Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-01-04
CHAPTER VII.
AGAIN AT PAsoNAGEssIT-pEA ACE AND GOOD
WILL PREVAIL.

WILL PREVAIL.
was received with open arms by ev-
erybody on my arrival at Pasonagessit-
not alone by members of my own fami-
ly, not of course by the Bradford of
all the Bradfords and q few others of
that special brand of Bradfords, but l
found life there very different from what
it was on my departure for England.
l[y 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.
~Iwas 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 "NIayfower
of the Mayfowers. Not soul was in
the secret except our true blue Captain
Shrimp, and to be the sole repository of
such secret made him the 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 a 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 ]
spoke of these ancestors to Prudence, !
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 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, ooh, Sam, l feel
guilty, too, for suspected all the time,
yet said nothing"
"You suspected what, my dear"
ooh, Sam, only think that 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 one great business Of his life. He at
once had our genealogical tree placed in
massive oaken frame. "Heart of oak,
Sam, my boyy" 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 genealogy,
and am firmly of the opinion that from
poring 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 score Of
Danes.
My mother, sister Eleanor and all my
other sisters were in raptures at the
sight of the ancient jewels which /
brought home, and which distributed
rs impartially as possible. They We're
never tired of the story of their faithful
preservation for so long time 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
.ost f. bo miraculously recovered IN
,ome way: even from the fishes of the
sea and the birds of the air, not to speak
of dishonest servants ard regular Gut
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 servant in the bar
rister's family To the last, with tears
and heart breaking wailings she declared
that she only tool. 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 deserving her
at the altar and leaving her to her faco.
These jewels became my fathers pride
and delight. He soon came to have tEA
faith in their genuineness and in the
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