The midland journal., 1895-03-01

all made out of your thoughts about
Uncle 81, impressed as pictures on the
sensitive brain tissue''-
But l never had thought of that
closet" said Elsie as she made up the
butter into firm yellow balls and stamp
ed them with rose stamp. 81 could
not have imagined the closet because l
know we'll enough there never was a
closet in that place.
THAT was queer, said Paul musing-
ly rs he leaned back in the chair and
half closed his eyes, "but things get
badly mixed in dreams. -
1T did not seem like dream, but
like something had witnessed with my
bodily eyes; but, of course, know there
never was closet in that corner of Un-
Gle Sis room. l remember good many
years ago a red worsted curtain hung
across that end to keep Uncle Sis Sun
day clothes from the dust But that was
long since taken away. | can't help
thinking that Uncle ST wanted to say
something to me that weighed on his
mind when he was DYING
Paul moved uneasily in his chair. He
li'tNt hO bCjlCl Ill SllCu tL1llSS. LON
you think" said he, you ought to
speak to the old ladies and try to make
them understand the situation. 1t will
come on them like clap of thunder
when they learn they are to be turned
out -
Elsie washed her hands and smoothed
her apron with sigh. 81 will do my
best to make them understand" said
she, ''but they are so old and childish
and deaf and blind and so set in their
own ideas l don't know how it is ever
to be done. However, as you think best,
Paul, | will go and speak to them, and
you watch over that third hive Of
bees on the hill, for think from the
way they have been buzzing and hang
ing outside the hive they will soon
swarm. "
"Why don't you let them get off to
the woods, said Paul, going to the
window. ''They belong now to that
fellow, and l should not put myself out
for him."
Elsie locked at Paul with glance of
rather severe disapprovaL "I'm not do
ing it for him." she said. 81 am doing
it for Uncle 81, out of respect for his
feelings. He taught me how to save
swarms, and can handle them without
fear. am sure, if Uncle ST knows what
is taking place here on the farm, he
would be sorry to have his swarm lost.
Maybe he is not quite as dead as you
think he is.
Paul whistled softly to himself He
could not argue against Elsie's senti-
ment, and she left the kitchen, and pass
ing through the little hall opened the
door of the room where the old ladies
lived. The low afternoon sun was
streaming through the western window,
and the white curtains were stirred by
a gentle breeze. Aunt Hetty, soothed
by the warmth of the room, the buzzing
of flies, the purring of the cats, had let
the knitting work drop out of her fin
gers. and with her cap somewhat awry
was inGulgiug in gentle doze as she
sat with her head resting against the
stuffed chiutl back of her high rocking
chair. Miss Prissy, however was awake
and winding yarn from "a large gray
skein stretched over her knee
Elsie took a scat in low chair by
Miss Prissy's side, her good side both
for hearing and seeing, for Miss Prissy
was quicker Of apprehension aud alto
Eether of liyelier mind than poor Miss
Hetty, who WAS much sunk into herself
unless reused by some unusual excite
ment. Now Elsie took the pretty old
hand that ga.lants had kissed in days
long gone by, and gently pressing it she
said:
did Mr.. Hapgood speak to You of
his plans, Aunt Prissy, before he went
away?'
mo, dear, returned Miss Prissy,
who was III a dream of self satisfaction
over the praise Arthur had adroitly be.
slowed ON her old family relics, "he
said nothing ut al about them. He is
a remarkably civil young man, with
very good manners, considering how he
is connected. Sister and both thought
so. We showed him the governors au-
tographs, and the shoe buckles, and the
snutfbox, and he was very much inn
pressed,
''BuU don't you know" said Elsie,
with a slight touch of impatience in her
voice, that poor Uncle 81 left no will,
and that the farm and this house and
everything in it belongs to Arthur Hap
good?' She had raised her voice slightly
and applied her lips to Miss Prissy's
ear, that her words might find their
way the more easily to the very pene-
tpalia of the old woman's understand
ing.
"Of course, said Miss Prissy cheer
fully as she resumed her winding, II
suppose the property will go in the end
to brother Simon's own people. 1t is
but right it should. But things will go
on just as they are while we live.
Brother Simon told us 50 often. Girls,
he said-he always called us girls
there will never be any change while
you live, and brother Simon was man
of his word.
"Indeed he was, "piped up Miss Het-
ty, who had just walked out of her nap
and caught the last words of her sisters
confident speech. Brother Simon never
went back of what he promised, though
he was plain man with no pretensions
to breeding. His word was as good as
his bond, and the old sisters wagged
their heads in unison i'll perfect child
like confidence.
But have you any writing TO show
your claim on the placer asked Elsie
-"any scratch of Uncle Sis pen?"
"Writing?' repeated Miss Prissy in
1,,, eh