The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1897-10-22

| aroused herself, and said in q voice
that trembled with emotion:
'I've never had any other thought
ifIoutlived sister Desire but that that
highpost bedstead would come 10 me.
/ wasa little girl twelve years old when
Desire was married, and the very next
winter after / came out from tho farm
TO stay with her and tend school. I'll
never forget how pleased / was whom
brother Abner told me 1 was TO sleep
in the high-post bedstead mp in the
spare room. / can remember list as
well as If it was Yesterday how Desire
used TO iron the bed every night with
the warming pan. 1 haven't got long
for this world-Ill be seventy-fye my
next birthday--aud it does seem TO me
that / should have the bedstead while
l stay. Pm sureif Desire could speak
this minute she'd tell me 10 take it. 4"
Aunt Hester, where on earth could
you put it in your little house. I'd
like to lnow?' spoke up Mrs. Red
fern, eXcitedly. "Such q bedstead.
with it's tester and valance needs a
very large room, and it seems to me
our house is the one most fitting in
which to show off Judge Boutwell's
/ bedstead."
Mrs. Redfern was the richest mem
Der of the Coles family. Herhusband
had made a fortune from fertilizer.
They owned one of the most preten-
tious homes in Mount Otto, and were
slowly, by persistent efforts, working
their way into the aristocratic society
Of the village.
''Why, it'll 60 nicely in the parlor
bedroom" proceeded Aunt Hester,
not seeming to notice the slur on her
small house. I've got itall planned.
I'll shut up the closet, 1 don't use it
for much, and then move the bureau
out into the parlor"
"Wellw exclaimed Mrs. Redfern.
II should say so" echoed Abner's
wife so loudly that Elder Cheesbro
leaned out of the buggy and looked
back to ascertain the cause as the fun
eral procession turned into the Gene
terry.
The Boutwell, lot was the only one
in the cemetery divided off by an iron
fence. Even here the family showed
their exclusiyeness, and the huge pad
lock hanging to the gate told plainly
that they wished no intruders.
On the way home hardly a word wa,
spoken by these mourners in the first
carriage; each drew her veil over hel
face and wore a much-abused air. One
remark, however, was yentured 10y
Abner's wife, which she designed t
be very cutting.
''The Boutwell, family can fenc,
people out of their cemetery lot, bu
they can't fence out the MULLEN
There was a stalk half as high as tn,
monument on Judge Boutwell's grave
No one condescended to reply t.
this observation, but a very percepti
BILE "heh' came from Mrs. Redfern'
corner.
In the carriage just behind the csn
yersation had been of a very differen
nature. The harmony Of the Cole
family had formed the principal topi
among the occupants as they rode on
, to the cemetery, and coming hom
they had dropped into the same sub
ject again.
, ''Ma was saying this morning, re
marked Augusta Ganson, "that on
} family hadn't missed coming togethe
/ for thanksgiving dinner in over TWEEN
ty-fve years, and that's pretty goo
! record. She said, too, she didn't be
2 lieve we'd ever had what could b
termed family quarrel. Once, yo
) remember, Aunt Hester made som
} trouble for ma over that swarm Of bees
, but ma let it all go. Then, you know
s when Cousin Jane coaxed the side-saC
, die away from Aunt Desire to send t
= the missionary, Cousin Car'line &C
awful touchy, and was going to max
l great ado about it, for she wante
9 the saddle herself for one of the girl
/ but somehow it all blew over an
t nothing came ofit 1 do hope ther
: won't be any trouble now when W
+ come to divide Aunt Desires things.
4 "Oh, there won't be-" answere
= Abner Coles, confidently, 'for thel
e isn't one of the family but woul
g give up for the sake of peace. I'll
: only thing that 1 am particularly an,
= ious to have is Uncle Abners test
bedstead, but that would natural
n come to me anyway for my name.
d At this Augusta Ganson straightenC
e herself up. She had a pale, asht
= complexion, but it turned crimsC
o when her cousin made this announc
: ment.
e ''The tester bedstead! Why,