Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-12-17
aParr CALCULATED Jane. in shocked

Mrs. EveSham was 700 nOrrincu 10
words, but held up her mittened hands
In deprecating agony.
1T is all the doing of the woman
who married my poor brother Henry,
Mr.. Evesham explained, his checks
tingling with CONFUSION.
"What, in the paper?" Jane asked.
forgetting her papa's IMPROPERLY in
her curiosity to learn the news.
Eyes. the lum herman groaned, half
column of it,
what has she done, Isaac? ! wish
you would not startle me SO" gasped
Mrs. Evesham, feebly.
"Donel don't know that she's done
much. II is Just because she has not
done something that she is bringing
disgrace on the family name. Never
read Of more shocking instance OF
feminine moral obliquity. Here one
of her precious boarders suddenly dies,
and instead of affording the legal au-
thorities all the assistance she can, she
is SO reticent that she brings down upon
her the reproof of the coroner. and the
Daily Herald speaks Of her as re-
luctant witness"
what can be her object?" queried
Jane, aghast at the thought that her
genteel associates would learn that her
aunt kept clearinghouse.
"Oh, some silly sentimentalism, you
may depend on it," Mr.. Evesham
snorted; the woman always was
fool"
won't you read the article, pa2" his
daughter asked.
''Yes, do" pleaded his wife.
Thus adjured, the indignant gentle
man read in hard, dry, monotonous
voice the long, sensational account OF
the catastrophe, which had lost none
of its suggestive mystery in the graphic
description of the reporter.
s'How dreadfully- shockingl" Jane
gasped. She was not thinking of the
sudden death of the hapless man nor
the trouble of her relatives, but how
her dear friend Sarah Goodchild would
gloat over this exposure of her family
affairs.
"What are you going TO do about it.
Isaac?" Mrs. Evesham asked, meekly.
''Doi | suppose ] must go to New
York and see the silly creature through
the mess she has got into. After all
she is my brothers wife, and do not
propose to have her drag us into fur
Their disrepute If / can avoid it,
For a moment a softening smile
played on Mrs. Evesham's features, az
she called to remembrance the pretty,
blushing girl-wife her brother-in-law,
Hal had brought with such pride to
show them sixteen years ago-nay, she
was even touched with a slight pang Of
remorse, for had she not promised tho
handsome scapegrace that she would be
a friend to his ''wee wife," if ever she
needed one?
Isaac" she said, timidly, pursuing
this line of unaccustomed thought, do
you not think we might do something
for Esther and her children"
Certainly do" her husband
snapped. when / said was going TO
New York to see them you did not sup
pose / was intending to take so long a
Journey merely to make morning call,
did you?"
"Ah, am glad of that" Mrs. Eve.
sham exclaimed with unwonted anima-
ton.
YES" the lumberman continued,
glowing with the conscious pride of
doing good action, Esther shall have
the best advice it lies in my power to
give her"
But something more than advice, l
hope, his wife persisted.
"Why, yes" the rich man said. II
had perhaps better not go empty
handed. You can collect the dresses
and things you and Jane have done
with and | viii take them with me.
They win cut up splendidly for the
little girls"
For a minute Mrs. Evesham's face
flushed an indignant objection, but the
long force of habit was too strong for
open opposition to her husbands judg-
ment, so she sighed faint acquiescence
and departed to prepare the parcel.
1t was on the very morning of the
trial that Mr.. Isaac Evesham put in an
appearance at the widows house in
fOTtf -nlHbn ebICct. MUCH W tHc us
comfort Of that unfortunate lady, who
had really never appreciated her we'll
to-do brother-in-law, whose interest in
her affairs had never manifested itself
in any more substantial way than
dictatorial Interference, which she was
ungrateful enough to deem impertinent.
"This is most dreadful occurrence,
Esther" he said, with solemn wag of
his head. while he patted the children's
cheeks with his hot, fiabby hand, but
blood is thicker than water, and could
not see my brothers children dragged
into this newspaper notoriety without
an effort to rescue them"
He disapproved Of everything she had
done. reprobated her carelessness in re-
eeiving inmates in her house of whom
she knew nothing, rated her worse than
the coroner had done for permitting the
stranger to take the photograph,
thought she was foolishi in receiving the
little girl into her family, and growled
heartily over remissness in not at once