St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-01-25
anxious crew were assem- bled.

wv
Spooner, who had asked their attend.
ance on the coming occasion. They had
replied to him that they had no inherent
in the matter.
But" said Mr.. Spooner, "Jedediah
Sprout tells me that you will give your
share to him. "
"If he can get it," added Jack.
IF he is to get it at all, said tho
attorney, sit will he necessary that yoh
and YOUR wife should be there to relin'
quish it,
son your honor, Mr.. Spooner, do
YOU think our presence would help poor
Jedediah Sprout?'' asked Kate.
The attorney replied that he thought
it would. =,
"Then," said Kate, eve will CO.
What say you, Jack?'
Jack consented, and so it transpired
that Kate Winthrop and her husband
were present at the eventful meeting.
The cousins Of closer degree scowled
upon them when they entered, and one
wheezy old spinster informed them that
il would have looked better If they had
remained away.
mot nearer than the sixth or eighth
remove at BEST" put in an ancient
maiden of ascetic aspect "Uh! Inc as
surance of some folks"
The hour slipped on, and the impor-
tant meridian was close at hand. All
had assured themselves that Jeptha
Boyle was not in the land OF the living.
At all events he had not been heard
from. And then followed comparing
of notes touching respective nearness OF
relationship Genealogical registers OF
all kinds were at hand, and it was very
evident that not few of them had
been recently altered and amended.
elimination and recrimination result
ed, and belligerent outburst was on
the tapis when the clock struck IL, and
with the last stroke of the fateful bell
Mr.. Spooner appeared upon the scene,
and with him came the man called Jed
ediah Sprout
Ladies and gentlemen and very good
friends, said the attorney with form
al bow, IL have the pleasure of intro
ducing to you your very obedient and
humble cousin, .Jeptha Boyle. He bids
you welcome to his mansion and begs
that you will honor him with your
company to dinner"
"Bogle!' cried spinster number one,
starting up. "What Bogle?"
"It's base deception exclaimed
the ancient maiden of ascetic visage.
"Who is ,Ieptha Bogle!" demanded a
low browed haberdasher, upsetting his
chair as he arose and coming very near
to upsetting o wien faced old bachelor
who sat next to him.
81 am Jeptha Boyle" said the attor-
ney's companion. He now appeared in
a suit of black velvet and looked like a
very kind hearted, benign old gentle
man. IL am the only brother of Absa-
lom Boyle, who died one year ago in
this house. came from South America
six months ago and made myself known
to Mr.. Spooner told him had no
use for all the money my brother had
left, and that was willing to divide
the greater part of it with the distant
relatives.
"Mr. Spooner applauded my motive,
but advised me to examine for myself
and select the worthy Ones So l called
myself Sprout and went at the work.
AS you would have done unto Jedediah
Sprout, give you full permission to dc
unto yourselves. Dinner will be ready
in half an hour but you will excuse me
from sitting at table with you, as am
engaged elsewhere-Jack and Kate
Winthrop will come with me. AS they
were not of the heirs expectant theil
presence in this assembly is no Longer
necessary"
From establishment to indignation
and from Indignation to boiling wratl
surged the cousins of all degrees, ant
in such wrathful mood they found mt
appetite for dinner, and one by one O.
in mutteriug cursing pairs they crawl
ed away, invoking all sorts of maledic
lions upon the head of the returned
brother who had SO deceived and en-
trapped them, as we'll as upon the head
of the young couple who, they wer
very sure, were to bask in the sunshin
of Jeptha Bogle's good intent,
And in this last surmise they wer
not mistaken. Old .Ieptha found hom
with Jack and Kate, and he did nc
wait until death had cut short his shar
of the enjoyment before giving to thel
of the wealth which he had resolve
should be theirs. Cincinnati Post