The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-07-23
.ALTERtBLooMFIELD


Ix1f Boxxxn's soxs.
I tect, and order the restoration to be
made at once. II don't suppose the
lob will cost more than $1,000 or
f15O0," said he. whereat Mr.. Fuller
dropped his lower jaw on his white
tie, aghast at the presence Of q man
who could talk 50 arily Of such large
sums Of money.
The moment Of our departure having
arrived our comfortable old carriage.
drawn by a pair Of greys. stood ready
at the door. old John-among whose
duties was numbered that Of a coach.
man-sitting on the box. As uncle
Sam. aunt Gertrude. my father and I
passed through the hall my uncle hes.
itated and stopped. "Where are the
servantsr he asked. and being told
they were in the kitchen he desired
them to be called. Our entire domes-
tic establishment. consisting Of four
women and boy. responded to the In.
vitation. Hastily giving two sover-
eigns to each Of the women and half
sovereign to the boy he stayed not to
hear their thanks. but handed his wife
into the carriage. Uncle Sam and I
followed. the driver cracked his whip
and the horses walked slowly down
the path as we waved our hands to
my father. who stood out3ide the
house In the porch.
It was some minutes before the hall
was lost to our view. and to the last
moment 1t seemed to engage my un-
cle's attention. "There, Gertie." said
he. pointing to the old house from
which we were now rapidly receding.
Ito think that 1t was a mere accident
"A woman's feeble will-that saved
me from spending my Life In that
place"
was surprised and not altogether
pleased at hearing my home-where
no effort had been spared to make our
guests comfortable-spoken Of in this
contemptuous manner. but concluded
from my uncle's munificence that he
was antextraordinarily rich man. &c
customed to the best Of everything
the world could supply. and conse-
,quently quite out Of his element In q
Suffolk village.
Don't you think. Sam. the anti.
quated appearance Of the old hall will
suffer from the repairs you are going
to make?" asked aunt Gertrude.
mot a bit In the world. The main
structure won't be interfered with"
II think I would prefer 1t as 1t Is, II
10 were NINE"
"An old places have to be repaired
some of them pretty much and offer" "
said uncle Sam. selecting cigar from
his case. II don't doubt but Queen
Anne would have some difficulty in
recognizing Windsor Castle II that
lady could come to life again to look
at it; 1t Is continually being patched.
As for Westminster Abbey, question
| II q handful Of the original structure
remains. A small suun.box would
contain the dust Of all the Pharaohs.
Everything substantial Is transient
and passes away. Human nature
alone Is unaltcred and uualterable.
Consider that parson Fuller. Two
days ago he could hardly disguise his
horror Of me: yet when offered to re-
store Holdenhurst Church did you no
tice how his tongue fell out Of his
mouth as II he wanted to lick my
boots on the spot? l suppose the poor
chap hopes Tor a commission from the
contractor. Well. III see that he's not
disappointed"
Sam. Sam. how you do talk" said
his wife reprovingly; then turning to
me as ! sat silent with folded arms.
Il am afraid. Ernest. II will take you
some time to understand your uncle.
He's awcully cynical. but those who
know him best like him best"
forget what answer ! made, but
certainly l was not disposed to con.
verse much. The novel experiences OK
the last few days. and speculations as
10 my visit to London en2rossed my
thoughts. Though I had more than
completed nineteen years Of life ! had
seen little or nothing Of the world.
Eleven Of those years had been passed
in q school at Bury st. Edmund's. with
the exception Of the interval between
Friday night and Monday morning
each week. which was spent at home.
During the school holidays my father
had been accustomed TO take me with
him to the seas:de-Lowestoft, Var.
mouth. Aldborough. or some other OF
| the summer resorts on the east coas;
and occasionally 10 London. My ac'
Quaintance with the world being
comprised within these narrow limits
and the present being the first occa
sion on which. In the ordinary sense OF
tho phrase. had left home, / was
moved to contemplation. Particularly
did / regret my defective education
defective because Of the idleness OF
my nature and my love Of reading poe
try and fiction. ! had been well anG
carefully taught. but was never able
to acquire more than q smattering OF
Latin. Greek and French. insuf6cien,
to enable me TO read with interest
book In any Of those languages. Eng
lish had mastered fairly well. and
developed some facility in It's compo
sit!on: while for music 1t was acknowl
edged that ] had more than ordinary
ability. ! was painfully consciou:
that my mental equipment was a very