Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-04-12

bright blooming girl, for there is no beau
%Oh Montaguer she cried, dropping
her letter, what am l to do?'
What is the matter, sweetheart ?" in
ouired Mr.. Merton, calmly folding over
his newspaper.
The whole dickson familyr cried
Clara. "All coming to spend an indefinite
period of time with us"
"Ahp said Mr. Merton. Your first
husbands relatives. Have you invited
them?"
ooh, no, nor cried Clara Invited
them, when they were so hard and cruel
and inhospitabie to ME in my hour of
need, and all but turned me out OF doors
at last?"
"Then,g said Mr.. Merton, we must
treat them as we would treat any other I'M
pertinent intruders Ny little Clara shall
not be tormented by lot Of harpieS Just
give me the letter, love; I'll settle this
business. Oh, by the way, I'll have to run
out to Chestnut Hill this morning to see
about the new Conservatives there. But
Phi send Phipps my lawyer, to the depot
to meet them. He'll make 1t all right
" But, Montague" faltered Clara, " what
shall do if they descend upon me like
the locusts of Egypt, and you not here%
They won't come my dear, SAID Mr..
Merrion, shrewdly.
Nevertheless Clara was very nervous all
day, and could not settle peacefully to
work in the exquisite little gla5s-celied
studio, with the Nenitian-red walls and
ruby-velyet draperies, which her husbands
affection had provided for her, for the rec
election of Mrs Clio sons cold, hard face
overshadowed her like nightmare.
The two maiden daughters sour regards
were still fresh in her memory, and she
could not think of the stolid stupidity of
Mr. and Mrs. Philo without a shudder.
The dickson family arrived at the
depot hot dusty, crumbled, like all travel
ers. Miss Lorina's hat was crushed, Miss
Maurandia's complexion was all washed
away with perspiration, Mrs. Philo had
the toothache, and Philo had mislaid the
key of his bag.
The old lady was cross and dictatorial,
much inclined to find fault with the man
agement Of the road, and old Mr.. Click
son sat all in a heap in the corner, about
As amiable as an elderly hyena.
Into this cheerful family party Mr..
Phipps bowed himself courteous, mid
dle-aged gentleman, with a perpetual
smile and coaxing way OF speaking,
which bespoke your confidence before you
knew it.
a Do | address Mrs. Eben dickson ~
said he, suavely.
You do" said the old lady trying to
straighten out her bent spectacles, upon
which Mrs. Philo had sat ali the way from
Yellow Brook depot.
u represent Mrs. Merton" said he.
" You have no doubt heard Of the sick
ness in the family and have come 70 help
nurse Mr.. Merrion's daughters p
Eli Y' said Mrs Eben dickson, hold
ing the spectacles by one Joint. " He was
a widower, Ell? With a family? Well,
then, Clara haint done 50 surprisingly
well, after all But what's the matter with
the young gals? l pity 'em if Jason's
widow Is to be their stepmother"
The doctor hopes" said Mr.. Phipps,
that it will not be anything more serious
than scarlet fever The indications, at
present, are"
Scarlet fevern' screamed Mrs Philo.
q Husband, let's go back! We've neither
Of Us never had itw
1t is malignant " gasped Miss LORNA.
Why didn't Jason's widow telegraph to
Us ?' shrieked Miss Maurandia.
She has had a great deal to occupy her
mind said Mr.. Phipps, smoothly. You
perhaps haven't heard that her husband
has gone away and left her?'
And took all the money! gasped the
old woman.
cit is but too probable" said Mr..
Phipps.
Left herr" repeated Miss LORNA.
Humph. A grass widow Didn't
always say that Clara dickson wouldn't
come to no good ?'
She can't expect Us to countenance
her" said Miss Maurandia severely.
Ladies' said Mr. PhippS, will show
you the way to Mr. Merrions residence
Certainly not" said Mrs. Eben Click
son 1t amt my business to countenance
any woman whose husband has deserted
her Just let her know, please that her
first husbands family are very much put
out and hope she won't expect them to re-
ceive her again
And think" observed Miss Mauran-
dia, that it is very cool of her to suppose
that we will turn free nurses to her second
husbands family, when we're all delicate
ourselves
Mis-, LORNA made no further remark, but
gathered up her parcels and packages and
started for the train, whittier old Mr..
/ dickson and Mr. and Mrs Philo had al
ready led the way; for, dearly as the
/ dickson family cherished the prospect Of
months sojourn in Philadelphia, hotel
exactions and boarding bills were
out Of the question.
| Mr.. Phipps watched them until the last
I basket and valise had disappeared into the
car door, and then returned to the landau,
Just outside the station, where Mrs. Mon
tague Merrion sat.
You heard it all?" said he.
Every word said Clara whose face
was combination of amusement and an
noyauce But Mr.. Phippe-'
1t was quite true, wasn't 1t, about your
husbands daughters being i'll of scarlet
fever" said the lawyer
! But they are away NJ boarding-school.'
Was it necessary for me to mention
that% said Mr. Phipps, demurely.
And you said my husband bad left
me-
Hasn't he?" questioned Mr. Phipps
But he has only gone TO Chestnut Hill
to see about the buildings, and he will
come back this evening" pleaded Clara.
! They did not ask me where he was
gone, or when he would return observed
/ Mr.. Phipps
But the main object was achieved. The
visitation of the dickson family had been
warded off; and when Mr.. Merton came
home that evening from Chestnut HILL
! with the report that the girls were getting
on finely, and the conservatories almost
completed Clara met him with radiant
face,
Mr. Phipps' diplomacy mas won the
| day," said she.
While the dickson family, unloading
their bags and trunks once more at the
/ farmhouse door, declared, gloomily, that
they always knew that Jason's widow
would turn out a failure