The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-02-22

will, " he returned. And, by the way,
do you know what they intend to dor"
"To do?'' repeated Elsie, looking
startled. '"They are too old and helpless
to do much of anything"
81 mean what plans they have formed
/ for the future, where they intend to
live" i"
"They have no plans, Mr.. Hapgood,
and they expect to live here to the end
of their days. I cannot make them un-
derstand that everything is changed,
now that Uncle ST is dead"
THAT is deuced unpleasant" said
Arthur, frowning slightly, ''but we
must try to let them down easy" and
he turned On his heel and entered the
house.
Aunt Prissy and Aunt Hetty had put
Oh their best black silks, with muslin
inside, handkerchiefs and caps trimmed
with purple satin bows and their false
puffs "made out of the combings of
their own hair" as they took pains to
explain to their friends. They stood in
the hall now to receive him with their
best company manners, a courtesy such
as had graced General Lafayette,,s ball.
"We are so glad to welcome you
here" said Miss Prissy, holding out
her refined, withered old hand. 1--WE do
hope you will feel quite at home. Broth
er Simon would have wished it, for he
was very hospitable. You will remain
for long time and will make yourself
entirely one Of US. Brother Simon would
have wished it, we are quite sure.
They ushered him into their own
large, pleasant room, the farmhouse par
lor Uncle ST had SO long given up to
their use, with its two high beds, its
braided rugs and quaint furniture, and
installed him in their best chair oppo~
site the governors portrait.
81 hope your father, Job Eapgood,
was in good health when You left home, "
said Miss Hetty, taking out her snuff
box and tapping on it with two fingers.
Don't you remoraber, sister," said
Prissy in her good ear, "that Job Hap
good is dead?"
''It must Lave slipped my mind, said
Hetty placidly. "Sister is losing her
eyesight, and am losing my memory,
and so things are made even. But you
huONS SliG COIUlAUStl, luI111il9 COuItS.
ously toward Arthur, 'we never knew
your father. Poor Sister Nancy was
married to Simon Hapgood after your
father moved west. We occupied a
very different social position when we
We're young, and Sister Nancy we al
ways thought, though you will excuse
us for saying so, married out of her
sphere. She was very differonG from
sister and me and seemed devoid of
| proper family pride. But l think
Brother Simon appreciated the sacrifices
she made in coming here"
i 81 am sure he did" put in Miss
Prissy briskly. He felt it an honor to
be allied with the Hinghams. It is
fine thing to have ancestors, Mr.. Ar
thur. :"
This was point that touched young
Gapgood rather keenly. He had long
felt himself that it is a fine thing to
/ have ancestors and was conscious of his
own deficiency in that important par
ticular. 1t had just occurred to him
that he might possibly adopt the Hing
| ham esoutcheon for his own.
''Of course you have heard of Gov
ernor Hingham, continued Miss
Prissy, pointing to the portrait of the
old gentleman in shirt frills and tie wig
over the chimney piece. HE was a
very distinguished man and our great
grandfather. -
"a colonial governor?'' ventured Ar
thur, who had forgotten all about the
history of the great Governor bingham.
Eyes, colonial governor and Revo-
lutionary governor as well. From be-
| ing one of the most loyal servants of
the crown he became one of the bitter
est enemies of King George III in these
colonies He fitted out a regiment for
General Washington's army at Cam
bridge, sir; armed and equipped it at
his own cost, and from that day the
Hinghams have been poor i'll worldly
| goods. But we are proud of our pow
erty, Mr.. HGpgood. Our ancestor never
asked the government to return a penny
of what he had done to establish it, nor
would we. Sister and l know that
most of the rich people of this time are
parvenus, and we are content to remain
as we are, with our memories and our
birth and breeding"
'You ought to tell Mr.. Arthur how,
in the good providence Of God, the gov
ernor's life was spared to his country, I"
said Miss Hetty.
''You tell him, sister. I know it is
such pleasure to you to relate the
story, and if you make mistake am
here to set you right -
"Well, you see" began Miss Hetty
after taking u ladylike pinch of snuff
and Offering her box to Arthur, 'some
10 years before the war the governor
was very rich man in land and owned
large property in slaves. 1t was then
legal, as you may know, III all the colo
nies to hold the blacks in bondage, but
he was a kind, just master and had
abolished the use of the paddle on his
estate, wooden instrument perforated
with holes, with which the overseers
were in the habit of chastising slaves.
He had large farms in New Jersey"
New York, sister," put in Miss
Prissy. 'Sister, your memory fails
you,
"Well, it was either New York or
New Jersey. What does it signify? And
after he had lived there some years he
made arrangements to dispose of his
land in that state and remove to New
England bringing his slaves with him.
But the black people We're averse to
leaving their old homes, and the spirit
of diSrOntant AMONG them r0ca tO tba