries worked by some industrious, anccstreSs.
 Janet Thorpe. do you mean !' asked one oi her cousins, 4 bright and spirited brunette. who was pulling spray ol holly ln pieces. apparently for wan, of some better occupation.
 ..t If cnuTs,. Whom ei.o ,s ,ha,. t. talk abou, heie: rc,urnel the other. Il mus say should like ,o know the ins and outs ot ,he whole affair It IS absurd 10 m Ike d mystery about Il in ,his way"
 But It IS Cousin lohns wish, Ada. interposed the third girl a little butterfly of a creature, teasing q gray kitten on the rug to the very verge oi madness. .l ou wouldn't gn against his last wish, would you. when he k dying. and perhaps cut yourself out of his will. too. for anything. you know? ?'
 Lucy Dacrc laughed mcrrily while she spoke and seemed more anxious tc tor ment her cousin Ada than to save the dv- ing man from vcxation
 Well, don't know" retorted Ada, tossing her long fair ,resses back upon the sofa:"l think we have paid quite enough attention already to Cousin Johns wishes and don't know if we are likely 10 gain much by it after all '"
 ''l must say, said the brunette Louisa. throwing her bits of holly into the fire, and speaking with animation, that our position here is ridiculous enough-and even humiiating. lust think oft. Here are we three gi3s-'
 -Four, counting Honensia," put in Lucy. with twinkle in her eyes.
 'Hortensia isn t girl" answered Lou isa. but she counts four. Then there are our two brothers. Frank and Charlie. and your big brother. Ada
 Who might count for six" remarked Lucy sotto voce.
 My brother Digby makes seven," said Ada
 Well. here VIC are seven intelligent pers ,ns-'
 "Ornaments to society" suggested Lucy.
 Sent for to this drcary. dismal. out-of- the-world place. to attend the last illness of our cousin-a man ofwcalth and prop erty, and the head of our ancient house. We come al once at his request. leave the gay world at the most interesting season, shut ourselves up here in hope less scciusion and what do we ind in return: Our respected Cousin John so deeply grieved about the loss of mere dependent-a low-born, uneducated crea- ture, and one who has evidently robbed him and run away from the consequences so deeply, dolefully grieved tha, he all but refuses to see us, his blood-reiations And, if he is making will at all, as he pretends he is doing. l, for one, have my own suspicions-s
 That it is all in favor of Janet Thorpe That IS what say, too," said Lucy, clap ping her hands, and evidently exulting over Adds look of chagrin, although her own interests were equally aossake.
 Perfectly shocking = scandalous !" murmured the blonde beauty. "Digby has quite run through his fortune, and Hortensia and l see nothing before us but dy ed silks and shabby bonness. It is really dreadfulw
 The door opened at that that T..iirn1suzsee minute, and Houensia Dacre appeared carrying large volume under her arm. She was