Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-17

viii. She mast be taken care of. VIII
you undertake to do the best for herw
There was no escape, and i was
obliged to promise the BurgOmaster that
/ would call that very day on the strange
old woman.
AS my friend was leaving, 1 asked him
what sort Of a man Stewart Jansen was.
''Not good for much,' he replied. HE
was bon Uioeur, and, for that matter, so
was she. 1 was quite young when he
died, but remember good deal Of rev.
elry proceeding from that house, great
deal of drinking and singing. She was
very much admired by the young men IN
society, and, being rich, she could afford
to entertain them. But it did not last
long. Youth and beauty vanished, and
instead of clinking the wine-glass, she
had to be satisfied with the ring and gilt
ter Of her golden crowns"
With these words, the Burgomaster de-
parted.
This time had no difficulty in getting
into the house. a nurse from neigh
boring hospital ushered me to Madame
Jansen's room. A strange scene pre-
sented itself. On the chairs, whose COW
erings hung in shreds, were scattered
| articles of clothing, old bonnets, sauce
pans and other culinary utensils, min
| gled with scraps Of food. Spiders webs
hung from the ceiling and stretched
across the curtainless windows. The
windows had apparently been closed for
| years. When the nurse drew aside the
heavy curtains of the huge 0ld-fashi0ned
| bed, a sound like the clanking of chain
was audible, and l saw large bunch OF
KEYS firmly held by a shriYeled hand. A
| lean form. envelOped in a soldiers ragged
| cape, tried to raise itself on the pillows.
A small wrinkled face gazed into mine,
while a shrill voice shrieked discordantly
"Turn out that witch"
Madame Jansen made an effort to strike
the nurse with her keys. But moment
later the sick woman sank back helpless
on her pillows.
You are come to inquire after my
health, sir?" she said in softer tones, 'and
thank you for your neighborly attention.
But this person." and then she raised her
voice again in anger-"this person, who
thrusts herself upon me, is only come to
watch me.'
"But you have met with an accident;
your state Of health requires care" L said
soOthingly.
81 have no need of nurse" she re-
Piled, sharply. "Last night they tried to
rob me. There were strange sounds in
| the basement. Masked figures crept
through the garrett windows, and all the
bells in the house pealed."
"All the bellsp' SAID 1. "That would
have been most unusual proceeding on
| the part of thieves"
81 tell you," cried the sick woman with
rehndled energy-"I tell you, all the bells
rangl My nephew, who is at the head of
the police, is far too stupid to catch the
robbers. He came here and tried to per-
suade me that l had been dreaming. Ha,
hal He would have liked it better if | had
dreamt my will also"
knew that her nephew was burdened
with large family, and that his salary
was so SMALL, 1 tried to enlist her SYM
patty mainly on the score of the rela-
tiOnship subssting between them.
''Your nephew is, of course, one of your
heIrs," said interrOgatively.
''My heirs?' she exclaimed, disdainful-
ly. 'tNO. no, my dear sir. My heirs are
those whom l am at liberty to choose, and
| have chosen them"
She then explained, with evident salts
faction, the provisions of her VIII.
"But," said /, chat charity is already
amply endowed"
lis that your Opinion?" she muttered.
''No matter, it is my will. desire these
old pensioners to have something better
to drink than vile potato brandy. After
my death they shall taste Jamaica rum
that has crossed the line three times"
''And your nephew's large familyW
eyes, yes,' she said, petulantly, ''they
increase and multiply in the confident
hope of living on my fortune. But u
and she now spoke with much bitter
ness-'I have no children"
"WiIl you not, at all events, make
cOdicIl assigning small portion of your
fortune to these poor girls?'
''PoOr glrls!" she cried, as her old head
shook pitiless, and her frame trembled
with excitement. "They shall not have
groschen, not a grOschen."
AT these words she sank back exhaust
ed, and l gazed in horror at this poor
wreck, broken by age, apparently sub
sistlng on the strong passion of hatred. l
hesitated moment, and then plucked up
courage to say:
sSWhat have you against your nephew?
Has he offended youp
"Me? Oh, dear, nou' she replied.
'IQuite the contrary. No sooner had he
received his appointment than he came
here to pay mis- respects''-and then added
with bitterness: |'TO look up his inheri-
lance of course. Though / had never seen
HIM before, he called me dear aunt;' but
| saw through him. He brought his eldest
daughter with him. Her name is Matilde
"a grand lady-quite grand lady, L as
sure you'll They must be rich people, my
nephew and his daughters. She wore
dress trimmed with rich Valenciennes,
and a cameo brooch was fastened at her
throat. She hoped, doubtless, that would
fall in love with her baby face. Her little
hard to believe that roast chickens, little
grives, and many other delicacies were all
put into itV
She shook her head meditatively, recall
ing. perchance, her own past life. Sud-
denly she turned towards me, and, with
strange light in her eyes, which seemed to
have been borrowed from her buried
youth, cried passiOnately;
EELook at me, look at me! l also have
been beautiful"
was for a moment taken aback at the
sight of her shrlYeled form, held erect as
a torch, among the pillows. But the
large eyes had already become dull and
fixed.
Old.O she whispered. "Death is very near
but the nights, OIL those nights! Then
must / wander about without ceasing; it
is fortunate indeed that my house is so
large"
sSYOu are suffering from want of Sleep"
l said: ssthat is consolation elderly peO-
pie often WOO in vain"
But she only shook her head.
''No, no, my dear sir. l keep myself
awake by main fOrce-by main force,
tell YOU. | am afraid of the old Scythian;
but only when l am asleep-he has so Of
ten taken folk by surprise then! But he
shall not catch me yet. The town authori-
ties would be glad to hear of my death.
Bah! l believe they wish to place me I'M
der restraint. BY the way" she ex-
claimed, gIancing suddenly and suspi-
ciously at me, you are also an official, my
friend?"
nodded. Then, with hereyes still fixed
intently on mine, she exclaimed:
''Have they charged you with mission
to my houseW
After moments hesitation, resolved
to tell her the truth.
s'They feared that your weak state of
health might necess tate some kind of
guardianship"
At these words she tarted.
"Weakv' she crie piteOusly. "No,
no, not weakl / am ch, very rich, they
think, and they want rob me; but will
barricade my house, even though die of
hunger inside"
So saying, she seized the bed-curtains,
and tried to put her feet to the ground.
She must get up; she must show me how
strong she was.
l called the nurse, and we both did our
best to sOOthe her. / came round the bed
and stood facing her, the light fun upon
me. Something in my appearance seemed
to steady her, for she grew calm and list
ened attentively to my words. l told her
that, in my opinion, there was no need for
personal guardianship, but that the