Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1908-12-10
The Crimson Casket
BY j. F. ASTON
eAAN.AAANHAs AAAAsaAaa ~
BY J. F. ASTON

in the comfortable parlor of Ash
warley Grange, not far from Clifton
Downs.
The Misses Ashwarley had been
beeles, beauties, and heiresses in
their day.
All that was over. The fortune
was lost, the lovers had fled, the
near and dear friends and relatives
were in their graves, and the for
mer coheiresses had only an an
annuity of fifty pounds and the old
Grange between them, and the ter
ror of restitution.
Experience had taught them thrift
and economy, Their large garden
was great help, and by advertising
in the country paper they succeeded
in letting half of their large house
to wealthy widow without in
cumbrances, who paid them liberal
ly for the trouble she gave.
The lady had left them early in
December to make round of visits
among her own and her late hus-
bands friends. They were now ex-
pecting her return.
And as they sat beside the fire on
this clear, cold evening, they were
talking of the servant whom also
they expected, and whom they were
about to hire, during the temporary
pressly to attend mon e Mrs Herne
"Poor old Trneftti 7 ,,,isI, 20 oo, ia
have nersuaded her to e+ov bere and
pet we'll -" said Miss Roea1io u,bo
being the senior nv feTJ ,,,o,,,o ",'
coneidered bnrse1f On grond 800.
sions to he Miss Ssbvar ir ), I'D
in ordinarv offairs tonitv too,, t tha
lead "fe Nrs tIorno 10 49, toni,
before the 9otb and If th He 1 U@Jd
Deborah comes tonnrrow I d. MOI, vo,,
see Phoebe tbere wouid G ho o,,; TJo
fine for Won and mo "f fo nrusa TIP TriIn
81 baoi, into hoa1+i,9, sc / ''e
,,P,,t Poeoiio sbo .oi5 - $40.
tbe Tine of lgeo1,naes 9 aftor roo mus
o,,,, +bat sI,a droadal =, LII. NJ.
pboeb l,'' w. i,uoN, otb Ri,eu nI,H9
ever nersuade rrmeft+ tba+ er, S0 ona
alec co,iid woi+ On ne n eroIo rIS onS
co enc -ro,,Id "i 10 ~ t, Te anu
borsa1e befnra sI,o ans VI, w. 5",il5 50
hans tbror bersnif b %9 t' for anu ron ~
tbinlr ~ woe I,,isa IN, Io,, ii' 20 '' 49,
awav to her d de ,fe " The bei coz 40 a 5IU
and the rest will soon cot ber I'm
aoair MT +ba bo,,sa soa,,,e i +o ~
ribIv lonesome U,itbont ber =
at docs indeedi If is +ba erst
+ioe che hos laft nc siroe We r,a,.e
habies {" N7 ''-'o'
They both 1oo1,ed nm with n s+ort
Tbe Gronge n,as w yar,, I'D and
very lonely standin. in tie own av-
tensiva oronnds ~ a. hot+oro of
1one noarly aN,,,iia lono
1rba LAVA diua,,oad fror, Az Am
,,.,ies, rn-iiIa rood - aftar
passing the Grange, faded away IN |
IL narrow footnatb With s+iias |
The market town of Ashwarlev
and fine small citv Of Greensmorton |
could botb he seen from tbe nnner
windows Of The old house Rut The
nearest neiebhor was the vicar of
+be baod ns Asbu, "r fora
This had nottered 1ittIe IN tho
old davs when the farm lands were
cu1tivated nv the owner and fine
Iyitcben was full Of men and maid |
.servants II did become a thing TO
he regretted whom tha two ladies' |
we're, Ieft unite nv themselves-
now nov -' 4N''' - - '''~N ~
There are ALWAYS odd sounds
about ola bonses esneciaIlv at night
w H tbe Whole World is still Old
fnrniture is famous for giving out
ali manner of nnearthlv creaks and
,croaks If there is any one at hand
IN ha half scared Out of his wits |
tberebv And IN almost anv conn
nv lane Of dark evening one
con noni,,re nm startling sounds or
visions If alone and at ali nervous.
rrha Misses Asbwarlev had done This
often and often during the two
davs and nights that had ELAPSED
since tbe housekeener had been
driven away in her daughters tax
cart Rut now thew nearly leaned
from their chairs as thew looked at |
e,cb other
For thew both heard. distinctly
footstens nacing nm and down the |
short Stone terrace that ran below |