Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-04-13
Tor his own Aunt Myra.

astonished at you! Sittin' idlin' here, when
you promised to catch them two red chlntz
ROSTERS when the fowls was gone 10
roost, so conld get their necks wrung De-
fore"
She stopped short at the apparltlon OF
Gabriel Gaynor. Gabriel eyed her thought
fully. She was half-sister of George, the
child of old Deacon Fetherbee's first wlfe.
She was neither young nor beautiful, ana
her temper was well known IN the nelgh-
borhood but she was Fetherbee, apd as
such joint heir to the jewels with pretty
Mary. Gabriel remembered AL TINS, ana
promptly stepped into the breach
'sTU catch them chintz-colored ROSTERS
for you, Miss joanna said he, calamity
'I'm always pleased to be Of service to the
ladies'"
And so this middIe-aged Cupid and Psyche
disappeared into the hen-house, with
candle: and after an absence that appeared
perfectlv unaccountable to George, who
still sat there polishing of the gate-pin, re-
appeared with the cackling prey In safe
custody
Let me- wiring their necks for you, dar-
ling" said Gabriel, spasmodically.
"Oh, never mind, DEAR" chirped Joanna;
but she rushed off to her own room, never
theless, nearly upsetting Mrs. Fetherbee on
the stairs.
''Eh?" said George.
eyes" said Gabriel, changing from one
foot to the other as he stood holding the
basket of chickens, "she's promised to be
Mrs. Gabe Gaynor."
"Aint this rather student" said George,
staring with all his eyes.
such things always happen sudden at
the last" said Gabriel, composedly,
Won't you make ruther an elderly pair
o. turtle-dovesr' said the audacious George.
''That amt nobody's business but our
own" said Gabriel. ''Jest fetch me an axe,
George, there's a good fellow. low it's
easier to chop off these fowls heads than to
wiring their necks."
Mrs. Fetherbee smiled when she heard
the news. 'Pm not sorry" said she. 10
anna has always been trial in the family,
but there seemed no way OF getting rid OF
her"
s'Gabe Gaynor must be an ALFRED fool"
observed George Fetherbee. why, she's
forty, if she's day! And her tongue"
Hush, my son." said the gentle mater.
familias. "It's all for the bestl"
DESTROYS though Gabriel was to learn the
story of the family inheritance, be judged
it best to ask no questions at present.
Il don't want 'em to think I'm marryn'
into the family just for that said he. 40
anna thinks I'm desperately IN love with
her!n
"I,et her think So" said Aunt Myra, sage
" nodding her head. "We're playing for
high stakes; that's what we're dom, you
and me, Gabel Don't let's run any risks"
1t was the day before the wedding. ga
briel Gaynor was sitting before the fire try
ing TO think of something to say to his
fances, when George Fetherbee came in.
wv ELL said he, they'll be here tonight"
"Who?" said Gabriel.
sWhy, the Jewels"
Gabriel prlcked up his ears.
'Eh!r said he. Show are they coming'
By expressa Is that quite safe, do you
think?' i'.'
sBy express?" echoed George. "No.
Why should they come by expresse They
are coming in the cars, like other folks"
s'Vho bea''
ssThe Jewels. Let me see. There's Aunt
Leah, and Jane, and Eliza and little Reu'
benz
M-don't-think-I -understand-you,' ~
said Gabriel, slowly. 81 s'posed they were
family jewels"
80 Jney De- Fdtuci CouoIuo.
"Fofs sr
'Why, yes. Did you think they were
cattles' retorted George Fetherbee, laugh
ing. They've been left unprovided for, by
Uncle Peter Jewels death, and mother
thinks we can manage to make home for
them here They're very nice, clever peo-
pie, and the children will be very helpful
about the place."
Gabriel Gaynor's lower jaw dropped. So
this was the end of the Family Jewels And
his heart sank within him as, at that very
instant, he heard Joanna's shrill voice up
raised in the kitchen beyond.
''She was going to be Family Jewell,
toor'
But he married her. What else could he
dol He married her, and avery busy, bust
ling wife she made him. But when, one
dav, he ventured to ask George Fetherbee
about theredL treasures, he burst out laugh
ing.
ssThat old trunk of Uncle Theodorus'"
SAID he. There wasn't thing in it but
pawn tickets and Old clothes. If ever he
had any jewels, he'd gambled 'em away out
West. But it's my opinion he never had
none"
And so ended Gabriel Gaynor's radiant
anticipauons.-Amy Randolph, in N. Y.
Ledger.