Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-11-21
CHAPTER XXII.-(CLntinued.,

RrsbaZOu need not llnger to relate;
for no pen could give the faintest idea
Of that lady's indignant incredulity in the
first phase. wild, incoherent invective in
the second. and hysterical, weeping and
3epunciation OF Florian's inhuman- in
gratitude in the third and last scene. She
went about. her handkerchief applied to
her eyes. model OF injured innocence,
Or posing as a melancholy representation
Of fallen greatness. She wrote reams of
letters and made many farewell calls in
the neighborhood- -good-naturedly taking
her acquaintances into her confidence a.
regarded her opinion of the bride-elect-
and she left not a few directions to Esme
Of q distinctly testamentary nature. In
deed. one would imagine, from the way
she bore herself, that once she had shak-
en- the dust of Baronsford from off her
feet its downfall was a mere question Of
time.
Mrs. Brabazon had a large. really sur
prising amount of baggage; trunk and
case. and case and trunk, were filed and
nailed down day by day; and certainly
the china and curios about the house be-
came smaller by degrees. and beautifully
less. as these packages increased in num-
Der and size.
upstairs TO the big spare room in which
Nokes and her mistress had beeu closet
I'd since breakfast time. They simultane
Ously uttered an exclamation OF hasty an
noyance as Esme slowly pushed back the
door against a pile of books and stuffs
On the floor, and admitted Miss Jane.
Now. now, Miss Esme, just please to
look where you are going" said Nokes,
tsrtly: and indeed. she had need to do so.
Also her aunt, who stepped nimbly over
slI obstacles and stared about her with a
face OF undisguised amazement. The car
pet was Uttered with lace. house linen,
knick-knacks and old china, and the bed
was spread from top To bottom with fam
ty silver, punch bowls, teapOts, cream
Jugs, marrow spoons, sauce ladies. snuff
boxes. candlesticks- nothing had been toe
Insignificant to escape notice. The dress
Ing table was loaded with piles Of old
brocade and needlework. and three
greedy looking big trunks yawned open
mouthed in the middle of the room-ready
to swallow those treasures. Before one
Of these boxes Mrs. Brahazon was kneel
ing.
Good morning. Sara" said her sister
in-law. briskly. Busy. l see, as usual
| just came up to ask il Iscould help you
In any way?"
NO, no, thanks. | can manage yer!
well by myself with Nokes," looking
greatly put out, as she spoke, and scu'-
fling away some articles out Of sight. Il
never can pack il l am watched: il puts
NE out altogether. Here" closing the
lid with bang "I'll come down with
you. Jane"
But, surely, you are not packing these
things. are you, Sara? You are only put
ting them away, and l can. do that for
you. you know" said the. old lady. still
hanging back.
Putting them by? No, I'm packing
them up TO take away" now driven to
bay. they are my own property.
Good gracious. Sara! what do you
mean? Is not that my grandmother
posset bowl that Nokes has in her hand!
she asked, with an air of pious surprise
There must be some monstrous mistake
in your packing up family silver. lace
linen and china"
NO mistake at all, Everything in the
room is mine" waving her hand dramat
ically toward the floor, the bed and the
dressing table, resolved to put down Miss
Jane. as she had ever been wont to do
MY dear husband gave me all. she add
ed. with a kind Of sniff, that might mean
either defiance or a tribute to his mem
ory.
But these were heirlooms;r and for once
the old lady was firm.
He could not give you what never was
his, Sara. They are heirlooms; they be
long to his children, and children's chill
dren. -Fhis must be seen to. I'm really
,stonished that you do not see the mis-
,.I-o visihlv she
spoke.
Mrs. Brabazon failed to see asJ pis-
take; and her instincts Of rapacity and
plunder extinguished everything else in
her bosom-even ordinary prudence. Each
lady stoutly maintained her own opin-
ion. and the result was a very pretty
quarrel, to which Esme and Nokes were
the two speechless seconds.
Mrs Brabazon figuratively bounded in
to the arena and let herself go for once:
she so far forgot herself as TO call MISS
Jane a '.miserly old sneak" and med
dlesome old cat" and the latter, htnout
descending to such vulgar expressions,
made some very telling hits, and managed
to have her say in a collected and I'M
pressiye manner; and, in the end, by a
clever maneuver, concluded the battle by
locking up the room and carrying off the
key which. needless TO say, was tanta-
mount to capturing her enemy's colors
and guns: and as she departed. key in
pocket, she sternly announced that IT was
her immediate intention to summon the
family lawyer.
The family lawyer duly arrived the
next day, and went into the matter OF the
late Mr.. Brabazon's will and personality
Nd 20 Innp holes and flaw 3.