The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1894-10-11
Written For This Paper.
GONQUERING AN INHERITANCE.
A Serial Story Complete In
Six Chapters.
CHAPTER III.
By A Missourian.

his blood was yet on the floor.
'tCome back, Sarah," said Philip,
''and let us begin our conquest right
here. This was evidently fathers
room and l will have it for mine.
Will you please throw open the
blinds while I help the negro bring
the trunks IMP"
Sarah entered the room again, and
endeavored to do as her brother had
asked her, but she coul not help a
feeling of horror as she walked
around the blood stain on the floor.
And when she raised the long low
cred sash and knocked down a mud
dauber's nest on her hand, she
could not help jumping back and
giving a faint scream AS they were
bringing in the trunks the negro
said: "Boss, amt you afeard to lib
in dis house?"
"No," answered Philip, "what is
there to be afraid Off"
"Spirits, sab, dis place am done
gin up to spirits. Oar amt a Niger
anywhar around would lib in it fur
it.n
"But l am not afraid of spirits"
said Philip, "they never hurt any
BODY
81 knows white folks talks dat
way, but niger knows better. Use
done see 'em myself, and is gwine
ter keep cut of dere way"
After they had lifted the last trunk
into the hall, Philip said to the negro,
"You may go now. / suppose Mr..
Silvey will send you back this after
noon.n
eyes, sah," he replied; and get
ting into his wagon, he cracked his
whip and made off in a hurry. Philip
watched him till he passed the old
gateway and got out on to the big
iohbt IN do ldl dS lt COulu Ett I'M
he was urging his mules on and ever
and anon casting troubled looks be-
hind.
"Now, sister, the young mar
said, entering the room, "where
shall we begin?"
81 am anxious" she answered,
''to look out of those upstairs win
dows; let us go up there"
The dust on the broad staircase
was a quarter of an inch thick, for
theirs were the first feet that had
assembled it for years. And dense
and dusty cobwebs covered their
faces and filled their mouths and
eyes as they went up. But when
they threw open the blinds and
looked down they felt amply repaid
for their discomfort. The house
stood on the highest hill for miles
around, and from that window they
could gaze upon a scene of great
beauty.
"Oh, what must this view be-"
said Sarah, "when the trees are all
in full leaf! And to think that our
father and mother have stood right
where we are standing, and looked
out on the same lovely scenery J.!
How strange it makes me feeI!n
"Let Us get to work. said her
practical brother, ''there'll be time
enough to enjoy this hereafter. l
think old Mrs. Silvey was right when
she said it would take the most of
several days to get this house fit to
live H."
"We must go through it before we
begin to clean up, otherwise we shall
not know where to begin,n insisted
the young lady.
Well, we are up here, let us be-
gin in this room to examine our in
~heritance.n But that one and every
other upstairs was locked and no
keys were to be found up there.
Below they found unlocked two doors
besides those of the room they had
already entered. One of these rooms
opened into the room Philip had
chosen for his own, and, like it, was
a large and well ventilated apart
ment. But the dust of years was
through the whole house from garrett
to cellar, and cobwebs hung in fes-
toons from ceiling to floor. This
room contained a bedstead with a
rich and lofty canopy and what were
once fine tables, chairs and a bureau
but their long disuse told very plainly
on them. Some ell-executed and
striking oil paintings hung on the
walls, and tried to shine out from
under the dust. Heavy curtains,
now grown almost too tender to
touch, hung over the windows.
"This," said Sarah, "must have been
our mothers room. Here suppose
we were born, and she died. No
doubt everything is exactly as she
left 1t. will have it for my room,
and will keep it just as it is"
The only other room not locked
was a small n which seemed to
have been a sort of kitchen, and to
have been built long after the rest of
the house.
81 understand 1t all now" said
Sarah, as che stood In this kitchen.
ssThis 10 the kitchen they built after
the death Of our mother when father
closed the house. Afterwards when