The Washington herald., 1908-07-19
CHAPTER XII.


Esther Purkess, the pretty parlOr maid.
Elias Purkess, her father. a lineal de-
Bcendant OF the Purkess who helped 10
remove the body Of the king when he
vas shot in the woods below Kingscross.
lived in a cottage near the Mowlands.
This man serves az an excellent example
II the effect Of climate AID environment
1pon a family. The historical Purlxess
lad been a charcoal-bUrner. After near
y a thousand years, his descendants
remained charcoal burners. chimney =
sweeps. cutters Of fern. and poachers
renaciously they had chung 10 their habi-
tat-never leaving Il, never seeking 10
better their position in life. content to
Increase and multiply In the very humble
station first assigned 10 them EstheG-s
father, for Instance. was an earth-stOp-
per in the hunting season. and. as such.
rot without a certain local standing.
also, he could drink more ale than any
other man in Herashaw Parva without
getting drunk; he played an astonishing
game Of quoits. and he had thirteen chill
sren- Esther. a true Forester Gnasmuch
as the prospect Of illness or death excited
her profoundly. suggested 10 Miss Pris-
help mother II being absolutely certain
that the diphtheria would levy heavy toll
upon the Purkess family Miss Priscilla
said rubbish in a voice not TO be
Eainsaid. and instructed Esther 10 keep
away from her people. and. indeed. to
eonfne her walks 10 the kitchen garden
Then. as soon as the maid had whisked
rather Indignantly out OF the room, she
said calmly 70 Miss Law inia:
Giles was observing only the other
day that those stiles in Hernshaw Parva
ought % be pulled down
I have heard him use your words sis
ter"
This is the visitation Of God"
Yes. sister; His hand is heavy upon
rs"
They looked at each other. nodding
their heads. The Mottisfonts prided
themselves. and justly. upon their good
looks. but in later life they assumed
something Of the appearance Of sheep
eyes set too far apart. upper lips too
long, and the straight line Of forehead
and nose did nothing 70 dissipate this sp-
pearance.
Having been brought Up in those good
old days when blackboards IN the school
room were deemed Of much more impO--
=.
they sat rigidly upright in chairs covered
with tapestry worked BY themselves
Upon the seat Of each chair was the Not
usfOnt coat with its many 0uarrerings.
each representing fat acres brought 70
the family by well-dowered heiresses.
and upon the back was the Mottisfont
crest-a bubblins fountain, not unlike an
ertesian well IN full flow. and beneath
the motto- Tenax et probus
rz-ae -Tr-r1sT.--
with the aunts- because Of the foreign
mails, but without exchanging a word
each composed herself into an attitude
suggestive Of Sabbath calm and medita-
ton
7 shall look out some old linen" OBJ {
served Miss Priscilla presently; and Miss i
1avinia nodded grsvely, saying: Il wiI /
help you. my dear"
Thus they sat for nearly half an hour
quite silent. The MottisfOurs always &C I
cepted the heavier blows OF Providence /
IN this resigned and chastened spirit. 1
however much they might murmur and
rebel against such smaller infections as
colds in the head and the loss Of domestic 1
servants
This viii cost poor Giles a pretty
penny"
We must do our part"
We could withdraw, for this year, our
TO the County Hospital. /
Some people might call that robbfnz
Peter TO pay Paul. but. in nv oninjor
such action IS quite justifiable If Paul
happens 70 be your own brother and Pc
ter a mere acquaintance"
quite agree" said Miss LavinIa.
Then she added We have 10 thought Of
eaving the FOrest2''
Certainly not" said Miss Priscilla.
lot meeting her sisters eye Each knew
hat the other was terrified They en-
oioyed three young maids whose parents
70 I've II Hernshaw Farva.
Already they could smell the detestabIe
.umes OF sulphur overpowering the deli-l
ate perfume Of lavender and p0tpourrf
which subtly Pervaded every nook and
'Tanny Of the Lodge: already they. could
zee the small cloud swelling to enormous
proportions. Obscurilg their placid skies
llready they were counting the new
'raves IN the pretty cemetery which held
nugly so many Mottisfonts And such
thoughts were intensely disagreeable 10
hem The mind OF each old lady har-
,ored al unfornulated protest against
he unreas0n OF asking any AIOttisfont 10
cave Hernshaw. even if heaven were the
ppointed destination. Never IN general
onpany. and very rarely with each .
ther. did the aunts discuss such distress j
lg subjects as disease and death.
When q MOttisfOnt lay a-dying. the
ther members OF the family would pre-
end TO the last that all was well Thank
ou-" they would reply % Inquiries we
re quite satisfied: We are not alarmed |
he doctor Is expecting a decided change :
Dr the better" It was thus in minor
latters. Once a small python escaped :
rom a travelling menagerie into the for
St Il happened 70 be less than six feet
length. and as harmless as a dormouse
nd quite as sleepy. but LADY Albinia jail ,
md. Of Queens Jalland. refUged positive
T TO sleep with her bedroom window o.
pens and Miss Bu1gay wrote to the
torres TO ask II Il was possible 10 pro-
1re a mOngoose- Within a week the r
Jresters believed that the python had !
OnsUmed a pony. and, with appetite
roperly whetted, was not likely TO ex-
-cise any discrimination in favor OF bi- :
eds
4 few days later the monster was dis
1vered fast asleep under a holly bush !
Of a hundred yards from the spot where
had escaped During this anxious sea-
IN the Misses MottisfOut assured their
s1tors that there was no cause for seri- :
Is alarm; but everybody knew that the /.
dies never set foot ia the forest for a :
lrtnight, and were beginning 10 talk OF
king a change OF air at BOurnemouth
Presently they put out some old linen.
I'd the carrier happening to call. ordered =
supply Of camphOr 10 be bought in the :
sarest town Two days later they drank :
a al the Park. Sir Giles did not dis
race his breeding by displaying excite
ent, but he expressed surprise that he
lOuid have been singled out. when Il
as notorious ali over the forest that
dmlral Pundle's- cottages at Pundie Z
reen were IN infinitely worse condition >