The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-03-14
Those Yellow Vases.
BY I. J. MEADE.

tnur fleld, was very iond OF strawberry
jam-there were only three pots left.
"Yol there, my lover" a masculine
voice called from downstairs; steps were
heard ascending quickly, and Arthur
Field stood by his wife's side.
"Here is letter for you, Lucy" be
said.
Lacilla opened her letter eagerly and
began to read its contents; as she did SO
her cheeks flushed, her eyes flashed in
dignant fire, her whole charming face
was transformed. The anger which fill
ed it soon grew to utterance in her voice.
"Ob, Arthur, 10 think that should be
treated so. My great aunt Lucilla, after
whom l was named, is dead"
'Is she, indeed, my lover" Poor soul.
1 am sorry-when did it happen?"
81 can't tell you, Arthur. Oh, let me
see nearly month ago. of course the
Vincents, Mary and Ellen, did not want
me to know any sooner. No wonder
Any one could see through their devices
they wheedled, they coaxed, they fat
tered, they petted and they got their de-
sires. Oh / would not be them-I'
''Lucy, your words quite alarm me
your words and your anger. May see
that letter."
Lucilla gave her husband the open
sheet of note paper which she hnd been
holding, deliberately shut and locked
the jam cupboard, and then walked past
him into her own room, the door OF
which she closed behind her.
He gazed after her retreating form in
astonishment, then bent his gaze on the
letter which had caused all the disquiet
He read the following words:
RED CROss HOUSE, May 10.
My DEGR LUcILIA.-1ou will be sur.
prised and sorry to learn that poor Aunt
Lucy passed away quite suddenly on the
night of the llth of April. She must
have died in her sleep, poor old dear
and evidently early in the night, for
whed her maid found her she was cold.
Our rector, Mr.. Martin, preached a
very beautiful sermon about her and we
had verv nice obituary ontice inserted
in the Raun, our local paper. The
funeral, too, was both suitable and ex-
pensive, and Ellen and have quite the
proper mourning-we are wearing Grape
up to our knees.
Well, my dear Lucilla, the will was
read, as is customary, after We had re-
turned from laying poor Aunt Lucy in
the grave. 1t was a pouring wet day,
and am sorry to tell you our new
grapes, on for the first time, got a good
deal spotted and injured standing by
the open grave.
But TO return TO the will: Mr.. John
son, Aunt Lucy's lawyer read the con-
tents to US. OF course. we were not the
least surprised, nor will you be when
you get this letter. We were LEFT every
thing; We knew this would be the case
when you displeased all your relations
by marrying Mr. Field.
When the will was read we found she
had not remembered you at all, except
but | shall come TO that presently.
want, first of all, to let you know how
Ellen and | are left.
We shall, when everything is sold,
have exactlyt ten thousand pounds apiece
by no means fortunes in these expen-
sive days, but still enough TO be COM
Portable on. To be frank, 1 did really
think that Aunt Lucy was much better
off. She gave herselfquite the airs of
wealth, which she had no right to do,
for what is twenty thousand pounds
You are not quite forgotten. Do you
remember those yellow jars-those
frightful things which always stood on
a shelf over the drawingroom door-the
yellow dragons, we used to call them =?
Well you are now the pOssessor of the
yellow dragons. l think, and so does
Ellen, that this fact, more than anything
else, shows how your marriage wounded
dear Aunt Lucy.
We have decided to take a house in
London, for we feel that after the long,
weary years we spent with Aunt Lncilla
it is due to us to have what fun We can.
l will write again, or perhaps Ellen will
write next, to tell you our new address.
Believe me, my dear Lucilla, your af-
fectionate cousin,
MARY VINCENT.
Mr.. Field read this sletter through with
out the smallest change of countenance.
If he felt angry his face did not show it.
When he had read to the very end he
folded the letter and returned it to its
envelope, placed it for safety in his
pocket, and walking across the landing,
tapped at his wife's bedroom door.
"Can l come in, LuciIla ?" he as
ked
"Not now, Arthur" she answered from
the other side of the door. 81 am par
ticularly engaged, but will be down to
give you your tea in few minutes"
Very well, " he replied in his gentlest
voice.
When Lucilla entered the room she
went straight to the head of the table
and poured out her husbands coffee.
She did not say another word about the
obnoxious letter her face was once more
pleasant to look at, but there were traces
Of tears about her eyes.
Tea was nearly over when there came
ring at the 'front.' door. The servant
(they only kept one servant) her name
was Jessie entered the room to announce
the arrival of box.
Its prepaid, ma'am," she said, ad-
dressing Mrs. Field. "Where shall the
man take it?"