Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1910-09-09
The GargoyIe
BedStedd
Ii Was a Valuable Heirloom.
BY CLARISSA MACKIE.
Copyright, 1910, by American Press
Association.
1t Was a valu.ble Heirloom.
laaaNANA AAMaA aAaAaAasa

Observation-Disclosures aAsasa Aasaassaao
"Flora, here is a letter from Chesley,
your Uncle Williams lawyer and he
has inclosed copy Of the will
did he leave 1t to me?"
"of course he did Don't be foolish,
my dear. Listen
IT. 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 1000"
terrupted Mrs. Winchester breathless-
ly.
Put 1t? You don't expect to get 1t
into this tiat?"
I'VE must have 1t here. wouldn't
examine 1t there with Isabel looking
on, and, besides, II il such journey
down TO Richmond Anyway you can
not spare the time to go down now,
and we must examine 1t together.
want to get 1t here us soon us possible.
Who knows but Isabel or some of the
others might find the diary Of Nancy
Gray and learn the secret2 My in
heritance would be worthlessp Mrs
Wholesalers voice trembled.
"Oh, all right" said Winchester tract.
ably. But how the deuce you expect
to get 1t In here don't quite see. It's
very large piece of furniture, isn't
it?"
Now, Harry dear" she cried, with
one plump hand over his lips, that
bed must be gotten into this fiat some
how! First, will finish my letter to
Mr. Chesley and let Norah post 1t at
once. ! can hardly wait to see the bed
stead, Harry and don't dare dream
Of what will be ours when the secret
Of the bedstead il disclosed. Do you
think, dear, | was wrong not to tell
Uncle William about the diary Of Nan
cy Gray found In the garrett
well truthfully speaking, I'm afraid
1t wasn't treating the old gentleman
quite on the square"
Two weeks afterward, while Mr..
Winchester was engaged In most i'm
portant business transaction, he was
summoned to the telephone.
Yes, this is Winchester What1
Oh, the bedstead there? can't posi-
bly, leave at present. can't help it
tell them to send 1t up tomorrow-I
know it's important--d--- the bed
stead! No. l didn't speak. Yes. will
come home early Goodbye
When he reached the Btruscan apart
ments that evening Winchester was
fortified with box OF candy and a
huge bunch OF vlolets. He stepped to
the elevator and pressed the button. A
faint tinkle responded from some
depth below.
Presently the janltor emerged from
an obscure doorway and surveyed him
with an unpleasant eye,
ut amt a-runnln'." he said gruffiy
poor management" commented
Winchester as he prepared to conquer
the eight flights that barred him from
home and dinner. .lt
Huh" exploded the man. What
WIN lht dNOi OutsA OAugi
and people breakin' windows movin'
In big stuff aud them chumps a-tryin'
to put the feet board In my passenger
car aud a-tearln' 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-
mliar TO the master OF the house
In the library Flora recllned 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
nj every step.
my dear glrlp' he uttered
She turned woebegone face to his.
Such u time as they had trying to get
It In the window They were saucy
because the window was too small,
and one Of them pulled 1t In with Jerk,
and II struck the chandelier--the pieces
Of glass fell on my Wedgwood vase,
aud that Is broken. IL am quite dis
couraged"
With 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 Janitor below
stairs and Of the generous tip II would
require TO reduce him 10 his custom
AIRY state Of patronizing familiarity,
Winchester endeavored to soothe his
wife's shattered nerves, and together
they obeyed Norah's summons to be-
lated dinner
Al table Mrs. Winchester drew a
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
AZ TO the exact location OF the secret
spring.
Richmond, Va, April Il, 1884,"
read Mrs. Winchester In solemn ac-
cents. 81 em greatly alarmed for the
safety OF Grandmother Binpah's dia-
monds. and have vainly tried TO find
a hiding place for them. Tho Yankees
are digging up every inch Of ground
on the adjacent plantations searching
for buried treasure. and I am quite at
a loss 10 find safe place for our