The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1894-10-11

, all their time, SO they determine,
further to explore the house. TIL,
room across the hall from Philip
was the parlor, and was very hand
somely furnished. The walls were
covered with fine paintings anc
noble mirrors. Among the paintings
we're portraits of the Philipson family
for several generations. Those Of
Jacob Philipson and his young wife
were exceptionally good. The win
dows were shaded by rich curtains
which hung from the ceiling to the
floor, which was covered with "a
carpet Of softest velvet. A grand
piano, sofas, chairs, an elegant
antique centre table, a handsome
book case well filed with elegantly
bound volumes, a beautiful chandel or
for candles-all these made a room
as fine as any Sarah had ever seen,
and she stood in the middle Of 1t and
looked around with delight. But the
mould and blight Of years of dark
ness was upon every thing. With
trembling hands she opened the
piano, and thought that its keys had
not been touched since her mothers
fingers had swept them. The instru-
ment was greatly out of tune, and
she arose with feelings deeply tinged
with sadness. Into this parlor opened
a splendid diningroom with its table,
chairs, side board and pictures. il
china closet adjoined this room, filed
with handsome queensware, fine glass
and pure china. In the side board
Sarah found, carefully packed away,
a full tea service Of silver. But here
also, in the noble banquet hall of the
stately mansion had time laid his
fingers on everything, and there was
not even the echo of former life and
joy.
1uuo tHSy WSHt lTOh TOOul W
room, finding everywhere evidences
of large wealth and great good taste,
covered owe now with the dust and
cobwebs of years of gloom. Sarah
was almost bewildered by the extent
and elegance of the house. "Oh!
what a PITY she would often ex-
claim, "that my poor parents were
SO suddenly robbed of the enjoyment
of such a home! And strange it
seems that all this should be Philips
and mine. 1t seems more like a
dream than n reality" But they
were lot through the house yet.
They had left a key in every door,
yet half a dozen keys remained in
their holes. They were in the second
story, and the door before them
refused to open, though they tried
with all their strength. Putting in
another key they turned it, and then
pressed against the door, but with
40 better success "Maybe its
swelled," said Miss Clarissa.
"Come then, let us both push
against it," said Sarah.
Once more they pushed. The door
flew open and the two young ladies'
tell into the room, and something
tumbled over on them. "O-O-Oun
screamed Miss Clarissa, and she
turned and ran down the steps as
fast as she could. And Sarah saw
that a human skeleton had fallen
into the midst of the floor, and its
bones were scattered all about her
feet. Hastily closing the door she
hurried after her friend.
81 believed there was something
horrible in this house." said Miss
Clorissa, still trembling with her
fright. 81 wouldn't stay here all
night fort the whole place. l never
had such a fright before since | was
born. | feel like the thing had hold
of me with its long bony fingers.
How could you stay there 81 long?"
IL think we have both acted very
foolishly,' said Sarah, amazed at
the fright of her friend and al
herself tor having SO much shared in
it. "A skeleton can't hurt anybody.
Our violent entrance into the room
Jared it 80 that it fell to the hoor.n
"But what does anybody want
with such a thing in his house for
anyway ?' asked Miss Clarissa.
81 don't know" answered Sarah.
sometimes physicians have them to
aid them in their studies, but you
know my father was a very solitary
man for a long time, and he might
have been pursuing some studies in
which he had use for a skeleton"
"That's it, that's what Bill Riley
said," exclaimed Miss Clarlssa in ex-
element.
"Well, what did Bill Riley say2"
asked Sarah, little thinking what she
would hear next,
81 don't know as / ought to tell
you," said the other young lady,
thinking TO- whose daughter she
was talking to.
"Well, | hope it was none of the
foolish things ignorant people 30
often say" said Sarah, yielding too
much to her feeling of annoyance.
~ reckon if I don't tell you ONE
body else will. Bill Riley said that
about four or Ave years after your
IL