Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-08-21

s:@mSMSMSM not tower, never
lkRMW had been a tower,
sBlNt s<SN and in all proba-
ESESAS6 bility never had
laE6EfH21 been intended for
!. .'ssSs's2a tower.
1t was cottage, one.storied, strag-
Cling and comfortable, with semi
circular parlor in the front, which,
topped off with comical imitation of
wooden battlements, was half covered
with waving sprays of woodbine and
clinging sheets of ivy.
But '"The Tower" it had always been
entitled, and after that lawsuit came
up it acquired sort of celebrity under
the old, familiar name.
eyes," said Miss Isidora Ives,
"The Tower is mine still, and I in
tend to keep it. Everything else they
have taken away from me, because
some loggerheaded old ancestor of
mine signed his name to deed John
B. Robinson instead of John G. Rob-
inson.' As if one letter of the alpha
bet could make any difference! I've
no patience with people! The majesty
of the law, indeed! Pshaw"
"But if the rest of the property be-
longs to your Cousin Robinson, SO
does The Tower" suggested Mrs. Mil
roy.
81 can't help that" said Miss Isl
dora. "Here am and here 1 mean
to stay, law or no law"
Mrs. Milroy opened her weak eyes.
Feeble as kitten herself, she could
scarcely comprehend such valiant res
olution in another.
''But if they come here with the
sheriff, and posse comitatus, and a
writ of habeas corpus?' she faltered.
"Then," said Miss Isidora, "they'll
have to clear out again. Common
sense is common sense. The house
is mine, and mean to keep it. I've
got new bolts aud bars to all the doors,
and keep kettle of boiling water OH
the stove night and day, and my
friend, Mr.. Jet1reys, who is clerk in
law Office, has given me the hint never
to let in man with bag"
"Why not?" breathlessly questioned
Mrs. Milroy.
Don't you see?" said Miss Isidora,
snapishly. Because it will be full of
law papers. Writs and summonses,
and all that sort of thing"
''Oh!" said Mrs. Milroy.
Thus, acting upon the hint, Miss
Isidora turned the plumbers man
away, and resolutely declined to have
anything to say to the book-agent and
the tract distributor. She considered
herself in state of siege, took her
mornings milk into tho window with
tin pail and q chain, communicated
with the trades people from behind
two square inches of doorway, and
took everybody she did not know for
au enemy. The Tower was hers, and
The Tower she meant to keep. And
Rebecca, her little maid, was stricken
with breathless admiration for her
warlike qualities.
''But, of course, ma'am," said Re-
becca, "nobody can stand against the
law"
'I'll see whether they can or not!'
said Miss Isidora Ives. "Be sure you
keep the kettles we'll filled, Rebecca,
and don't let the fires 60 out, day or
night"
And whenever she received through
the mail letter with a legal appear
ance, Or an envelope crested with the
firm address of Messrs. Tape & String
ham, her Cousin Robinson's lawyers,
she invariably poked it between the
bars of the CRATE, and smiled vindic-
lively to see it blaze.
"What are we to do with such a
case as this?" said Mr.. Tape, when he
heard all this.
"Put in a sheriff's officer at once" +"
said Stringham. 'The woman is a
trespasser, aud has been all her life. I"
"No, no, nor said Mr.. Tape, bland
ly. ':She's a woman. No harsh meas
ures. It is Gideon Robinson's express
injunction that all courtesy be shown
to the defendant. Well try something
else before we proceed to extremities. :"
And one pleasant October afternoon,
when the air was all blue mist, and
the setting sun shone as if through a
medium of Opaque gold, the landlord
of the Toplady Arms came putting up
the hill with stout, pleasant faced
gentleman, and rang the bell, which
echoed like a double chime through
the tiny tower.
go away!" said Miss Isidora, from
the window, spying the tops Of two
hats.
"Oh, my, ma'am!" squeaked Re-
becca over her shoulder, shall 1 get
the gum"
II beg pardon, ma'am," said the
stranger, "but-"
go away, 1 ssy!" sternly repeated
Miss Isidors Ives. "Robecca, bring in
that kettle! I'll have you to under
stand that am not to be trifed with. {"
But by this time mine host of the
Toplady Arms had simultaneously re-
covered his breath and his presence of
mind.
"Miss Ives, he puffed, stertorously,
don't be frustrated! It's only Israel
Jenkins"
"Bless the mans heart" said Miss
Isidora, "why didn't he say so before? :?
And what on earth do you want here,
Jenkius?"
"It's lodger, Miss Ives" said Jen.
kins, who had married Miss Isidora's s
old nurse, and somehow felt himself to
he connected with the family.
"A-lodger?" repeated Miss Ives.