The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1907-04-23

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$3.50 BY OWEN OLIVER. oSSSSs.
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BY OWEN OLIVER.

hours. lie spent the night looking
round the picture gallery. The Tor
traits had been restored and the old
furniture renovated by appreciatiye
hands, and he felt quite at home
there. 1t was several hours after
daybreak, and he was still looking at
the old faces, when he heard the
rustic of a dress and stood still in
front of his portrait. He was, of
course, invisible.
The lady was shapely and comeIy
and dressed in a new-fangled way
that was yet becoming. She was
about eight and twenty, and she was
more pinkish than white, because she
had been crying. She walked I'D to
Sir Geoffrey's picture and nodded at
it through him, as If they were old
friends. He bowed an invisible bow.
III this was a syndicate's daughter.
he thought. a syndicate must be a
very superior sort of tradesman.
The intruder in your noble fam
lily is going, Sir Godfrey" she said
she had a singularly sweet voice.
though her modern accent sounded
foreign to him. IF you walk. as
they say, 1 suppose you are glad;
but l think should have made you
like me Il you had been alive"
She smiled. Sir Godfrey thought
for moment that a sunbeam had
struggled in through one of the high.
arched windows.
L was only money know" sne
continued I'm not even that now:
but l have guarded the traditions of
your house, and teach them to my
little sons. Dear Sir Godfrey, you
wouldn't want them to go. Won't
you show your treasure to me? [
shouldn't be frightened of you, Sir
GeoHrey, because l like you. That Is
true, you know"
She touched the picture lightly.
Her hand went through the ghost of
Sir Godfrey. He took it in his in
visible fingers and lowered his in
visible lips to it, and sighed an in
audible sigh. No one else in the
FAMILY had spoken affectionately to
him for hundreds of years. No one
else had seemed to prize the family
name and traditions. He cursed the
foolish vow that prevented his an
pearance to this charming descend
ant-at-law, and tried to explain that
she must advise her husband to sum
mon him; but he could make no
sound louder than the buzzing of a
fly. She waved her handkerchief to
drive it away. Then she heard a
mans step and turned toward the
door; and Sir Charles, eighth OF the
name, appeared-a big, well featured,
heavy-looking man of about thirty
five.
Saying goodby to your ancestors,
mother?" he asked in a careless voice.
Sir Godfrey noted the testimonial of
the name.
Your ancestors" she corrected.
How you must feel about it,"
Sir Charles laughed and shrugged
his broad shoulders.
I'D sell the lot of my worthy an
cestors for a sovereign" he declared.
The ghost of Sir Godfrey shook his
fist at him. Its my descendants
that 1 don't like 'selling'~poor little
beggars! l never thought things
would turn out like this when l mar
ried you"
She gave a sharp cry, and sank on
an old settle with her face in her
hands. The ghost laid an invisible
hand on hers, and hot tear dropped
right through his fingers.
You needn't have said it," she
sobbed. You needn't have said It,"
Sir Charles looked at her in sur
prise, and pulled his heavy mus
tache.
Il never was clever enough to un-
derstand you, Maisie." he remarked.
II give it up. Tell me what I'VE
done"
Nothing" she said, wiplng Ter
eyes and drawing herself up. only
married me"
Sir Charles shook his head and
rugged his mustache again.
Don't see it yet" he protested.
IF that's all I've done-upon my
word, believe I'd do it again"
lie put his great hand on her fair
hair. but she pushed it off.
IF L had money, you meant?" she
said.
Sir Charles stared at her fer a
moment. Then he suddenly flushed,
and said a bad word several bad
words. Then he laughed and picked
her mp I'm his arms moi" he said.
"I didn't. You Ittle-what shall /
call you?"
Idiot" she said, and chung to him
and laughed aud cried. "Of course,
you didn't What did you mean, you
you great bear2"
Sir Charles tuggod his mustache
again
"Well" he said. 81 suppose I meant
that I've been rather a useless sort
Of chap. don't you know; a drone;
like my idle ancestors 7 tell you
what &c is. Maisic. ancestors are a
milestone around q fellows neck. I'm
going to cut the string aud take an
other name and go into trade and
get on.'
Sir GeoGrey fairly danced with
rage 10 vas obviously impossible to-
appear to q man who called him an
idler and n milestone, and was pre-.
pared 20 drop the family name and
BECOME a huckster and get on lie
was going straight back to Spectre
land, when the charming "syndicate's
daughter" spoke
"sir Godfrey wasn't an idler.