The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-12-09
(ContInued from .,hlrd Page.

himself?' asked Sir Matthew.
''In fact, which were brought against
him-wrongly. but most naturally, "
suggested the vicar.
Matters looked as unpromising as they
we'll could. Sylvia was on the point of
bursting into tears, and my thoughts
had again turned to an elopement. My
father rose suddenly and held out his
hand to Sir Matthew. Again he had de-
cided on the bold course
'sLet Us say no more about it," he
cried generously.
With all my HEARTH cried Sir Mat
thew, springing up and gripping his
hand.
The wears eyes beamed through his
spectacles. believe that touched Syl-
Was foot under the table.
eve WILL, pursued my father, ere.
member only one thing about the colo
mel, and that is that one bottle remains
Of the famous old pipe Of port that he
laid down. In that, Sir Matthew, let
as bury all unkindness. {"
My dear sir, ask no BETTER cried
Sir Matthew.
The heavens frightened, or was it
Sylvia's eyes? The butler alone looked
perturbed. Three buffers had lost their
situations in our household for handling
the colonel's port in manner that
lacked heart and tenderness 81 cannot
bear a callous butler,' my father used
to say.
Fetch said my father, "the last
bottle of the colonel's port, decanter,
corkscrew, a funnel, piece of muslin
and a napkin / will decant Sir Mat
thew's Wine myself"
Sir Matthew's wine!" Could there
have been a more delicate compliment?
"The colonel" my father continued,
purchased this wine himself, brought
it home himself and, 1 believe, bottled
large portion of it with his own hands,
He could not have been better en-
ployed, said Sir Matthew cordially.
But l think there was a latent hint that
the colonel had sometimes been much
worse employed.
Dawson appeared with the bottle
He carried it as though it had been a
baby, combining the love of mother,
the pride of nurse and the uneasy care
Of a bachelor.
"You have not shaken it," asked the
father.
upon my word, no, sir, answered
Dawson earnestly The poor man had
wife and family.
My father gripped the bottle delicate
ly with the napkin and examined the
point Of the corkscrew
1T would be great pity" he OBJ.
served gravely. "if anything happened
to the cork. y
Nothing happened to the cork With
infinite delicacy my father persuaded it
to leave the neck of the bottle. Sir Mat
thew was ready with decanter, funnel
and muslin
sWe must take care of the crust
remarked my father. and we all nodded
solemnly.
| My father cast his eyes up to Uncle
Johns portrait for an instant much as
it he were asking the old gentleman's
benediction, and gently inclined the bot
| tie toward the muslin covered mouth of
the funnel
eff only my poor uncle could be
here 7" he sighed. Uncle John had been
very fond of port.
81 should be delighted to meet him %
4 cried Sir Matthew in genuine friendli-
ness
The vicar took off his spectacles
wiped them and replaced them. Ny ia
ther tilted the bottle little more to-
ward the funnel Then he stopped sud-
denly, and strange. puzzled look APP.
peared on his face. He looked at Sir
Matthew, and Sir Matthew looked at
him, and we all looked at the bottle.
"Does old port wine generally make
that noise?' asked Sylvia
| For most mysterious sound had pro.
Ceeded from the inside of the bottle as
my father carefully inclined it toward
the funnel. 1t sounded as if-but it was
absurd to suppose that handful Of
marbles could have found their way in
to bottle of old port
'The crust began the vicar cheer
fully.
cts not the crust. . said my father
decisively.
''Let us see what it is, +" suggested Sir
Matthew very urbanely.
"I've done nothing to the bottle, sir, ;"
cried Dawson
My father cleared his throat and gave
the bottle further inclination toward the
funnel. A little wine trickled out and
found its way through the muslin My
father smelt the muslin anxiously. but
seemed to gain no enlightenment. He
poured on under the engrossed gaze Of
the whole party The marbles, or what
they were, thumped in the bottle. and
with little jump something sprang out
into the muslin Sir Matthew stretched
out hand. My father waved him away
I'VE will 20 on to the end" said he
solemnly. And he took it up, the object
that had fallen into the muslin, between
his finger and thumb and placed it on
his plate.
1t was round in shape. the size Of a
very large pill or a smallish marble and
of dull color. like that of rusted tin
My father poured on, and by the time
that the last of the wine was out nc