The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-24

For years and years the many branches
of the Parker family had lived on an
on-chance. The Parkers were mona Of
them blessed with an overabundance, no,
nor, for the matter Of that, an abundance
OF this worlds goods; and 1t was, there
fore, in sense unfortunate that they
all were possessed of positions which
needed keeping up.
There We're many ramifcations of the
Parker family There were the Jex-
Parkers5 who lived at Addingham Lodge.
an old and rather dilapidated manor
house whiche hassbeen the original cradle
of the race. 1TThere were the WaIlis-Par-
kers, at the rectory; the Ormond-Par-
kers. in Regents Park; the Wellesley
Parkers, who had a small property in
Sunolk; anag the. Graham -Parkers, who
put in time by Irving in more or less fash
ionable places out of the sea son, and pre-
tended that they did it because they
hated society.
Wen, as 4y2said just now, all these
branches of Parkers had an off-chance,
One day they might all be rich, or If
not rich, they might each and all of them
find themselves in comfortable and easy
circumstances. For they had an aunt
She was a Parker. too! Plain Mary
Anne Parker, as she was fond of say
Ing, trimmed up with no fine first name.
Mary Anne Parker, I was born,' this
lady said more times than once, land
Mary Anne Parker 1 shall die. If you
think it makes Parker sound better to
flavor IF with
Jex, why, it won't hurt any one; only,
don't expect me to follow the fashion,
that's ALL"
Now, plain Mary Anne Parker was old;
she WAS also rich. A convenient and
obligfngs godmQther had, some thirty
years before the time at which this story
opens, left her a. tidy sun-just over a
million--and Mary Anne had lived her own
life without troubling about her relations
ever since. She had, curiously enough, a
fancy to, live entirely out of England.
She had fine villa on the Riviera, a
fiat in Paris, and a slim zyacht, called the
Fly, in which this indomitable old lady
went whittier her fancy carried her. She
never invited any of her relations to visit
her, although there: were seven girls at
the lodge, and three others at the rectory,
to say nothing Of all the other branches
of the family, who would dearly have
loved to fill the. position Of favorite niece
to so Well-gilded and powerful an aunt.
Since her extreme youth, Miss Parker
had never been to Addingham, and knew
very little of the two. groups of Parkers
who lived there. On, occasions when she
had been compelled by business to find
herself in London always a time of
penance-she had seen odd members of
| each family, but there intercourse had
stopped. So you may judge Of the sur
prise with WhfchS the squire, Mr.. Jex-
Parker, received the following epistle,
dated Dec. 16, and written from the Cha
teau de Bettigny, Alpes Maritime:
''My dear Thomas" it ran, 81 have nc
doubt that you will be surprised to re-
the head of my family, l think it only
right that l should first communicate to
you a definite conclusion at which have
just arrived. L am, as you are probably
aware, a fairly rich woman"
Fairly rich" echoed Mrs. Jex-Parker.
almost Historically, as her husband
reached this point of the letter.
And 81 have no fancy, not being a
CATHOLIC. or, for the, matter Of that, be-
longing Ito any particular creed-having
long ago found out the hollowness of
them aH-that7f11ysnon should, when /
shall have no longer any use for 1t, fall
Holy Church 1 feel that 1 am not as
young ASH was, and that life Is, in: a GER
tain SenSeS$ uncertain, though [ am good
f Should fTeg or thirty yenf5 net and
various relations during the next few
years. propose, therefore, to spend a
Christmas with each branch of the fam
lily. beginning with you, if you and your
wife have no objection. By the time that
l have thus visited each branch I shall
then have made up my mind how best to
my cousins on my mothers side are look
ing to beneht to q considerable extent
under my will: but as 1 feel you and all
the other Parkers deserve some compen-
sation and alienation for having been
born Parkers, I shall not do more for the
Vansittarts than leave them an earnest
Of my good will $50.
please advise me whether 1t will be
convenient to receive me, with a maid,
an inoffensive creature, who cannot speak
a, word of English, but who is essential
herself no airs. And, believe me, your
-affectionate aunt, -''Mary Anne"
The squire came to the end of the let
ter, and laid it down beside his plate
Then he looked over the tops Of his spec
tacles very. -solemnly at the stout, moth
erly lady at the other end of the ia
BILE.
'eWell?" he said.
"Well?" said Mrs. Jex-I forgot to say
that in the family each lady was called
by the first half of her name. ''Well?"
she repeated.
whats to be done?" said the squire.
''What can be done?" said Mrs. Jex
"She has asked to come. She's worth
AUTHORIZATIONS! We can't fly in the
face of Providence The only question is
how are we to receive her? Shall we
put ourselves out, make fuss, or let
her take us just as we are?"
"She'U be an awful tie on US, Of
course" SAID Rosamond respectfully
when all the boys are at home. I sup
pose We shant be able to make any sort
of noise. Oh, it's horrid! If only she had
come any other time but Christmas"
''Well, she has chosen to come now"
remarked Mrs. .Jex, .F'and we cannot re-
fuse her. That's one of the advantages
of being rich; you can descend upon