Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-11-28
CHAPTER VIM.
AGAIN AT rPAsoSAGEssIT-PEACE AND GOOD

AGAIN At TPASOSAGESSIT-PEAC AND GOOD
WILL PREVAIL
Twas received with open arms by ev-
erybody ON my arrival at Pasonagessit-
not alone by members Of my own fsni.
ly, not Of course by the Bradford Of
all the Bradfords and Q few others Of
that special brand Of Bradfords, but !
found life there very different from what
II was on my departure for England.
Ny fathers house now seemed TO be
headquarters for nearly all the young
people Of the town. My sisters were sin
the swim," and Of course very natural.
ly dropped In with them.
Twas glad to be able to meet Prudence
In our family mansion. Our secret had
been well kept. My sisters did not In
the least suspect how matters stood be-
tween their brother and the "Mayfower
Of the Mayflowers." Not soul was In
the secret except our true blue Captain
Shrimp, and to be the sole repository Of
such secret made him tho happiest Of
mortals. Besides, he did not much like
old Amariah Bradford and list mater
ally hated" Standish. He had faithfully
conveyed to Prudence all the letters ]
had written, both from England and
New York. and began to feel almost like
Q father to the dear little Puritan maiden.
Prudence was close and shrewd stu
dent of her austere fathers whims and
moods. She advised q continuance Of our
secrecy, as o premature avowal Of our
engagement would probably arouse her
fathers wrath. We therefore concluded
to bide our time-to quietly wait and
watch the effect Of the ceremony Of the
entombing In the Pasonagessit cemetery
Of my titled ancestors. Whenever !
spoke Of these ancestors to Prudence. I
was able to detect In her eyes just the
faintest bit Of merry twinkle-and that
twinkle continues to the present day
with the addition Of . roguish smile.
The plainest hint she has ever given me
In regard to the business was one day
after my mother and sisters bad been
displaying and explaining their ancient
jewels. On that occasion. as soon as VIC
were done, she said, "Oh, Sam. ! feel
guilty. too, for suspected sll the time,
yet said nothing"
"You suspected what. my dearr'
"Oh. Sam, only think that l am at the
bottom Of 1t all; that 1t was all ON my
account" and her eyes told what she
would not permit her tongue to utter.
But I must not anticipate. "A soon as
We returned to Pasonagessit my father
was again at work at what now seemed
the one great business OF his life. He at
once had our genealogical tree placed In
. massive oaken frame. "Heart Of oak,
Sam, my boy!' cried he as he suspended
Il upon the wall. Next he began the
planting Of evergreens on his lot In the
cemetery, erecting brick walls In places
and sparing neither pains nor cost.
He was now well mp In the genealogy,
and I am firmly Of the opinion that from
poring over II he had come to believe
every word Of 1t. It was beautiful to
hear him entertain Rev. Nantucket
Sperm and Captain Shrimp with Ions
historical sketches extending back as far
n the year $40, when old Geoffroi John
ston single handed slew half score Of
Danes.
Ny mother, sister Eleanor and all my
other sisters were In raptures at the
sight Of the ancient Jewels which J
brought home. and which / distributed
% impartially ~ possible. They were
never tired Of the story Of their faithful
preservation for 90 long time by the
old barrister and his descendants, heirs
and assignees, for I continually remem-
bered new circumstances and wonder.
fully improved upon my original sketch.
Not an article but had been stolen or
lost to be iniraculously recovered In
some way; even from the fishes Of the
sea and the birds Of the air. not to speak
Of dishonest servants and regular out
and out burglars.
One poor girl was arrested at the very
altar with one of the bracelets on her
arm. Ny sisters always pitied that poor
creature. She was servant In the bar.
rister's family. To the last, with tears
and heart breaking wailings she declared
that she only took the jewel for the 90
casion and intended TO return II 70 its
case Immediately after the ceremony.
But, poor thing. to Botany Bay she went,
her mean spirited husband deserting her
ct the altar and leaving her to her fate.
These jewels became my fathsr's pride
xnd delight. He soon came to have full
faith In their genuineness and In the
truthfulness Of the legends connected
with them. he seemed 10 have quite
forgotten that on my return from Lon
don I had given him The bills for the
manufacture Of every article. al In
square staring pounds, shilling and
psuoss Doubtless be had destroyed the
bulls and adopted my stories.
u may b ssksd BY you mentally
whsthsr did mot IN al this budnsss
fssl some oompunctions Of conscisnos. ]
usn truthfnlly say tl,At ! fslt nothing of
~ kAG r ~ I ~ osas ! hsd ~