Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1895-08-08

It had large garden in front and q
drive to the door, and terrace on
which the drawing-room window
opened. We liked to regard ourselves
as cut above suburban-villa people.
We kept a carriage and pair and had
butler and had great-aunt who was
an honorable, and so l believe we were
what we believed ourselves to be.
My father had been in South Africa
He had made his fortune in the Kim
berley diamond mines and had made it
somewhat rapidly, having had the good
fortune to find number of stones of
great size and good water.
One of the finest he had not disposed
Of. He kept it as a specimen, or as q
nest egg. 1t was rather a cause of
anxiety to us, as he carried it about
with him in his purse. He would not
trust it in the house. He thought it
safer on his person. So it might have
been had he not been wont to produce
it after dinner, as we'll as at other times
when servants were present, and show
it and expatiate on its beauty and
value.
We had butler whom we did not
like. We called him "the bandit. :"
from his wild and savage appearance.
His dress wasright enough, but he had
. forbidding face.
He conducted himself harmlessly
enough till on one occasion he got
drunk at dinner party we gave. Then
my father dismissed him and he took
up his residence not far from our house,
where there was sort Of slum inhab-
tied by persons of no very fixed occu-
patton.
My father refused him character
or, rather, he said that if he were
called on for a character he would
state the truth concerning the man,
and not give false character, as is so
often done out of good nature, in or
der to give servant another chance.
1t is singular that employers should be
80 little considerate for their brother
employers as to let them engage SER
wants whom they know to be unsatis-
factory and likely to give trouble.
+ "The bandit" of course, knew that
my father Carried the diamond about
with him. -.aassss-, n.l>, -,
1t was odd that "the bandit" should
have settled in the neighborhood.
!, My father was, I dare say, somewhat
troubled at my engagement. He
would lose me, as I was going to India
With my husband, and, as I have said,
l was his companion and housekeeper
after my fathers death. But nv
father was not man of demonstra-
tiveness and he made no show of
greatly concerning himself OF my loss.
He took the prospect more coolly than
perhaps liked.
my father belonged to good fam
lily. The honorable great-aunt was
his aunt, not my mothers. He had
been intended for the church and a
family living, but had preferred going
to South Africa, and eventually,
the death of an uncle, some
came to him, which, in addi-
tion to what he had made in the dia-
mond fields, enabled him to retire and
live up to the honorable aunt mean
keep carriage and pair and butler
and have q house cut above villa.
4 In compile of months I was to be
~..~siss -'41'sA..~- .'''1'---
One evening sat up late thinking,
80, AJ,o Gro Tho caocop ,voc Ootobor
the air was little chilly but not cold,
30 fire was desirable but not neces-
eary. The blinds and curtains were
not drawn, at my desire, as the hunt
er's moon was shining and was nearly
full, and lam at all times fond of
moonlight. When one is in love one
simply adores it. So I had told the
seryant not to close the shutters and