The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1885-09-09

ton, with a great effort to look what he
professeds
Mrs. Palfrey seated herself in her SON
inlaw's own special arm chair, and said,
amiably:
Really, missed you so much, Matil-
da, and was so anxious, Horace, to see
how you two were getting along, that
just tossed few things together and
ran down to spend q day or two with
you. You certainly do look very com
Portable" with a criticising glance
around the tasteful little sitting-room.
Then she ran on and talked for an
hour, until something was said about
tea, when she remarked that she had
lately taken fancy to chocolate and
Russian caviare at that meal.
Jane was accordingly dispatched to
procure these deicacies; and meanwhile,
Mrs. Palfrey favored her daughter and
son.in-law with suggestions for more
harmonious" arrangement of the sitting
room furniture, together with criticisms
on the pattern of the carpet and wall
paper.
"Never mind, dear" said Mr.. Melton,
soothingly, when at last his mother.in-
law had been persuaded to retire for n
good nights rest after her ride. "Let
us humor her for the day or two that she
will remain, and then we can have our
own way again"
But Mrs. Palfrcy gave no indication
of an intention of speedily ending her
visit. On the contrary, she made arrange
ments for being comfortable in her own
II. -.
into the household and domestic affairs,
and reforming and regulating things ac-
cording to her own notions.
This involved a system OF cookery
comprising her own favorite dishes,
while Mr.. Melton's were condemned as
either unwholesome or cxtrayagant; and
also a constant shifting about of furni-
ture; so that, as her son-in.la law observed,
when he came home OF an evening, he
never knew where to look for anything.
To add to his uneasiness, Mrs. Palfrey
began to give hints of letting her own
house, and in future dividing her time
between her two dear, married daugh-
ters, to whose inexperience and helpless
ness she could be of so much use, and
such comfort in case of sickness-they
having no family to look sfter them.
If the old lady should choose to carry
out this plan what could they dot Mr.
Melton and Matilda asked each other.
OF course mamma could not be turned
out of their house and yet-and Mrs.
Melton turned away to hide her tears,
whilst her husband walked up and down
the floor. striving, for mis- wife's sake, to
repress his vexation.
Had it depended upon himself he
would have had small scruples; but how
could he hurt Matilda's feelings by being
what she would consider rude or unkind
to her motherl
Mrs. Palfrey had not been three days
in the house when she made an explor-
ing tour throughout every nook and
corner, and among other things remarked
the locked closet.
"What have you stored away therc?'
she inquired of her daughter.
al don't know. Some old lumber,
suppose. Horace merely said he prefer
red it to remain locked, as we had no
special use for it."
but where is the key9 OF course you
have looked into itl"
NO; l have not cared about it. l be-
lieve Horace has the key"
"You don't mean to say, Matilda, that
you allow your husband to lock up apart
ments in your house and keep the keys
himself, without ever letting you know
what he has shut up in theml Why,
Bluebeard himself couldn't do a more
outrageous thingw
at is only little closet, mamma. and
if there had been anything particular in
it, he would have told me-"
"Humph little you know about hus-
bands and their ways! Now, l will
wager that Horace has his uncle's choice
cd wines and spirits stored in that
closet, to which he helps himself on the
sly"
But when, that evening, Mrs. Palfrey
limited an inquiry to her son.in.law in
regard to the late Mr.. Melton's stock of
wines, he assured her that his uncle had
left none. He had never stored wines,
but bought them as they were needed.
This only added to Mrs. Palfrey's
curiosity. and a day or two after she
assailed him again.
al have been assisting Matilda in ar
ranging the store room more conyen-
iently. think that ground floor rather
damp, and that it needs a good airing
and some quick-lime. l noticed a closet
in one corner which emits musty and
unwholesome smell 1t ought to be
opened and thoroughly ventilated.
There is nothing so dangerous in a
house as damp"
$50 my uncle thought" replied Mr..
Melton, composedly, "aud he was, there
fore, particular in the building and fin
ishing of the ground floor and cellars.
The closet is perfectly dry-perhaps, in
deed, the dryest spot in the house.
There is no necessity for airing it, as,
sure YOU"
Thenceforth, Mrs. Palfroy daily pom
dered upon the locked closet door.
Why should it be kept fastened, and
the key in Mr.. Melton's possession, un-
less it contained something which he
particularly desired to keep secret2
"Perhaps it is family papers" she
a, a., fapniaH thara ,,,,,et