Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1900-05-17

eeived q letter with an inch-deep blach
border, announcing the not unexpected
death OF their father; and Mrs. Brabazon
having buried him under a touching and
| handsome white monument in the GENE
| terry at Florence, disposed Of her villa,
dismissed her servants and returned as
a widow to reign at Baronsford.
The viii created a profound sensation.
| Everything was left in the hands Of Mrs.
Brabazon until Florian attained his ma
jority, and he was not to come of age
until he was twenty-five. Over the for
tunes Of her step-daughters and their
matrimonial possibilities her power was
absolute. She was sole mistress of the
property till Florian came of age, and
guardian to the four young BrabaZons,
The interest of the money in the funds,
the whole yearly rental of Baronsford,
and the nice, large, quarterly dividends
accruing from the first Mrs. BrabaZon' s
fortune were exclusively hers during the
minority Of the testator's children. There
were no executors, no trustees; all power
was vested in one person, and that person
was the widow.
THE will of madman~' shrieked pub
lie opinion "a shameful, unnatural,
wicked will; most unfair to the young
people"
But after a while public opinion yeered
around, like a weathercock that it is, and
gravely declared that when you came to
look into the matter, the will gained up
on you, and that really, after all, Adrian
Brabazon had more sense than they i'm
agined. 1t was far wiser to leave the
property in the hands of clever, sens1-
bic person, who would keep the house to-
gether, and probably put by the money
she saved for the benefit of her step-chil-
dren, and be a second mother to them
all, than if everything had gone to idle,
thriftless, extravagant Florian.
After that day when Teddy SO uncere-
moniously left her presence Mrs. Braba-
Zon never once mentioned his name, and
maintained an ostentatiOus department
of injured innocence, generally taking her
meals in her own sitting room, greatly to
the relief of her step-daughters, who talk
ed about their missing brother with bated
breath, and minds full Of misgiving and
conjecture.
At last, one morning, the news came.
He had done it. Esme knew it from her
first glance at Mrs. Brabazon's upper lip,
as she entered the dining room with
bundle of letters in her hand.
There will be no prayers this morn
ing" she said abruptly, sending the ser
wants back into the hall. You can all
go! I am not in a fit frame of mind to
go down on my knees and ask a blessing
on this house and family. do not know
when l have been so upset as l am to-
day. 1 suppose you have heard about
your precious brother?" with sneer spe-
cially dedicated to Esme; and now taking
her place before the teapot, as though it
were a kind Of judgment-seat; ''he has
written to you, L know, this Private
Brown, of the Princes Lancers."
'Whatr cried Florian, startled out Of
his usual lethargy. "Oh, nonsense! you
don't mean to say that the idiot has en-
isted?"
"He has," she returned, with vicious
energy. He is now soldier in the
ranks; common soldier"
"Well, of all the idiots!" CALCULATED Flo
rian, contemptuously.
"He has disgraced u.s." continued Mrs.
Brabazon, hoarsely, snatching up the su-
gar tongs in a kind of blind fury, and
commencing to make tea; but her. hand
shook so violeEtly that half the Jumps
were scattered about the tray. IF he
had gone to sea it would net have mat
tered; no one would have known. What
will people say?" she demanded, fercely,
Of her audience. 'He had every advan-
tage, and l had the promise of an excel
lent appointment for him on the West
Coast of Africa, as deputy superintend-
ent Of jail; but, without a word, he
leaves my roof and walks off and enlists
as Private Brown. Such base ingratitude
never was heard Of.
Gussie and Esme were both in tears,
and Florian was slicing the ham before
him very delicately and very deliberately,
with an air Of deep meditation on his sal
low brow.
His name forbid to be mentioned by
any one in this house." proceeded Mrs.
Brabazon. 81 forbid you girls to CORE
spend with him or speak of him! Edward
has as much passed out Of your lives now
as if his death were in the mornings pa.
per. I have desired Nokes to keep all
the front blinds down for three days"
Go be continued)