The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1914-02-28

MIN generous platter OF bacon, eggs
and potatoes. These he attacked with
q surprising keenness. AS he buttered
his fifth biscuit he looked at the dog,
rolling on his back in morning costa.
sy, with look of humorous surprise.
"Chum," he said. what do you
think Of that? All my life a single
roll and cup of coffee have been
the most could ever negotiate for
breakfast. and then it was apt to taste
like chips and whet-stones. And now
look at this plate!" The dog ceased
winnowing his ear with a hind foot
and looked back at his master with
much the same expression. Clearly
his own needs had not been forgot.
ten.
"Reck'n All bettah go ter git dat ar
machine thing" said Uncle Jefferson
behind him. "Ol' 'ooman, heah, she
low ter fix up de kitchen dis mawn-
in en- We begin on de house dis eve
nin'."
"Right-o," said Valiant. Its all up.
hill, 80 the. motor won't run away
with you. Aunt Daphne, can you get
some help with the cleaning?"
"He'p?" that worthy responded with
fine scorn. mo, sub. Moughty few.
in de town 'cep'n low-down yaller new.
issue trash Diet ain wu'f KILN! All
gwineter go TO- dat house mahse'f TO
long, hannah en- tongs, en- git 1t fix
up!"
Splendid! My destiny is in you,
hands. You might take the dog With
you, Uncle Jefferson; the run will dc
him good"
When the latter had disappeared
and trnculent sounds from the kitchen
indicated that the era of strenuous
cleaning had begun, he reentered the
library, changed the water in the rose-
glass and set it on the edge of the
shady front porch, where it's Haunting
blossom made dash of bright Grim.
son against the grayed weatherbeaten
brick. This done, he opened the one
llsrge room on the ground-foor that he
had not visited.
1t was double the size of the library,
a parlor hung in striped yellow silk
vaguely and tenderly faded, with
tall plate mirror set over a marble.
topped console at either side. In one
corner stood grand piano of Circas-
sian walnut with keys of tinted
mother.of-pearl and a slender music
rack inlaid with morning-glories in the
same material. From the center of
the ceiling, above an oval table, de-
pended great chandelier hung with
glass prisms. The chairs and sofas
were covered with dusty slp-covers of
muslin. He lifted one of these. The
furnished gold furniture was Louis
XIV, the upholstery of yellow brocade
with pattern of pink roses. Two
Japanese hawthorn vases sat on teak
wood stands and corner held a glass
cabinet containing collection of
mall worries and fa;ence.
He went thoughtfully back to the
great hall, where sat the big chest on
which lay the volume Of Lucille" He
pushed down the antique wrought
iron hasp and threw up the lid. II
was filled to the brim with textures:
heavy portteres Of rose-damask. table
covers OF faded Soft-toned tapestry
window-hangings of dull green-ali
with tobacco-leaves laid between the
folds and sifted thickly over with the
sparkling white powder. At the bot.
tom, rolled in tarry-smelling paper, he
found half-dozen thin, Persian pray.
er-rugs.
"Phew!" he whistled. II certainly
ought to be grateful to that law firm
that inspected the place. Think of
the things lying here all these years!
And that powder everywhere! It's
done the work, too, for there's not o
sign of moth. If I'm not careful. III
stumble over the family plate-it
seems to be about the only thing want
ing
He thought moment, then went
quickly into the library and began to
ransack the trunk. At length he found
small box containing keepsakes Of
various kinds. He poured the medley
on to the table-an uncut moonstone,
an amethyst-topped pencil that one Of
his tutors had given him as boy. q
tigers claw, compass and what-not
Among them was q mans seal-ring
with crest cut in comedian. He
looked at it closely. 1t was the same
device.
The ring had been his fathers.
Just when or how It had come into
his possession he could never remem-
Der. It had lain among these keep
sakes SO many years that he had al
most forgotten its existence. He had
never worn ring. but now, as he
went back to the hall. he slipped 1t
on his finger. The motto below the
crest was worn away. but it showed
clear in the marble of the hau-mantle:
I clinge.
His eyes turned from the carven
words and strayed to the pleasant sun
ny foliage outside. An arrogant boast
perhaps, yet in the event we'll justi-
fed. Valiants had held that selfsame
slope when the encircling forests had
rung with war-whoop and blazed with
torture-fire. They had held on through
Revolution and Civil War Good ant
bad, abiding and lawless, every gener
alton had cleaved stubbornly to til
acres. l clinge. His father had clunl
through absence that seemed to have
been almost exile, and now he, the lasi
Valiant, has come to make good thu
boast.
His gaze wavered. The tail of hie
eve hau caught through the window &