Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1908-08-06

| by themselves. Upon the seat of each
cha1r was the Mottisfont coat with its
many quarterings, each represent ting
fat acres brought to the family by
| Well-dowered heiresses, and upon the
| back was the Mottisfont crest-a bub.
bling fountain, not unlike an artesian
well in full flow, and beneath the
motto; Tenax ct probus.
1t was Tuesday, usually busy day
with the aunts, because of the foreign
mails, but without exchanging word
each composed herself into an atti-
| tude suggestive of Sabbath calm and
meditation.
y shall look out some linen" OBJ
served Miss Priscilla presently; and
Miss layinia nodded gravely, saying,
l will help you, my dear"
Thus they sat for nearly half an
hour, quite silent. The Mottisfonts
always accepted the heavier blows Of
Providence in this resigned and chas.
tened spirit, however much they might
murmur and rebel against such small
er infections as colds in the head and
the loss of domestic servants.
This will cost poor Giles a pretty
penny
I'VE must do our part"
we could withdraw, for this year,
our subscriptions to the county hospi-
tai. Some people might call that rob-
b1ng Peter to pay Paul, but, in my
opinion, such action is quite justifiabla
if Paul happens to be your own broth
er and Peter a mere acquaintance"
Il quite; agree said Miss Lavinia.
'Thnn che oHI ~ !
of leaving the Forest?"
Certainly not" said Miss Priscilla,
not meeting her sisters eyes. Each
knew that the other was terrified.
They employed three young maids
whose parents happened to live in
Hernshaw Parva.
Already they could smell the de-
testable fumes of sulpnur oyerpower-
ing the delicate perfume of lavender
and potpourri which subtly pervaded
every nook and Granny of the lodge;
already they could see the small cloud
swelling to enormous proportions, OBJ
scuring their placid skies; already
they were counting the new graves in
the pretty cemetery which held snug
ly so many Mottisfonts. And such
thoughts were intensely disagreeable
to them. The mind of each old lady
harboured an unformulated protest
against the unreason of asking any
Mottisfont to leave Hernshaw, even If
Heaven were the appointed destina-
ton. Never in general company, and
very rarely with each other, did the
aunts discuss such distressing sub.
jects as disease and death.
When a Mottisfont lay a-dying, the
other members of the family would
pretend to the last that all was well.
Thank you they would reply to in
quiries; eve are quite satisfied; we
are not alarmed. The doctor is ex-
pecting decided change for the bet
ter 1t was thus in minor matters.
Once a small python escaped from 4
travelling menagerie into the forest.
1t happened to be less than six feet in
length, and as harmless as a dor.
mouse and quite as sleepy, but Lady
Albinia Jalland, Of Queens Jalland, re-
fused positively to sleep with her bed
room window open, and Miss Bungay
wrote to the stores to ask II it was
possible to procure mongoose. With
in week the Foresters believed that
the python had consumed pony, and
with appetite properly whetted, was
not likely to exercise any discrimina-
tion in favor of Dipeds.
A few days later, the monster was
discovered fast asleep under a holly
bush not hundred yards from the
spot where it had escaped. During
this anxious season the Misses Motifs
font assured their visitors that there
was no cause for serious alarm; but
everybody knew that the ladies never
set foot in the forest for fortnight,
and were beginning to talk Of taking
change of air at Bournemouth.
Presently they put out some old
linen, and the carrier happening to
call, ordered supply of camphor to
be bought in the nearest town Two
days later, they drank tea at the park
Sir Giles did not disgrace his breed
ing by displaying excitement, but he
expressed surprise that he should
have been singled out when 1t was
notorious, all oyer the forest, that Ad-
miral Pundle's cottages at Pundle
Green were in infinitely worse condi.
tion than anything to be found at
Hernshaw Parva.
When he was eating his second slice
of seed-cake, he spluttered out: "Joy
asks for a hundred pounds!"
"Joy?"
'She has assumed the direction OF
everything, acting in George Ven,
nable's name. She is writing to Mol.
lie. against my wish-against my
wish"
He shook his head, murmuring to
himself, with an uneasy expression
upon his handsome face, as if he were
fairly moithered by the aggressive.
ness and initiative of the rising gen.
GRAFTON. A stranger, noting this ex,
preston, might have inferred that Sir
Giles was not quite sure of himself:
a terrible catastrophe to happen to a
Mottisfont, and he the head of the
family!
"Joy undertakes too much,' said
Miss Priscilla.
"she's up to date" said Miss La.
vinia.
Il dislike that word Don't let me
hear it in this house." Sir Giles glars
ed helplessly at his sister, sensible
that Joy would have her own way in
1 ~, L L