Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1892-01-02

gathered round the table 1t is small,
| round table, chosen tonight for coZi-
ness, so that my wife and / are near
! each other, and our FIVE year-old heir
sits between us, with his golden head
not very high above the tablecloth.
Opposite him sits Thorold, true and
tried friend to us both and comrade
of mine. Maude is more lovely than
ever in my eyes. just as winning and
laughing, but glorious woman instead
of mere charming girl. She looks es-
pecially beautiful tonight in new ball
gown, n triumph of exquisitely fitting
satin about the bodice, and of bewilder-
ing flutiiness as to the skirt while her
bare, snowy mack and bosom rise out
of some soft yelling accessories that an
angel might not disdain to take pattern
| by as trimming to a spirit robe.
"Ah! 1t is a pity you have not got
| Aunt Agg's diamond necklace to wear
tonight. You would make nil the
other women faint with envy them"
remarked, affecting a critical air, but
inwardly full of pride as surveyed
my wife's appearance. We were going
| to a dance at Government house after
ward; it was to be the thing of the
season.
'If had, should be the happiest
woman in India" laughed Maude
back. LAS it is, perhaps, am second
happiest. But it is too bad they
should have disappeared so mysterious
ly; or rather that no living being
seems to know what your aunt did
| with them-and she is dead"
what is the story? Tell us all about
it." put in Thorold. "Was that the old
lady who cut you off with, I suppose. the
probverbial shilling for marrying mine
hostess here, like a wise and lucky
man?"
"My dear fellow, She cut me off
with a plum pudding" ruefully ex-
planned. 1.-THE very pudding you are
soon about to be regaled with. The
story is briefly, as you know, that
was disinherited for not consenting to
marry Miss Margaret Macintosh,
whom my aunt wished to go with the
property, so to speak And year
later, that is, six months after we were
married, my cousin, Dicly Colson, was
welded to the aforesaid Miss Mackin-
tosh, and came in for all my relatives
fortune four years ago. May they
both be happy ever after. But my
poor aunt must have had yearning
for me still in her hard old heart, for
before her death lit was some time in
autumn) she wrote me strange let.
ter. 1t was to this effect:
DEAR HENRY-You know was always q
woman OF my word, so 1t will be no surprise to
you that have left my fortune to your cousin
| Richard But hearing that your wife is o pretty
young woman, and wellbehaved (that Is q
feather in your cap. Maude isn't it0 1 send
you my forgiveness And you will receive
further plum pudding, prepared by my own
hands, which desire you will have served up
ut your own table on New Years day when
ever you feel in your heart that you likewise
freely forgive the memory of your aunt
AGATHA UPcHER.
"P. S--The doctors tell me may get better
Of my illness. But they are all idiots or cow
ards, for shall not ..f
And she was right, poor old lady, for
she died one week later. The curious
thing was that, in her will, she said:
have already given my diamond
necklace to Henry Upcher, my dear
nephew, who will receive it safely,
trust, some future day That is all.
And though Margaret-Mrs. Colson,
mean-has hunted for that necklace
everywhere, though she has consulted
detectives, and taken every trouble, be.
sides writing us the kindest of letters
the necklace was nowhere to be found
after my aunts death. 1t is clear
gone, vanished. No one seems tc
blame. The diamonds were usually
kept at the bank, and my aunt hersel
took them away a few days before hel
death"
"Stolen," remarked Thorold, dryly
And no doubt broken up before you
venerable relative was even buried.
But how does it come that you have
waited four years to feast on this leg
acy?"
''It has gone through such vicissi
tudes'-Maude was eagerly beginning
though in faltering tone. With sterr
truthfulness I interrupted her wifely
truth. because / am ashamed to say
that, till tonight, never could brins
myself to fully and freely forgive my
Aunt Agg The first New Year was
still sore, after having been cut out o
my promised fortune. The second one
this little woman here was ill, because
had not been able to afford changt
up to the hills for both of us, and sh'
gallantly refused to leave me. Ih'
third one-what did happen that thirt
New Year, Maude?"
''The plum pudding could not b.
found" cried Maude, laughing. "It
turned up ct last inside bonnet box
where it was making itself useful as
stand for my best hat. Oh, the strang
t adventures of that pudding. 1t ha
! | travelled all over India with us in it
tin case, and once it was really almos
!. lost for five months when we left Agra
and it was packed away no one knev
where, because little Jim was i'll, ant
I my hands were full with him. Then
when our bungalow at Simla took fire
it must have got some cooking. AM
1; once, crossing river, some of our bag
gage was upset, and the poor pudding
: was all but washed down stream
: Luckily one of our servants knew