Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-08-20

reckoned as gentry. They held Nor
well on long leases of ninety-nine
years, regularly renewed when the
leases lapsed. They regarded MOI
well House almost as their freehold;
it was bound up with all their family
traditions and associations.
As q vast tract of country round be-
longed 10 the duke, it was void Of
landed gentry residing on their es-
tates, and the only families Of educa-
ton and birth in the district were
those of the parsons, but the differ
ence in religion formed barrier
against intimacy with these. Mr.. Jor-
dan, moreover, was living under a
cloud It was well-known through
out the country that he had not been
married to Ewes mother, and this
had caused a cessation Of visits to
Morwell. Moreover, since the disap-
pearance of Ewes mother, Mr.. Jordan
had become morose, reserved, and 50
peculiar in his manner, that it was
doubted whether he were in his right
mind.
Like many a small country squire
he farmed the estate himself. At one
time he had been accounted an active
farmer, and was credited with having
made a great deal of money, but for
the last seventeen years he had neg
Ilected agriculture a good deal, to de
Iyote himself to meteorological re
searches. He was convinced that the
Erocks were full of veins Of metal-sil
yer, lead, and copper, and he occupied
himself in searching for the metals in
the wood, and on the moor, sinking
pits, breaking stones, washing and
melting what he found. He believed
that he would come on some vein Of
almost pure silver or copper, whics
would make his fortune. Bitten with
this craze, he neglected his farm
which would have gone to ruin had
mot his eldest daughter, Barbara
taken he management into her OWL
lhands.
Mr.. Jordan was quite right in be
Ilieving that he lived On rocks ricf
with metal; the whole land is now
Ihoneycombed with shafts and adits;
but he made the mistake in thinking
THAT he could gather a fortune out Of
the rocks unassisted armed only witt
his own hammer, drawing only out o.
his own purse. His knowledge o.
chemistry and mineralogy was no
merely elementary, but incorrect; he
read old books of science mixed VI
with the fantastic chemical notions
iof the middle ages, believed in tht
sympathies of the planets with metals
and in the virtues of the diVining rod
Does a blue or a rose ribbon sui
my hair best, Bab?' asked Eve. 'Yot
see my hair is chestnut, and I doubt
forget-me-not.'
Every ribbon of every hue agrees
with Eve said Barbara.
You are a darling The younger
girl made an attempt to kiss her sis
ter, in return for the compliment.
BE careful said Barbara, you vii
upset the gig
But 1 love you so much when yor
are kind
Am not l always kind to you
Idear?'
o yes, but sometimes much kinder
than at others
That is, when / f1atter you
o if you call it fiattery--' said
Eve, pouting
Not is plain truth, my dearest
Bah broke forth the younger sud
denly do you not think Bradstone Z
charming house? 1t is not so dull as
ours
And the Cloberrys-you like them?
Yes dear, very much
Do you believe that story about Oh
yer Cloberry, the pager
What story?
THAT which Grace Cloberry told me.
I was not with you in the lanes
when you were talking together. dc
not know it.
Then I will tell you. Listen, Bah
and SILVER
I am shivering in the cold wind al
ready
'Shiver more shiveringly still. I ain
going to curdle your blood
Go on with the story, but do not
squeeze up against me so close, or
shall be pushed out Of the gig
But, Bah, I am frightened to tell
the tale
Then do not tell it.
I want to brighten you
You are very considerate.'
We share all things, Bah, even our
terrors. l am loving sister. Once !
gave you the measles. I was too self
ish to keep it all to myself. Are You
ready? Grace told me that Olive
Cloberry, the eldest son, was page boy
to John Copplestone, of Warleigb, in
Queen Elizabeth's reign, you know
wicked Queen Bess, who put so many
Catholics to death. Squire Copple
stone was his godfather, but he did not
like the boy, though he was his god
child and page. The reason was this:
The was much attached to Joan Hill, who