Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-03-22

out that can neither hear nor see.
but the old woman is not quite useless
yet-no. not yet-not too helpless to be
good friend to the last Of the Brox-
tons, Tom. Eh?"
Indeed, no, ma'am," said Tom cheer
fully. 81 don't know Of anybody I
would turn to quicker if needed help
than to you or Miss Malvina."
He was thinking Of derelict buttons
and failing sock heels. She was think
ing Of much weightier matters. She
| gave a chuckle of unmistakable tri-
| umph.
"Say that again, my boy; say it
| again. 1t does one good after being
| snubbed and laid on the shelf for
years. You mean it, don't you, Tom?"
"Of course do, every word Of it,"
baid Tom kindly. "But you must not
talk Of being laid on the shelf yet for
a great many years to come, Mother
Spillman. You have got plenty work
to do in the world yet"
ooh, I'm not getting younger, and
I'm not getting brighter. Pm willing to
go when my time comes. But, Tom,
I've been wanting to talk with you,
lad. You're right. I've got work to
do. I've been wanting to say some
things to you that no one else could
say as well nor as safely, things no
body else would dare to say. Sit here
on this hassock, close by my feet, boy,
and try to use the trumpet when you
answer ME. Then you won't have to
bawl so that they can hear you all over
the county"
$50 far as can see," said Tom, ex-
perimenting gently with the trumpet,
there's no one to hear us unless it is
Miss Malvina's canary bird or that old
red rooster yonder scratching up the
flower beds. Shall drive him away"
She laid a heavy hand on his Shout
der. mo; sit still. Malvina will be
coming back presently, and she'd be in
the way" She leaned forward until
her thin lips almost touched his
healthy pink ear.
Thomas, where is all Of your moth
er's and your Aunt Lucetta's fine
| jewelry?"
"Jewelry? I don't know, Mother
Spillman. didn't know they had
any,"
"They had thousands of dollars
worth, boy. They had diamonds and
pearls and Etruscan gold sets and
canoes and the dear knows what be-
sides. Many a time when 1, as a min
ister's wife, ought to have been frown-
ing down such friyolities have sat
gloating over their beautiful gems, real
works Of art, that were kept in one
| great lacquerware box when your dear
mother and aunt were alive. They
were a fortune in themselves. 3 Oh,
they were dressers, those two dear
women! Not that they ever overdid
it, though. Where is that box now,
Thomas"
Tom laughed carelessly. II have not
the slightest idea, Mother Spil1man.
Inever heard of the existence of all that
| splendor before. / suppose my father
would have put such things in bank
somewhere. l am glad to know so
many pretty things are in waiting for
my future wife"
"Your future wife,"
."Why, yes. OF course am going
to have one some of these days, Moth
err Spillman. You would not have me
1 go without"
Jewels" She was leaning toward him,
twisting her knotty fingers nervously
about each other. 81 remember one
especially beautiful pearl necklace of
| your Aunt Lucettas. Your father
brought it to her from Paris. don't
suppose there was another one like it
in the whole country-15 large pearls
caught into rosette, with big opal
in the center and strings of pearls on
either side"
at must have been very pretty, but
never saw it," said Tom absently.
The necklace that had encircled Ollie's
round white neck the night before had
made no separate impression upon him.
He had seen nothing but pair Of love
~, laughing eyes. ripping yellow hair
and sweet smiles. He was thinking of
them now. This accurate description
Of his aunt's wonderful necklace sug-
gested nothing to him. Mother Spill
man shook her head impatiently. She
did not want to shock him If she could
avoid it. She just wanted to open his
eyes gradually.
"And, Thomas, the silver! My, what
lot of it you do own! There are few
young fellows who could start house
keeping as grandly as you could. Your
dear mother was proud of her family
plate-silyer tureens and great massive
/ pitchers and trays"
| Tom laughed gleefully.
''Why, this is getting to be quite in
teresting. feel like Cinderella in
trousers, with all my pumpkins turned
into jewels and silver plate"
"Eh, Tom? Where is it all?"
4 II did not know of its existence,
Mother Spillman. OF course after
mother and Aunt Lu died father and /
lived very simply. I was only when
he and were left alone, and have
been off at school since was H. l
suppose all those things are in bank
somewhere dOn't know much about