The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-12-16
CHAPTER VIII
AGAIN AT PAsoNAGEssIT-PEA AND GOOD
WILL PREVAIL

... CHAPTER VIII.
AGAIN AT PAsoNA NAGESsTf-PEAeE AND GOOD
WILL PREVAIL.
was received with open arms by ev-
erybody on my arrival at Pasonagessit--
not alone hy members of my own fami-
ly, not of course by the Bradford of
all the Bradfords and few others of
that special brand of Bradfords, but |
found life there very different from what
1t was on my departure for England
My fathers house now seemed to be
headquarters for nearly all the young
people of the town. My sisters were in
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 "NIayhower
of the Maynowers." Not soul was in
the secret except our true blue Captain
Shrimp, and to be the sole repository of
such "A secret made him the happiest of
mortals. Besides, he did not much like
old Amariah Bradford and 'jist natter
ally hated" Standish. He had faithfully
conveyed to Prudence all the letters I
had written, both from England and
New York, and began TO feel almost like
father to the dear little Puritan maiden.
Prudence was close and ehrewd stu
dent of her austere fathers whims and
moods She advised continuance of our
secrecy, as premature avowal of our
engagement would probably arouse her
60 ITn I.
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, |
was able to detect in her eyes Just the
faintest bit of a merry twinllle-and that
twinkle continues to tho present day
with tho 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 had been
displaying and explaining their ancient
jewels. On that occasion. as soon as we
were done, she said, "Oh, Sam. feel
guilty, too, for suspected all the time,
yet said nothing" .......-.
'You suspected what, my dear?" b.
"Oh, Sam, only think that l am at the
bottom of it all; that it was all on my
account and her eyes told what she
would not permit her tongue to utter.
But must not anticipate. As soon as
we returned to Pasonagessit my father
was again at work at what now seemed
the onl great business of his life. He at
once had our genealogical tree placed in
a giX va N laN ,nf, l.
Sam, my boyr' cried he as he suspended
it 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 up in the Senealogy,
and am firmly of the opinion that from
porting over it he had come TO believe
every word of it. 1t was beautiful to
hear him entertain Rev Nantucket
Sperm and Captain Shrimp with long
historical sketches extending back as far
as the year $40, when old Geoffroi john
ston single handed slew half a score of
Danes.
My mother, sister Eleanor and all my
other sisters were in raptures at the
sight of the ancient jewels which I
brought home, and which | distributed
as impartially as possible. They were
never tired of the story of their faithful
preservation for so long timo by the
old barrister and his descendants, heirs
and assignees, for | continually remem-
bered new circumstances and wonder
fully improved upon my original sketch.
Not an article but had been stolen or
lost to be miraculously 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 ont burglars.
Ono 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 tho last. with tears
and heart breaking wailings she declared
that she only took the Jewel for the oc-
casion and intended 10 return it to its
case Immediately after the ceremony.
But, poor thing, to Botany Bay she went,
her mean spirited husband deserting her
at the altar and Leaving her to her fate.
These jewels became my fathers pride
and delight. He soon came to have full
faith in their genuineness and in the
truthfulness of the legends connected
with them. He seemed to have quite
forgotten that OH my return from Lon
don I had given him the bills for the
manufacture Of every article, all in
square staring pounds, sEillings and
pence. Doubtless he had destroyed the
bills aud adopted my stories.
1t may be asked by you mentally
whether did not in all this business
feel some comnunctions of conscience. |
can truthfullv say that felt nothing of
the kind. In all had done had not
wronged or in any way injured single
living soul. On the contrary, wherever
had gone and in all had done | had
made people happy In Pasonagessit |
had found all going wrong socially, and
instead of setting to work with butch
er's cleaver of reform and getting my.
self heartily cursed for my pains gem
tly. gently ministcred to all the whims