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

Journey, but it chanced that Just as
they had seated themselves at the break
fast table and while the youngest child
(Roxana bingham, she that married a
Wheeler) was standing up with her
hands folded to say grace there came
loud knock at the door of the room
where they were seated. The governor
rose hastily, no servant being by to an
swer the summons, and one of the brass
buttons of his morning coat caught on
the fringe of the tablecloth, and the
entire breakfast, with all the dishes,
was dragged to the floor OF course, as
you can imagine, the coffeepot was
overturned. The contents ran out and
made large pool on the sanded floor
Now, it appears Madam bingham, the
governors wife, was very fond of cats.
She had four-a white, a black, a tor
toise shell and a tailless Manx cat. "
"Four?' put in Miss Prissy. have
always understood there were five"
What does it matter, sister," re-
turned Miss Hetty, little pettishly,
whether four or five. The cats scam
pered to lap up the coffee, and they all
fell into horrible commissions and died
from the effects Of it, and thus the plot
was brought to light, and the governor
and his family were saved.
Arthur Hapgcod had heard quite
enough to satisfy his curiosity about the
old gentleman in the tie wig whose
picture hung over the chimney piece.
He therefore made an excuse to get out
of doors and take a ramble about the
farm
The old sisters both rose and courte-
sled as he took his leave "You are to
make yourself quite at home" said
Miss Prissy, with gentle air of patron
age. 1--WE have told Elsie to prepare
the front chamber for you with fresh
water and towels and the best linen
sheets, for it is our wish to entertain
Brother Simon's friends exactly as he
would have entertained them himself.
The very best in the house is at your
disposal" "
| Young Hapgood wandered about the
house, fields, the old barns and sheds,
with a sarcastic smile lightly wreathing
his lips. 1t was very funny that he
should be politely asked to make him
! self at home i'll his own house. and yet
there was spice Of annoyance in it,
Uncle 81, with his family of queer de-
pendents, was proving great puzzle to
his shrfwd nephew. The old mans
farming was shamefully slipshod. and
Arthur began to make material changes
and calculations before he had been an
hour on the place.
AT last he came sauntering round by
the back way and entered the great
kitchen, where Elsie, with her sleeves
rolled up and white apron tied over
her neatly fitting black gown, stood by
the table llneading some loaves of bread
Her little foury, brown hands were
quite charming as they twinkled up and
down i'll the bread tray
] Hapgood came and stood by the table
and watched the operation in way
that made Elsie nervous She turned
her shoulder toward him and wished
with all her heart he would go away
But Arthur was not the man ever to
feel himself out of place. With his
hands in his pockets he stood looking
critically at the girls curly hair ard
the clear cut outline of her face. 1T is
very amusing" said he, as if speaking
to himself, ''that those old women
should imagine they own everything on
the premises. "
Elsie flushed slightly with anger. 1t
was, she felt, indelicate for Arthur Hap
good to make allusion to the property
at once, as if he meant to turn them all
of lpprS thn fi,.c+ ha
saw how foolish she and Paul had been
to dream for a moment that they could
stay there.
/ ''They are childish, said she slowly
''They are very old" She felt sud
den catching in her throat and deter
mlnedly choked down sob. ou see,
they don't understand things quite yet
Uncle ST was paralyzed eight months
quite helpless and unable to speak or
move-or am sure he would have made
some provision for them,
Arthur stood studying the girls emo
ticn without feeling in the least moved
by it. He only noticed that it heighten-
ed her beauty and made her quite ador-
able. He jingled ever so slightly the
loose coins in his pocket, made turn or
two through the great kitchen, stop
ping to examine the tall clock in the
corner that had chimed out the hour
d when his father was born, and came
again and stood close by the stove where
Elsie was now putting down the loaves
to rise and covering them with a towel
There is no need of their knowing
Immediately, said he as the result of
his cogitations, sat least not today 1t
can be broken to them gently, very gen.
tly. | shall do nothing violent, but !
should think it would be blessed re-
lease to you to be relieved of the care
of two such fussy old cats don t sup
pose they can scrape up 500 between
them to save their lives By the way, /
noticed there were some nice bits of old
colonial furniture in their ROOM
The furniture belongs to them,"
Elsie managed to say, for she was but
a girl, impulsive and rather quick tenn
pered, and the tone Arthur Hapgood
had assumed had made her very angry.
Indeed she suddenly felt that she hated
him
"Well, l wouldn't mind buying some
of those pieces at good price" he re-
turned. II am rather fond of antiques,
and think | know good thing when
see it. That coat of arms, " he mused
as he stood looking down ON her,
would have very good effect blazon-
ed on stained glass window. -