The Holly chieftain., 1901-05-24
CHAPTER VII.
ea is 'eady. If you please, Mrs.

CHAPTER VII.
Tea is ready. II you please, Mrs.
Magnum."
very clear yet pleasant voice. Mrs.
Magnum started out of her nap, which
she had been enjoying in the depths
of her vel, ct chair, rubbed her eyes,
and looked up at a young lady who
stood on II e hearth-rug. few PAGES
from her.
"Eh? w lat did you say. Miss Mar
jorie?" she asked. sharply.
Tea is :eady," replied Miss Mar
jorie, taking her scat at the head Of
the table al. she spoke.
"Humph." muttered Mrs. Magnum,
eyeing her with a sour look Of dissat-
isfaction. Well" you may pour me
out cup. But where is Mr.. Magnum,
and Julius, and dear Kate? 1t Is really
extraordinary. that when l am SO pune
tual myself. everyone belonging to me
should be perfectly unable to UNDER
stand the 'alue of time, or come to
their meali at the proper hours. I
am sure. W zen was girl, my NAM
ma would have"
What her mamma would have done
in similar state OF things Miss Mar
jorie never knew, for at that moment
the door opened, and corpulent. red
faced, good-humored looking man en-
tered, closely followed by stupid
looking boy Of IL. The young lady
subsided into graceful attitude upon
the sofa; the boy established himself
at Miss Mariories elbow. and began
an indiscriminate assault upon the eat
ables; but Mr.. Magnum dutifully sup
piled his wife with cup Of tea and
plate Of bread and butter before be-
ginning his own meal. which he took
at the small table which always stood
beside her easy chair.
well, my DEAR" he said, cheerfully.
how has the world used you to-day?"
"As usual was the whining reply.
THE neuralgia any better?"
"No, my dear"
And the headache?"
"As bad as ever"
Dear! dear!" said Mr.. Magnum,
sympathizingly.
Mrs. Magnum sighed and leaned her
head upon her hand. -..---4----,,.
She was the invalid Of the family.
From early morn to dewy eve she
sat in her velvet chair; and during
nine months of the year. before IRE
hot enough to roast an OK. The at
mosphere OF the parlor was 30 stihing
as to make . stranger feel faint after
breathing 1t for i've minutes at q
time; hat Mr.. ~Magnum and his son
and daughter inhaled 1t contentedly
eneagh. Miss Marjorie, indeed. was
constantly troubled with giddiness and
determination of blood to the head;
but she was only companion, and NO
one paid much attention to her all
ments, unless they were Of an obstt-
nately intrusive kind. So. through the
sharp winter the double windows OF
the parlor were closed and padded, and
list was nailed around the doors, and
sand bags laid at every crack and crew
ice, lest q breath of cold air should by
any chance steal through; and the in
valid, sbasking before the piled-up
CRATE, doxed and ats. and drank through
the short days and long evenings, till
the light and heat of summer forced
her to live little less like . sala-
mander and little more like an ordi-
nary human being. H.,
Mr.. Magnum was . retired ironmon-
ger, who had made money enough out
OF his pots and kettles to leave them
forever In his fifty-ffth ysar. It had
been his fathers business before him,
and he had started therein At the age
Of II with the snug sum Of one thou,
sand pounds ~ pocket money. II ssy
nothing Of . trade connection exSepA-|
ing half over the Black County. n,
In speaking Of the earlier part q his
life he was accustomed 70 alluas to
himself pathetically a. Z poor OF.
phan, and to hint myntsriouily skstsr-
rtble hardships undergone By ttah-
leaving you to infer that those hard
ships had been surmountsd " him
alone, without the slisAtest aid. The
story had = somewhat ludicron sf-
feet when you gazsd at the face Of ~