Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1910-05-20
THE SPRINGSTEAD
FAMILY PEARLS.

| Mrs. Springstead- spurned any
closer observation-disclosures dispensing the
/ perfection Of hospitality AT her perfectly
appointed table. Judge Josiah Marcelus,
! the guest of honor by her side. could
scarce refrain in the midst of his PAINS
taking, old-time courtlness from losing
himself in wonder as he watched
| Was it possible that she was stin so
vitality alive, unchanged, unchanging-it
| almost seemed Interchangeable? The last
of the direct line. the inheritor of a vast
| fortune, running from many side chan
/ nels into one golden pool, nearly 80, yet
| with the smooth cheeks of maid and
the almost redundant vivacity of a young
matron OF the world. as attentive to her
| own affairs as a trained accountant, and
! Summoning him down from town, with
out explanation. as if he We're steward.
! What was the meaning of it, what was
| the secret of it? In the unrutiied, placid
| expression, which controlled the face like
mask, the judge seemed to be vaguely
| finding an answer. Was il not lack of
| worry? Was it not love of selfi
You remember. Judge, don't you,
| when Mr.. Springstead's brother brought
them to him-such wreck of Il man,
! 1t was just after that tiresome trouble,
| Mrs. Springstead was saying.
j "Tiresome troube?" the judge repea;-
! ed. Pardon me- madam, | was oblivious
| for moment; an old mans weakness.
! Il was speaking of the Springstead
! pearls" explained the lady somewhat
acidly. mir, Briscow expressed wish
! to see them and | have just sent Miss
| Image to fetch them"
1T was just after the Sepoy revolt
| III India" the judge answered briskly.
| Paul Springstead brought them to my
office himself in a rough coral casket.
| Poor fellow, he had endured peril, pri-
| walton, torture maybe. The shadow of
death was already on him
Perhaps that is what made him Sc
mystical and prophetic" interposed Mrs.
! Springstead complacently. He told
! Mr. SprngStead never to concern himself
! about their security, that they We're
| amply able to protect themselves against
| thieves. We never have-and yet here
| they still are, you see.
Al this instant a tail. slight young
woman with light hair, pale complexion
| and eyes almost as colOrless and having
| the sweet yet pathetic look of abiding
/ patience, delivered the coral cIslset TO
| her mistress. 1t was Miss Image, her
| faithful ard favored companion from
! childhood. AZ she slipped 10 her seat at
! the other end If the table it was plain
that curiosity to see the pearls was Civ
| ing her welcome respite from the dis
like and envy of the company
| Mr., Briscow the one disinterested per-
son among horde of covetous relatives
and self-seeking friends. examined the
| softly luminous girde with the expert
| care of famous traveller
Unique and invaluable was his ell-,
thusiastic comment. Il have neveF'
seen their like, except possibly in the
plastron of Nishnu, that marvellous net
work of pearls discovered recently III the
excavations at Sima. This girdlS has
something of the same design. See how
these lnterlacing rings run into a cipher
not untranSlatable. Let me see; it's cryp.
tic, of course. Fairness forbids fear
roughly expresses the meaning"
Then we SpringSteadS must be fair
for we certainly do not fear" retorted
the hostess as She negligently signalled
% her companion to remove the girdle.
Now, Judge Marcellus, | am sure our
friends will >1ch T.. us, letting courtesy
for once wait on business"
"A very proper proceeding, madam, as
! have often advised you, said the
judge after Mrs. Springstead had ex-
planned to him in the library her urgent
desire to make her will.
| ''Oh, as to that, there was no hurry un-
I'll the hurry came she replied enigmat-
lically, vet satisiedly. But now there is
no time like the present. Do you have
TO have two witnesses, Judge? There is
no one in the house | care to ask except
old Anne, my maid"
My man Cronkite ought to be here by
now suggested the Judge. You re-
member you kindly agreed that he should
come down to me with some important
paperS. A sort of factotum, madam who
has at least the grace Of silence Old
Anne and he will do when have drawn
the instrument"
The judge stopped short in his clerkly
task as the testatriX began TO enumerate
large requests to various charitable
luses.
Il beg pardon, madam" he objected,
but you are eating up the residuary es-
tate, which | assume will go to your
nephew, Harry Branch. BY the way, its
strange | haven't seen him here"
No, and you won't see him here. This
place and ali ii represents and implies
win know him no more"
rs it possibleE"
1T is positive. Please go ON.
Before tho end was reached the Judge
again was constrained to protest
You have made no provision for Miss
knage, he said, your faithful compan-
ion. " hose just expectations have caused
her, fear, many hard look"
She has been amply provided for by
her wages"
J Madam"
1t is my will, to he carried out by
you, or some other paid attorney"
The Judge silently finished his task
Ola Anne and Cronkite, being sum
moned, duly attested the execution of
the viii Having Coded the document
with his other papers, the lawyer made
his formal adieus
i shall - directly to my room. mad
am, he explained c0ldly since I Iaavn
50 early in the morning"
His wrath exploded as he went up the
stairs on The arm of his faithful man
And when | shake the dust from my
feet, Abe he stormed. Il shall aka
pains 10 keep them free of it, NV dnfy
70 the dead alone mpelled me to en5nra
the insults of that naumate viragn,
That duty may detan YOU here aot-
withStanding.' replied Cruukite caufj,ns-
~ When | came mp 10 the llbrar, fhe
shadow OF some one descending fitted
from the back stairs. The door of maj
connecting side room was AGAR some
one, / could not see who, had been lis
teniug to your business, sir
IL.
| pna.1,,'t 1.,,-,.,- =.