Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1900-06-08

The Vaudeville Morning News, an as
piring sheet. az which she had often
pointed the finger Of scorn when she
was al home. aaS her one Solace on
foreign soil. Its coming filled her day
with light
Coming In from an afternoon drive
one day. flower laden and smiling, DIV
IN found her dampening this cherished
sheet with cOpiOus tears. Flowers aud
all. she twined affectiUnate arms about
her faiihfI II friends neck.
You are homcSick. and am tortur-
ing the lie ont of you. Nice is not do
i'm. you uae particle of good. We will
start home tomorrow. | have been
having such a lovely time have grown
selfish. hut we will start right straight
home
I'VE will do nothing Of the kind. my
dear. Nice has cured my cough entire
ly-that is. almost. | was crying just
few tears. but il was for Tom, poor,
dear Tom
olivia flushed resentfully. Tom
BroXton?"
YES. do feel so sorry for him"
Ollie walked over to distant table
and busted herself putting her flowers
in water.
Your tears must flow readily, NAL
VIVA. Every one says he is getting on
splcndidly; that he will he a rich man
before he is 80. And-then-l have
made my will. He is to have every
thing leave
Miss Malvina was turning the damp
She shifted Scornfully.
you ridiculous child, You leave
don't think Tom BroXton cares Il cop
per for money for its own sake. lie
said to me once, quite coniidcntlally, of
course. that when he had hoped To
marry you he had thought the wealth
of Golconda too slight. But Tom has
had so much trouble in his short life,
snd now comes this"
And now comes what"
Olivia wheeled suddenly, showing Il
very pale face and eyes full of fright.
Miss Malvina held out the paper folded
in a long strip.
at is drcadfully hard to find para
graph once you let it go"
is it about Tom
Yes, or at least it is about
"Read it aloud, please
And Miss Malvina read:
THAT fine old piece of real estate
known as BroXton Hall, on the out
skirts of town, has again changed
hands. 1t is said that Mrs. Westover's
health demands permanent residence
in Il warmer climate. Some mystery
seems to attach to the recent transfer,
and no amount of reportorial enter
prise has enabled us to secure the
on the house and grounds are already
under way"
Well" said Olivia, biting off rose
stem with strong white teeth, what
that all has to do with your believing
the morning paper with tears has yet
to be explained"
'Why, Tom, you see, he told me
you know he and | had quite little
talk after you had sent him away in
such Il hurry that Sunday-that when
he had expected you and Mr.. West.
over to live at the old place he had
become reconciled to give it up, as he
certainly never could have lived there
by himself, but if time should prove
that you and Clarence We're not tC
adjust your little difference he should
buy back the old place himself"
And how do you know he is not tht
new owner!"
"Oh. | don't think there would bt
so much mystery about it if he were
Tom isn't the man to want to do any
thing sensational"
Was he so very fond of the place.
"Ollie, you know as well as | do tina
he loves that old house better than ht
does anything on earth. Not'-quick
ly seeking to repair any probable hur
that he blamed your dear papa FOL
letting it go. | do wish | knew whit
this mysterious purchaser is"
Il can relieve you to that extent,
said Ollie, swooping down upon til,
paper and hiding behind it. Il have
bought BroXton Hall"
You, OliviaY'
AT least my business man has TO
me. told him before we left Ameri
ca to buy it at any price | could affor,
to pay if Mr.. Westover would sell"
Wasn't that a little reckless, dear
1t is Il beautiful old place undoubted
ly. and | do believe Thomas woult
rather think of it as belonging to yol
than anybody in the world"
Ollie's temples showed pink abOy,
the Vaudeville Morning News. 90
course | did not buy it to live in. Tha
would be absurd. | bought it 70
Tom. want Tom to live in it witt
his wife when he gets one. But nov
that it is mine | don't know how t.
give it to him unless l die and leav
it to him in my will"
Miss Malvina looked at her gravely
81 am quite sure he would not like t
get it that way, my dear"
And | am sure | should not lik
him to get it that way, at least not i'm
mediately."
She laughed Historically. Miss Nal
vina's literalness often gave her caus
for mirth. She flung herself into a chat
to read that paragraph about BroXtol
Hall for herself. There was a certail
zest in the idea that all Vaudeville wa
trying to guess her secret and deepe
sort of satisfaction in the reflection
that no one could ever again come be
tween Tom and the old place after sh
should have given it back to him.
Dear old Toni Some time, somehow
he should come into his own again
Miss Malvina glanced at her confiscat