Wichita eagle., 1888-08-26
C0RNELIA'S SURPRISE.

Miss Bysshe was gentlewon,an, even
though she did let furnished rooms Her
birth and education showed it, and her
manners confirmed 1t. 1t was no ordinary
lodging house, but mansion in a fash
tonable quarter, with its well furnished
apartments filed with gentlemen lodgers,
who had their breakfasts and suppers
sent In from neighboring restaurant
and who ate their midday meals down
town And Miss Bysshe owned the house
and its contents. She kept dodgers, and
she also kept skeleton In the closet.
Most people do. The skeleton of Miss
Bysshe was the Fear of Need. He was
kept In the closet as much as possible, it
not being the pleasure Of his owner that
he should he seen by men. Not that Miss
Bysshe liked deception By no means
She was naturally frank. But the skele-
ton was private possession. That she
had a skeleton; that he would come out
OF the closet at times and, despite the
fact that she had several thousand dollars
to her credit in the savings bank, sit at
her table and point his bony right fore
finger at her; that he would enter the
privacy of her chamber and disturb that
siumber which good health, good temper
and good digestion-to say nothing of
good looks--otherwise assured her, made
up distressing fact: but this was no
ones concern but her own, she thought.
In this conclusion she was right.
That this skeleton should exist at all
was her own fault, for the house that
Miss Bysshe owned was a four story and
basement double brown stone front, on
the corner, with an extension to it and
huge sub-ceilar under all It was an
enormous house, mansion of pretense.
1t was furnished in O style that showed
the furniture to have been built, not
made. 1t had twenty eight chambers
There was library in it of over 1000
volumes Cher dead fathers delight which
occupied two large rooms on the first
floor. The apartments were all lofty and,
with the exception of four hall bedrooms,
capacious. Twenty of the chambers were
rented at an aggregate rental of over
twelve thousand year. She should have
been contented. Her surplus income was
large and was accumulating in the saw
ings bank. Why was need to be feared?
Why should that skeleton not be quiet
forever in his closet, like any other set Of
articulated bones?
The truthwas that Miss Bysshe had an
other cause of fear-not skeleton. for it
was young, plump and pretty-in the
shape Of younger sister, Adela, girl
just turned of IS. There had been four
of them-Cornelia, Grace, Blanche and
Adela. Grace and Blanche had married
unhappily and lad atoned their fault
one within year of her marriage, and the
other about two years after-by dying.
Shortly after this their father died. Pre-
vious to his death no made his will, and
having, as he wrote therein, tffull conf
dence in the prudence and discretion Of
my beloved wife, Barbara" he had left
her all his personal property, in which his
wealth mainly consisted. The only real
estate he had was his fine town residence,
and this, with his furniture plate, library
and belongings, he devised and bequeathed
to his elder daughter, Cornelia. She had
an annuity of three hundred q year,
which had come through whimsical bit
of hrlnor on the part of her father. Cor
nelia always went to her father for poke;
money. 'See here, Cornelia," ne said nc
midst of my reading. I'll stop it. I'll
things, for they come at the right time,
and know you are not extrasagant; but
I'll buy you an annuity OF three hundred,
money" aud ho did.
Tho confidence Of William Bysshe in
the prudence and discretion of his be-
loved wife, Barbara, was not justified by
the sequel. The widow married again
within year, which would have been q
compliment to the memory Of her dead |
husband had she not linked herself to one
whose good looks and dashing manners
were his only good qualities. The quiet
life of Barbara Bysshe was not continued |
by Barbara Barton. She and her husband |
had "a good tine" They spent right |
and left until the ample fortune was I'M |
paired. and then. in tho hope of retriev-
Ing the loss, Joe Barton went into Wall |
street, and his wife with him, as inveter- I
ato gamester as he. Alas! the bulls |
tossed them in air and the bears tore |
them, and one fine morning Joe Barton,
having been detected signing q name not
his own 10 check, levanted and was
seen no more. The Byssno fortune was
no more. Mrs Barton took to her bed,
where her daughters faithfully attended
her. But Cornelias care and a phySi-
cian's skill were useless. The mother
died of kind of gaJloping consumption,
and Cornelia was left with her house, her
annuity and her younger sister. To Adela
She WAS mother as well as sister, and the
female Benjamin of the house, her ad-
in life and her rosy future oc-
supied her mind.
Miss Bysshe's friends suggested that
She might sell the furniture and library,
Snd on the rent of the house, which
would bring at least s.. 600 and probably
Sl0.oo0 year. live very comfortably.
But CorneHa had different views. The
furniture Was good. the house had been
newly carpeted the year before, land she
determined to let her furnished rooms,
which would add at least. so per cent. TO
her Income. There was something. too,
hat was attractive IN being ut the head
II large establishments fashionable |
,cuernert house. She had been born with 1
! golden ladle in her mouth, and the
spoon she found there instead should !
It least be gilded- So she advertised
Furnished apartments TO let" and they
we're taken UP rapidly. She had nothing
o do but receive her rents and keep g
owing but sharp eye on Adela.
The greater part OF the first foor was
aiken by rich Peruvian. Gen Juan Mar
inez, middle aged millionaire, who had
made up his mind to spend the rest OF his
lie in the United States Gen. Martinez
vas tall, fine looking, though bearded =,
Ike the pard. and of distinguished man
lers- OF his great wealth thors could be
10 question. He occupied over half Of
he floor, the front hall roorn being ten
nted by Frank Peters. a young MAJ
Who was confidential clerk to Scharx &
taneeters, Wall street firm The gen
raj had but one man servant, but ne en-
crtssned a good many visitors IN quiet