The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-01-19

Miss Malvina's sewing machine occupied
one OF these. Evidently events were not
moving rapidly enough for the older
woman. She interrupted the resumed
whir OF the sewing machine querulously.
"I think you might give over tuck
ing n white petticoat when neigh
boris soul Is passing, Malvina, and that
neighbor Rufus Broxton. 1t is a sorry
day for us"
Miss Malvina looked pertinent and put
the lid on her machine as softly IL
the sick mar had been in the spare room
of the little cottage instead of I'm his
own stately four poster a half mile away.
II meant no disrespect, mother. No
body thinks more of Colonel Broxton
than ! do or will miss him worse. It's
just my way TO keep busy"
"Ah. ah, eli miss him, Malvina. You'll
miss him. I'll miss him, and all Mande-
Vile will miss him. But what does no
want with Horace Matthews at such a
time? Oh, IL your own dear father was
only here now!"
II guess he wants the lawyer TO get
Toms affairs well i'm hand. Colonel
Broxton Is rich mother, and Tom Is
young-so young and helpless
only II years old, poor ladr'
And / suppose the colonel is trying
to arrange everything for Toms best i'm
terests I guess he never once thought,
a.
but what he would be hero himself to
look after Tom for many long year yet
Jessy says Mr.. Matthews and the colonel
are just like brothers"
Mother. Spillman jerked her trumpet
away from Miss Malvinas lips with fierce
petulance.
"Jessy is gosslping simpleton.
| Brothers. indeed Don't speak OF them
! I'm the same breath. l know Horace
Matthew'S" Then, with shril, rising
voice. II know more about Horace Mat
! thews and Rufus Broxton than Jessy
| could ever find out II her mother cooked
at Broxton Hall tin kingdom come"
81 know my father prepared them both
| for college" said MaIvina proudly.
Then quietly she seated herself on a
| hassock near her mother and possessed
! herself Of the pile OF gray wool the old
I lady worked up into articles Of doubtful
| beauty and undoubted inutility. Just as
! the whim seized her. In off moments
Miss Malvina would seize the needle ana
| hasten the hour OF completion.
Confident Of food OF familiar reminis-
| cence. she settled resigncdly TO crochet
| ing. Ii was her way TO keep busy. once
! fairly launched on the backward flowing
! tide. she could trust her mother 10 en-
| tertain herself for an indefinite period of
| time.
II have known Horace Matthews and
| Rufus BroNton since they were both boys
! IN knckerbockers and rounda bouts COM
| ing TO Mr.. Spilman for Latin and mathe-
| mathics That was before you ever sa "
| the light. Malvina. They were alwse,s to-
| Eether as boys. and marveled at IL then.
| Rufus was a handsome. high spirited.
clean souled lad who would have cot OF
| his right hand " he detected u doing "A
| dishonest thing Matthews was iuN ev-
| erythlng that Rufus wasn't / never un-
| derstood the liking BroNton had for him. "
! Mnlvina put I'm word for the ma
| lgued. MIR Matthews must have been
| very winning In his young days. mother.
| He's got such friendly manners and he ls
so dreadfully good looking even now"
"Oh. there's no galnsaying MS good
! looks They came pretty near landing
| him on the topmost round OF his ambi-
| ton once upon time. He just missed
being Rufus Broxton's brothcr-in-law
and coming I'm for half OF old Marsden
| Broxtons estate when Lutetta Brox-
ton came home from boarding school
my. but she was something 90 look at,--
Horace Matthew dld not iei the grass
grow on the road from Vaudeville 20
Broxton hall
He was a struggling young lawyer
then. waiting for his hrst client she