Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-30
CHAPTER III.

CHAPTER III.
"Hey! sis,'' exclaimed Harry, cycling
me curIously, whats that you are put
ting in my cofeep
Ihad actually dropped lump of but
ter in his cup, for so full was my head of
new thoughts l moved as IN a dream.
The very thing dreaded took place. 1t
was fathers turn to examine my cOun-
tenance. and at once a conscious redness
was diffused all over it.
"What's this! L don't want any luny at
my table"
sFather,v l exclaimed, with all the dig
nitv possible, ''yOu must have forgotten
that this is my sixteenth birthday, and
that of course my first act would be to
see what my legacy is"
..Ah!' with prolonged, low whistle.
sSome Of Miriam'S cracked ways. Why
didn't she give you those 'gewgaws'
when you were a baby and let you handle
them? They would not have made goose
Of you then"
Yes" chimed in Harry, ''yOu would
have been used to them by this time, and
would not have spoiled my coffee"
$50 neither OF you care bit to see
what lovely things they are" cried,
leaning back in my chair, with a sense OF
disappointment already dimming the
pleasure Of owning yaluables. What
would life be without sympathy:
After father had dispatched hearty
! Notwithstanding was very important
/ event IN his days-ne seemed more dis
/ posed to give way to interest in my TO-
/ mantle epoch, and cried out:
BUN. bring 'em hcre-the wrinkles
and crisping pins-nOt the musty old let
teTs."
OF course he was talking of Aunt
\ kfch I wa Qlon no
did not care to see. In a few moments /
brought the casket, ana Harry's rough
! fingers were handling the delicate and
! sparkling treasures as if they were COM
/ mon marbles to be tossed up and down.
| Father grew quiet over mothers letter,
\ and Harry aud L carried on our badinage
/ in an undertOne. All StOnce Harry spied
| the necklace that was in honor bound to
/ wear often. He seized IL, and with a
| grimace called out in my ear:
| 'sWhen you wear this please let me
/ know, and I'll leave town."
"Why not wear anything as rich and
| handsome as that, pray :"
"Why not get picture Of some hand
some ape, set it in diamonds, and string
/ it to your noses end? 1t would look
| about as well as this"
| sNo such thing" cried /, Indignantly,
| and in a louder tone. AUNT Miriam
must have been handsome when this was
| taken. Was she, fatherY"
| He had finished reading, and the letter
| lay upon his knee with his hands folded
quietly over it. A sottened mood was
| upon him. and he addressed me by his
| tenderest pet name:
eyes, yes; pigeon. She was fine
! looking young woman, and her heart was
in the right place. Both of YOu''-and
/ here he looked intently at HaTry-"Ought
| to honor her; but for her care your father
would have never been man. Let's see
| the picture" The sOftened mood lasted
while his eyes were riveted upon the face,
and be kept saying softly: Yes; anobie
! girl she wasp
! All at once he caught sight of the odd
| shape of the necklace, and bursting out
| into his usual humOr with:
"HumphW more expressive than words,
began turning it round and round. $50
you're to look pretty in this, hey? Old
( Miriam knew what she was about. One
trick to feed vanity, and one to squash
itr'
How he did laugh and pinch my ear
saying all the time what trump old
| Miriam was. All my brave desires to be
content about wearing the necklace were
vanishing. ] determined to change the
subject aud asked him ifhe would not take
me out to Strassmere. This was the name
given TO the place upon which is the
house built by Aunt Miriam, and in which
was the wonderful cabinet of jewels. She
named it after her mothers family, from
whom all the wealth had come. Aunt
Miriam lived in it only few months, and
since her death it had occasionally been
rented, but most of the time looked after
by the families of the workrnen whom
father engaged to plant the large vineyard
lands surrounding the house. L delighted
always to 90 to Strassmere, and now it
81
After little pause father said:
.sHa! now that you have full rig to sail
in. YOU are ready to go with me to pay re-
suects to the newcomers over there. What
wonderful difference finery makesw
"Oh, father! 1 did not knOw-Or rather
I forgot all about there being people liv-
ing at Strassmere. l am sorry they are
there"
.'Humph! you are-what is in the wind
nOw?"
l blushed again when my legacy came
to mind. l could not give any plausible
reason for wanting to 60 to the house just
then, for l am no adept at concealment,
but father, who was ever indulgent to us
while we obeyed him, agreed to take me
out riding and TO Strassmere. We were
TO ride horseback. When l was equipped
for the haunt | came down on the broad
niazza to await fathers appearance.
the pillars. AS drew near he slipped
finger in the knot of the silk kerchief L
wore close about my throat. and drew it
down so as to expose to view the necklace
| had put on in undaunted courage.
$50 you are going out to display your
self before the most aTistOcratic family
that ever came to this place? Do 20 like
Yourself, Minnie. IcannOt bear for such
a man as Mr.. Williams to meet you first
with croh a sdppEinO-Offf a { flat.V
| knew how 10 manage Harry, and be-
lug determined to wear the ornament told
him so, only kissed him and pulled his
hair at the same time.
.sNever mind, Hal, what strangers
think. so you know L am trying to do
right
a shadow fitted over his face, and after
a pause he said, in tone strangely serious
for him:
ssTo do right Ay! there's the rub. If
YOU have learned how please teach me-"
Full well knew that he needed help be-
yOnd my ken, for his young life was al
ready opened into a labarynth Of trouble.
/ had heart full of warm love and SYM
Dathy to give him, the depth of which he
couId never fathom. Our light talk was
but fimsy covering for deep wounds,
vet il was we'll we could be light-hearted.
l laughed now, and, pinching him by the
ear, said:
"Follow my example and obey the
powers that be. Father is calling me-"
Harry followed me to the gate and
placed me upon my pretty riding horse,
which was in gay mood and sprang off
the moment 1 was seated. l had only
time to kiss my hand to Harry at parting,
for Afalise dashed away like flash. AS
soon as some of his metal was spent /
turned his head about, and went back to
find out where father was. He was seated
unmoved in his buggy, and looked up
smiling as l rode up.
sYoU look finely, pigeon, after your cam
ter. You make a ship-shape picture,
sure"
1t was evident that father was in
genial humor. If he had not been in one,
/ would have had to sit demurely beside
him in the stupid buggy. 1t was to de-