The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-07-07

selected from? That is what l want to
know" OF course, no one satisfied
her impertinent curiosity. We all knew
where we came from, if she didn't,
and some of us held strong opinions
AS to Miss Mayberry's ultimate destina-
tion, but that is neither here nor
there.
Still, il was "rather O startler"
when old Mr.. Eggleston, Of Ber-
mondsey, came down TO Willowtown to
live. He was fabulously rich; he
swallowed peas with his knife and
called them "mGrrerfats; he was i'm
patient, headstrong, choleric, apoplec.
tic. Two important facts saved him
from social ostracism-his aldermanic
dinners and his daughter Sempronia.
1t is not very easy to describe
Sempronia. Her beauty had an
elusive way of defying description.
When she entered a room people were
vaguely conscious that something
pleasant had happened. If you were
fortunate enough to take her in to
dinner she confirmed that impression.
Even mock turtle lost its mockery
when she sat beside You. Not that
old Egglestou often pat people off
with mock turtle; he was far too fond
of dipping his white beard in the gen
uine thing to wish to impose imita.
tions on his guests.
Poor Harry Nicholson's troubles,
however, began the first time he dined
at the Egglestons', owing to Mr.. Egg
gleston's ambiguous speech. Mr.. Egg
gleston was gobbling away at his soup,
and only left off to observe that he
"couldn't eat the 'ot 'ouse."
'But, my dear SIR" observed
Harry, nothing but an ostrich could
heat your hothouse." ,"
Don't you be imperenU, young
man." retorted Mr. ETyleston, "or
YOU and NELL ave words. / will eat
it if like"
Sempronia threw oil on the troubled
waters, but not before Mr.. Eggleston
had remarked to the remains of his
soup that Harry was "a nordacious
sparrer.
Sempronia was very foud OF her
father. She didn't obtrude the fact,
but skilfully contrived to throw her
mantle over him at all the social func-
tions of the neighborhood. 1t soon
became an understood thing that any
one who poked fun at Mr.. Eggleston
had no chance of winning the good
graces of his beautiful daughter Eer
mother had been lsdy-s very feeble
one--and married Eggleston OH ac-
count of his strongmindedness.
Mrs. Eggleston's relatives were so
astounded by the originality of such
reason that they cut her. 1t preyel
on Mrs. Eggleston a good deal, but
she lived very happily with her hus-
band until Sempronia was born. Then,
like Mrs. Dombey, "she could't make
an effort" and died People who
saw poor Mr.. Eggleston at that
awful time said that he was as one dis
traught. He sat by the dead woman,
holding her hand. until she was taken
away to the grave. Then he fell down
in At. He was only prevented from
following his wife into the silent land
by hearing the doctors saw he hadn't
a chance of living. In order TO con-
tradict them he recovered. III he
couldn't "eat the 'ot 'ouse" 1t wasn't
for want of trying his jaws on every
thing else he came across.
Still, with all his faults, old Mr..
Eggleston was much beloved in Willow
town. His speech when be first took
the chair at the Penny Readings"
was a model Of metsphorical research.
"when / look round 'ere," he said,
sticking his determined thsnbs we'll
into his white waistcoat, 81 asks my
self what brings me ere, and says to
naself, says Money I've never
been properly eddicated, but I've made
Money 1 was born in the gutter,
SO to speak, but I've made-Money
l Amt tie genuine come-over-rith-