Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-11-13
CHAPTER VIII
AGAIN AT PAsoNAGESSIT- AND GOOD
 WILL PREVAIL.


 AGAIN AT PAsONAGESSIT-PF AND GOOD
 WILL PREVAIL.
 1 was received with open arms by ev- erybody on my arrival at Pasonagessit- not alone by members of my own farni- ly, not of course by the Bradford of all the Bradfords and a few others of that special brand of Bradfcrds, but l found life there very different from what it was on my departure for England. My fathers house now seemed to be headquarters for nearly all tine 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 'sMayflower of the Mayf1owers." Not d 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 a father to the dear little Puritan maiden.
 Prudence was close and shrewd stu dent of her austere fathers whims and moods. She adEised continuance of our secrecy, as a 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 1 spoke of these ancestors to Prudence, I was able to detect in her eyes just the faintest bit of a merry twinkle-and that twinkle continues to the present day with the addition of a 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 I suspected all the time, yet said nothing"
 You suspected what, my dear?'
 ''Oh, Sam, only think that I 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 l must not anticipate. As 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 q massive oaken frame. Heart of oak, Sam, my boy!" cried he as he suspended 1t 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 genealogy, and l am firmly of the opinion that from boring over it he had come to believe every word of it. It was beautiful to hear him entertain Rev. Nantucket Sperm and Captain Shrimp with long historical sketches extending back as far as the year S70, when old Geoffroi John ston single handed slew half a score of Danes
 My mother, sister Eleanor and all my other sisters were ill raptures at the sight of the ancient jewels which I brought home, and which l distributed as impartially as possible. They were never tired of the story of their faithful preservation for so long time by the Old DttELlcSS1 dllu HIS utoCCluduIS, HG1-S 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 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 out burglars.
 One poor girl was arrested at the very altar with one of the bracelets on her arm. My sisters always pitied that poor creature. She was a 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 oc- casion and intended to 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 fnr0nttan that on my return from Lou- don had given him the bills for the manufacture of every article, all in square staring pounds, shillings and pence. Doubtless he had destroyed the bills and adopted my stories.
 It may be asked by you mentally whether did not in all this business feel some compunctions of conscience. I can truthfully say that felt nothing of the kind. In all had done had not wronged or in any way injured Q single living soul. On the contrary, wherever I had gone and in all had done had made people happy. In Pasonagessit I had found all going wrong socially, and instead of setting to work with butch CTS cleaver of reform and getting my self heartily cursed for my pains l gen tly. gently ministered to all the whims