Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1910-08-24

+ BY CLARlSSA MACKIE. :
4 Copyright. 1910. by American Press 3
= Association -
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"Flora. here is letter from Chesley.
your Uncle Williams lawyer, and he
has inclosed copy Of the will.
did be leave it to me?"
."Of course he did. Don't be foolish.
my dear. Listen:
Il. William Gray. being of sound mind.
etc. do give and bequeath to my grand
niece. Isabel Gray. her heirs and assigns
forever. my Sheraton sideboard and the
sum of $1,000: to my grandniece. Flora
Gray Winchester. her heirs and assigns.
the mahogany bedstead which stands in
my own chamber and which is known as
the Gargoyle bedstead. together with the
sum of $1,000"
Where shall we put it. Harry?" in
terrupted Mrs. Winchester breathless-
~.
Put it? You don't expect to get it
into this f1at?"
I'VE must have it here. l wouldn't
examine it there with Isabel looking
on. and, besides. it is such. journey
down to Richmond. Anyway you can
not spare the time to go down now,
and we must examine it together.
want to get it here as soon as possible.
Who knows but Isabel or some of the
others might find the diary of Nancy
Gray and learn the secret? My in
heritance would be worthlessr' Mrs
Winchester's voice trembled.
"Oh. all right" said Winchester tract
ably. But how the deuce you expect
to get it in here don't quite see. It's
a very large piece Of furniture. isn't
it?'
Nov. Harry DEAR" she cried, with
one plump hand over his lips. that
bed must be gotten into this fat some
how! First, will finish my letter to
Mr.. Chesley and let Norah post it at
once. l can hardly wait to see the bed
stead, Harry. and l don't dare dream
of what will be ours when the secret
of the bedstead is disclosed. Do you
think, dear, l was wrong not to tell
Uncle William about the diary of Nan
cy Gray found in the garrett
well. truthfully speaking, I'm afraid
it wasn't treating the old gentleman
quite on the square"
Two weeks afterward. while Mr..
Winchester was engaged in a most i'm
portant business transaction. he was
summoned to the telephone.
Yes. this is Winchester. What?
Oh. the bedstead there? can't posi-
bly, leave at PRESENT. can't help it
tell them to send 1t up tomorrow-l
know it's important-d- the bed
stead: No. ! didn't speak Yes. l will
come home early. Goodbye
When he reached the Etruscan apart
ments that evening Winchester was
fortified with box Of candy and a
huge bunch Of violets. He stepped to
the elevator and pressed the button. A
faint tinkle responded from some
depth below.
Presently the janitor emerged from
an obscure doorway and surveyed him
with an unpleasant eye.
1T amt a-runnin'." he said gruf1y.
poor management" commented
Winchester as be prepared to conquer
the eight flights that barred him from
home and dinner.
Huh exploded the man. What
with the freight elevator outer order
and people breakin' windows movin'
in big stuff and them chumps a-tryin'
to put the feet board in my passenger
car aud a-tearin' lady's dress and
her the landlords sister-in-law'- He
glared wrathfully at the vanishing
form of Winchester.
Opening the door Of his apartment,
rampant disorder met his eye. A huge
dark form almost covered the floor OF
the tiny parlor. which in it's chaotic
disturbance looked strangely unfa
miliar to the master Of the house.
In the library Flora reclined on a
couch before the bright gas log. while
sympathetic Norah applied wet cloths
to her mistress aching head. Wreck.
| age from the parlor impeded progress
at every step.
my dear girl he uttered.
She turned a woebegone face to his
''Such time as they had trying to get
1t in the window! They were saucy
because the window was too small
and one of them pulled it in with jerk
and it struck the chandelier-the pieces
| of glass fell on my Wedgwocd vase
| and that is broken! IL am quite dis.
couraged"
With a restless glance toward the
parlor. where the gigantic bedstead lay
like some dark shadow on his little
home, and with an unpleasant recol.
| lection OF the snOrting janit0r below
stairs and of the generous tip it would
require to reduce him to his custom.
| airy state of patronizing familiarity
Winchester endeavored to soothe bis
| wife's shattered nerves. and together
they obeyed Norah's summons to be.
lated dinner.
AT table Mrs Winchester drew q
folded paper from her gown.
This is the page copied from the
! diary of Nancy Gray. Harry" she
said. spreading it open before her. II
thought ! would refresh my memory
as to the exact location of the secret
spring.
Richmond. Va. April 81. 1864 "
read Mrs. Winchester in solemn &C.
| cents. ~ am greatly alarmed for the
| safety OF Grandmother Rinpah's dia-
monds. and have vainly tried to End
| hiding place for them. The Yankees
are digging up every inch of ground
on the adjacent plantations searching