Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1895-07-03

tragic air of
modern Medea.
Th @ Greytons
lived in pretty old manor house Oh
the Bloomingdale road, just pleas.
ant drive out of town.
They liked pretty draperies, and
cultivated rare roses, and painted
lovely little amateur pictures. and
basked, in o sort of unthinking way,
in lIfe's sunshine.
They didn't know quite how. much
income they had, nor exactly where il
came from. They only knew that
everything was in the hands of "poor
papas laWyer-a darling, white
haired old philanthropist, who was
devoted to the heather, nul who Of
fciated as Secretary to half a dozen
foreign missionary associations. And
whenever they wanted money they
went to him for it.
And one day, when Mrs. Greyton
and her daughter Lila went to the
city Office with bundlo of unpaid
bills to get Mr.. Framinsham to write
o check for them, the door was pad.
locked, and a little paper notice "To
Let" was tackled upon it.
Where had Mr.. Framingham gone
Nobody knew.
When would he return? The public
was densely ignorant on that subject.
Why had he gone? And in answer
to this question thero was very uni
versal struggling of shoulders, and a
whisper about general "smash.up."
Poor Mrs. Greyton She and Lila
were both as ignorant and inexperi-
enced of the world as a pair of white
kittens, and it was some time before
she could comprehend that Mr.. Fran
ingham was thorough faced villain,
and that she and her little flock we're
penniless.
"What shall we do2" murmured
Mrs. Greyton, after she had wept
through her whole supply of pocket
handkerchiefs.
Couldn't We sell our hand painted
china?" said Clarice, swarthy
browed girl of eighteen. 'sI de.
signed every piece myself. And Mr..
Favalli said"
"Pshaw!" curtly interrupted Fen
ella. ''Just look at the china stores,
crowded full of far finer work. Poor
Clarie! they wouldn't pay you the
price of the mineral paint it took to
do them for your plaques and vases. {"
''l can do art embroidery very nice
ly," suggested Mona, a tall, shy girl
with liquid black eyes, and jetty hair
growing low on her forehead.
"The embroidery market is over
full" said Fenella, who was the incar-
nation of common sense fo- the fami-
". eff you could do housework now,
Mona"
Mona looked down at her slim,
white hands, all sparkling with rings,
and shuddered.
But Bess, the youngest, came braTely
to the rescue.
"The first thing" said she, sis to
send oil the servants off except Ann.
We can't afford to pay four girls and
o man any longer"
"But who is to keep the garden in
order" cried Clarie, 'tif we discharge
the man?"
cit must go without being kept in
ORDER" said Bess, "or else we must dc
it ourselves"
"My poor roses!" sighed Mrs. Grey,
ton.
"Mamma's roses shall not suffer, ,
eaid Lila. "I will look after them
myself.
"And old Mrs. Playford, who spends
q month with us every summer?' said
Mona. "And the Bideood girls, who
always invite their frienes here to the
midsummer picnics-and all the peo'
pie who drive out from the city tt
lunches and teas"
"We must make clearance of the
whole of 'em!" said Fenella, crisply-
"unless, indeed, they would like tc
make business matter of it and pay
their board"
"Oh, Fenella!" cried Mrs. Grey
ton.
"Well, why not, mamma? So ia,
as I can see, We haven't got money tt
buy our own bread and butter-sc
how can we afford to order ices, aat
frozen puddings, and pates de foi
gras for other people? But if we hat
a regular income, I am almost sure
with AIMS help, that we could set (
very nice table for boarders.
Lila looked terrified.
Mamma" said she, ''has it COM
to this?"
Bess frowned savagely.
''Lilla," said she, don't be fool
unless you think you would like t.
starve."
And while the family were still il
committee-of-the-whoie, old Mrs
Playford's huge, old-fashioned ba
rouche rumbled up to the door, witt
q Leaning Tower of Pisa strapped OF
behind in tue shape OF trunks!
'tI'm little earlier than usual, m,
sweet girls" said she, with smil
that revealed the golden hinges of he
false teeth after a most ghastl.
fashion. ''But the season is in
tolerably hot, and my doctor declare
it would be suicide for me to remail
longer i'll town. And know, durlings
I'm always sure of welcome here |!
Mrs. Greyton was about to reply
when Fenella stepped forward.
''Theu you haven't heard of it?
said she. "We are ruined, Mrs. Play
lord. Old Mr.. Framingham has spen
all our money and gone to Australia
We can't entertain company any Ion
ger. But if you would like to boar
here, at reasonable compensation
we shall be glad to receive you, an
give you all the comforts of home.
Mrs. Playford's jaw dropped; sh
turned sickly putty color.
'John. John9" she cried to th