Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1900-03-30


worth. l,oy. They had diamonds AMI
pcarls aud Eiul>cln gold sets ahd
,amros and the dear knows what t"'
sides. MANY a lime when !. a. a MIN
isIer'S WIFE ought Ia have hccn iroWn-
ing down Surh frivuliIirS have ! al
Chatting uycr their beautiful gems. rial
works ct art. that were kept in one
great la,,tucrWarr bnN when your drir
mother ana aunt we're alive. They
were q fortune In themselves. biL
they were dr.>Srrs. those two dear
women. Not that they ever OVERLAP
il. though. Where j. that hoN now,
Thomas
Tom laughed carclcSSly. Il have not
the slightest idea. Mother Spillman,
Inrvrr heard Of the existence uf all thai
Splcndor before. supp"Sr my father
would have put such things Ia hank
snnlrw here. | am glad 4" know :"
many pretty things are IN waiting Tor
my future wife.
Your future wife,
"Why. yes. Of course | am going
10 have one some of these days. Moth
er' Spillman. You would not have me
go without
NO. oh. no, But. Tom. about those
Jewels" She was leaning toward him.
twisting her knotty fingers n"rvouSly
about each other. Il remember one
especially beautiful pearl necklace al
YOUR Aunt I.ucetta'S. Your father
brought il To her from Paris. | don't
suppOSr there was another one like II
in the whole country IL large pearls
caught into ruScttr. with big opal
In the center and strings OF pearls on
ethrr side.
at must have been very pretty. but
never saw it," said Tom abScntly.
The necklace that had eucirclcd OlIir's
round white neck the night before had
made no separate impression upon INN.
He had seen nothing but pair of love
ly, laughing eyes. ripping yellow hair
and sweet smiles. He was thinking ut
them now. This accurate description
of his auntS wonderful necklace sug
gestrd nothing tn him. "Molhrr' Spill
man shock her head impatirntly. She
did not want 10 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 rs grandly as you could. Your
dear mother was proud of her family
plate silver turccns and great massive
pitchers and trays
Tom laughed glcefulIy.
"Wh y. this is getting To he quite in
tcrcsting. feel like Cinderella in
trousers with all my pumpkins turned
into jewels and silver plate"
"Eh. Tom! Where Is ii ALL
Il did not know Of its existence,
Mother Spillman. OF course after
mother and Aunt LII died father and |
lived very simply. | was only when
he and were left alone. and | have
been off at school since was II.
suppose all those things ar" in han,
somewhere. | don't know much about
my affairs rs vet"
"l.ut YOU are getting 10 he a man
now. Thomas. and you ought to he
looking after your own affairs. You
ought to know what belongs to YOU
There were inventories of the jewels
even describing the most vaIuah,
ones, and of the silver know what
am talking about. Thomas | ought To
| helped your dear mother make our
those inventories. You ought to know
all this. Thomas"
The closing admonition of his IA
Tiers unfinished letter flashed into hi>
memory.
Il suppose when the proper time
comes will, Mother Spilman,
have been too busy with Ey books VI
to date. But Mr.. Matthew'S
Here he received violent surprise
The old woman laid her two hands OF
the coat lapel nearest her amt shook il
very much after the fashion of a ter
rier bouncing on rat.
Don't trust everything to him, boy
don't. say"
; "My father trusted him." said Ton
right Loyalty (he flung the words at her
angrily with help from the trumpet
trusted him utterly and always. They
Were like brothers. From my rarlicS
childhood | have had Mr.. Matthew,
held up to me as an eXemplar a maj
Of prohity and good judgment, You
must not Islander my guardian in IN!
presence. Mother Spilman. can
allow 1t. Excuse me If seem rude"
Il see. | see! He has bewitched yol
as lie bewitched your father before
you and his sister before HIM. If on,
should come back from the dead t,
warn you. it would do no good. Il,
good, Thomas
Tom recOiled with n nervous laugh
a poor assumption Of ease. The flow
ers wrapped about his fathers letter
the marked passage in his fathers Ri
bic, the dimly deserted figure bendin:
over his fathers desk. all rushed int
: his mind clamoring for recognition n
celestial messengers whom he ha(
} treated with scant courtesy. He tool
refuge in lcvtX.
ooh. come now, Mother Spillman
| have great respect for SpOokS ant
am sure | should never dare to trea
one with disreSpect. But a mere MOI
tai is quite another thing. 1t woul,
t not be an easy task for any one in tn
9 desh to convince me that my guardian
r was other than the high toned GENT,
- man and clear headed business ma
- my fathers selection of him as
t friend and my guardian proves hin
r l think | can safely intrust my affair
> to him until | am ready to take til
k helm myself"
AT which the old woman's wrat
o from the hassock while speaking.
/, was time for MIN to go on to the Ma
|, thpwS 'AIOthpr' SDilLnan rose t0,