Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-08-23
A FAMILY AFFAIR.
BY HUGH CONWAY.
CHAPTER XIV,
A DIgpuTED CLAIM.

During the last three months of the
year Ha lewood Ho ,se did not belle its
reputation for calm regu ari y Of its do
nestle concerns and immunity from the
many petty ills and ammo ances which
a let less method ally conducted estab-
lishments. 20 far as could be seen all
promised well for a quiet, placid and
uneN entful winter. Horace and Herbert
employed themselves as was their wont.
They were men who could spread out
little occupation over q large slice OF
time so ne er found the hours drag
YEARLY. Beatrice seemed fairly happy
with her bright-haired boy. The little
fellow was now beginning to rrattle
m, TT ly, and his mann..r toward the Tai
bert's was more audacious and familiar
than ever. Altogether it looked as If
nothing would occGr to disturb the even
tenor OF life at Lakewood House, until
the budding hedges once more brought
round the usual spring cleaning.
But, all undreamed of by the Erothers
storms were ewing which were to shake
their house TO the foundation. Christmas
came. Ow, Christmas day was day on
which the Talberts made great sacrifices
for the good OF their fellow Great res.
Sylvanus Morile who believed that those
in poverty were as much entitled to
creature comforts as to sp ritual consola-
tiOns always sent the hat round at Christ
mas, and col ected a special fund for the
purpose of giving all his very poor people
a hearty dinner. At this dinner the Tai
berts were his henchmen. No one who
knew their fastidious tastes could have
seen them carving huge joints of san
guinary-looking beef or serving out sticky
segment of plum pudding without feeling
sure that, at heart. they were thoroughly
good fellows. Herbert did once plaintive.
ly ask Mordle if the meat need be quite
81 red. The rate chuckled. 'If it
WASH red, they'd say twas American,
and cave it. he answered. 1t is to be
feared that experience had taught Mordle
that charity is often looked upon as q
right to be demanded, not bounty for
which to be thankful.
&c was no doubt the terrible sights Of
the forenoon which made the Talberts
rigidly taboo so far as their own table
was concerned. all conventional Christmas
fare. AS Ho ace gravely said, there is to
educated minds, something savoring Of
vulearity In supposing that the celsbra-
ton OF a certain holiday must be attended
by the consumption Of certain class of
c0mestlbleS So their dinner consisted of
clear soup, fish, a brace Of birds and an
-omelet
''We never thought of Beatrice, said
Herbert penitently. Beatrice might
have liked roast beef and plum pudding"
But Miss Clauson did not yearn for
Christmas diet Moreover. her thoughts
were far away from eating and drinking.
Indeed, during the last three months the
girl had been, even for her, STRANGELY
quiet and thoughtful AS for a lite
while longer we must be contented to
regard her from the outside only. her
musings cannot be divulged. To-day, no
doubt she was thinking a great DIAL
about an impending visit to her fathers
no Sc.
Horace and Herbert had urged 1t earn
estly. Not, as they kindly and truthfully
told her, that they wished to lose her even
for dav, But II was well that the
world should tn nix that the Clausens
were a united family. 1t is curio 8 what
a simpleton most people think the world.
and how easily they fancy 1t can be taken
in.
Beatrice consented to be guided by her
uncle's advice. So on the day after
Christmas she left Oakbury. Sir Main
gay and his family were winter NC In
London. 1t is surprising the number OF
respectable people who do winter In Lon
don.
Sir Maingay met her at Paddington.
The baronet looked little rounder and a
little more commonplace than when last
she saw him. He greeted his daughter
ahcctiOnately, but told her she looked Ill
and careworn. Then he inquired for
Horace and Herbert. As from the very
first day they had kept Sir Malngay In his
proper place, he looked upon them with
the greatest respect rs Il true they
have adopted child?" he asked. Some
garbed version of the affair had reached
him.
''So,r said Peatfioe. 81 have"
You. my dear Adopt child Why,
Il is time you tho ght OF the possibility
OF having lildren Of your own, I have