The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1894-08-17


" 0zzzzae8@E' select, do they?
Where were they
selected from? That is what I 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
S5ill, it was "rather a startler"
when old Mr.. Eggleston, of Ber-
mondsey, camedown to Willowtown to
live. He was fabulously rich he
swallowed peas with his knife and
called them "marrerfats;" 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 q 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 Eggleston often put people off
! with mock turtle; hewas 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 coult
heat your dollhouse"
Don't you be imperenU, younG
man," retorted Mr.. Eggleston, "ol
you and nell ave words. 1 will 'ea
it if l like"
Sempronia threw oil on the troubled
waters, but not before Mr.. Eggleston
had remarked to the remains Of his
soup that Harry was ga nordaciou;
sparrer."
Sempronia was very foud of her
father. She didn't obtrude the fact
but slkilfully contrived to throw hel
mantle over him at all the social func
tions of the neighLorhood. 1t soo1
became an understood thing that any
one who poked fun at Mr.. Egglestor
had no chance of winning the goo(
graces of his beautiful daughter. Eel
mother had been alady-a very feebl
one-and married Eggleston Oh &C
count Of his strongmindedness.
Mrs. ECgleston's relatives were 81
astounde6 by the originality of sucl
a reason that they cut hen 1t preyed
on Mrs. Eggleston good deal, bu
she lived very happily with her hus
band until Sempronia was born. Then
like Mrs. Dombey, "she could't max,
ali effort" and died People VII.
saw poor Mr.. Eggleston at tina
awful time said that he was as one dis
traught. He sat by the dead woman
holding her hand, until she was takel
away to the grave. Then he fell dow
in fit. He was only prevented from
following his wife into the silent Ian,
by hearing the doctors say he hadn'
q chance of living. In order to con
tradict them he recovered. If h
couldn't "eat the 'ot 'ouse" it WASH
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 he first too
the chair at the penny Readings
was a model of metaphorical research
"When look round 'ere," he sale
sticking his determined thumbs we
into his white .waistcoat, "I asks ny
; self what brings me !ere, and 1 says
masef, says Money! I've neyC
beenproperly dedicated, but I've mao
Money was born in the quite
so to speak, but I've made-Money
I amt the genuine come-oyer-witl