The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-05

nerves. anu oAlE NEVER tOuil btdL luE SLOTy
spoken of in her hearing. She has gone to
another world now. however, and there
IS nothing to prevent my telling a tale
which may interest some people and act
As sort of warning to others.
Ny sister Janet and 1 were well to do
comfortably settled old maids at the time
Of which 1 am about to write Our father
and mother had left us in our own opinion,
and in that Of our friends, quite well Off
We left the family place, which belonged
Al our parents death to a brother, and
took a small house in the pretty suburbs
of a good sized town. 1 will call the town
for the purposes of this story Winchfield.
Our house was commodious-it had plenty
Of good-sized sitting rooms and bright
cheerful bedrooms. Each room in the
front of our villa was adorned with large
bay window. 1 think it was the very
cheerful aspect which this gave to the
rooms that first made Janet take fancy
10 the house. AT any rate, whatever the
reason she did not rest until we had taken
it on a seven years lease. We were quite
like children over our furnishing. All
the dreams of our girlhood seemed about
to be fulfilled when we found that we only
could but absolutely must, choose our
own chintzes and chairs and tables and
carpets, and even pictures to decorate the
walls We both of US were supposed to
have good artistic tastes. and we certainly
managed to make our new house with
its pretty bay windows truly charming.
The bedrooms were draped in white-the
sitting rooms in good pronounced colors.
for we were neither Of us a scrap aes-
a.
take possession there were few prouder
people than Janet and l. l was fifty,
but felt like a girl of eighteen, and as TO
Janet. she had such a pretty pink color
in her cheeks and such a lovely interested
sort of light in her dove-like brown eyes,
that if any one had told me she was only
five and twenty and was going into that
new house to meet her bridegroom L should
have believed them.
When we were leaving the family home
our eldest brother Augustus begged us to
leave the silver tea service in his keep
ing
at is really unsafe for you to have it
with YOU" he said. Those suburban
villas are always very insecure and if
will rob you of it some fine night. 1t is
unwise of you to take it, for Of course
you would not think of using anything
50 valuable every day, and it will be
just a care on your minds"
Il think 1 should have taken my broth
er's advice and left the silver at Graham
Towers but for Janet l glanced in her
direct ton, however, and saw that her
eyes were flashing and her pretty middle
aged face quite quivering with excite
ment.
You are greatly mistaken, Gus" she
said, Gin supposing we never mean to
use the silver tea service. / for one
have not the most remote intention of
allowing it to remain locked up for my
future heirs to sell as so much old-fash-
Toned rubbish. With Martha'S approval,
nodding at me, Il intend to use the SER
vice every afternoon, and as 1t will re-
nam IL our bedroom at night, THINK IL
Will be safe enough. Anyhow, safe or not,
side"
Sunnyside was the somewhat romantic
name we had given our suburban villa.
This was Janets doing; for my part,
should much have preferred having it
called TO- Gloucester Terrace, but Janet
would not hear of that, so Sunnyside was
painted on the fanlight, and on the little
gate in front, and as there really was
large and shady garden at the back
tried to believe that l was the possessor
OF small country place when l sat there.
II was summer when we took possession
OF our new home. The days were long and
the weather was very hot. good many
people came to call on us, and Janet and
enjoyed making fresh acquaintance, and
returning our numerous visits. The ineVi-
table thing folloWed-we were obliged to
nave an at home day, and, of course, on
this occasion the beautiful silver tea-ser-
wee came in most appropriately. our
lady visitors admired it, and said it was
lhe most complete thing of its KIND they
mad ever seen. Tray, teapot, cream jug,
sugar basin, and dear little twisted old
fashioned spoons were all to match We
had some Crown Derby teacups to accom-
pany the silver, and we felt that no one
could doubt our responsibility, when once
they drank tea with us in the Sunnyside
drawing room.
We had been about six weeks in our
new home, when one day the post brought
us letter to say that our niece Margaret
wished to come and pay US Visit, she
Was to arrive that afternoon, ana would
stay as long as she felt amused, and no
longer. Margaret was a veJy handsome
girl, with a strong will q her own
sOmetiroes thought her manners a little
unbecoming, bus Janet adOred / IT, and
also spoiled her not a little.
Margaret came at the appointed hour,
and it seemed to me that the moment she
entered the house the whole place under
went metamorphosis. Her high spirits,
her gay laughter, her pretty dress seemed
of the quiet rooms. Margaret flashed
here and flashed there. She altered the
furniture to suit her modern ideas, she
made gay and almost impertinent re-
marks. She laughed at us one minute, and
smothered US with kisses the next.
Poor Margaret she is in her grave now
her bright life was not long one. Janet
never held up her head after Margaret's
death. and / should not speak of her now
only that this story cannot be told without
doing SO.
when we all sat down to afternoon tea out
Of the Crown Derby china and the silver
lea, service.
why do you sit at this dark end of the
room?" exclaimed Maggie. What is the
use of that great beautiful bay window
over there if we cannot make use of tt2
1t Is in the bay window we ought to have
tea. Here, just stop a minute; I'll move
NE things in a jiffey."
began to expostulate but Janet said
Let the child have her way; it certainly
Is much more cheerful in the window, al
though I never thought of it before"
All, you wanted me to put you up to
things, didn't you, auntie?" exclaimed our
niece, as she tripped backwards and for
wards, arranging the pale blue curtains
OF the bay window after fashion of her
own, pushing a sofa into view and alto
kether making the spacious bay assume
ne appearance of a beautiful boudoir
Ihen the center window was flung wide
oIen and we sat down to enjoy our tea
may as we'll confess at once that I
lldn't like it at all. l felt exactly as if ]
were having tea in public. If Margaret
ald Janet did not mind this ruthless public
gaze it seemed almost indicate and in
considerable to the old silver and the Crown
Dgfny to expose them to it.
. We no doubt we made a very pretty pic !
.uie, and although our house was in a
4ulel place, / noticed that a good many
People turned round to stare al US as they