The Meeker herald., 1917-10-06
An
Heirloom
1t Once Served as
abiding Place
By SADIE oLcoTT

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"Flors, here Is a letter from Chesley.
your Uncle Williams lawyer. and hs
has inclosed copy of the will"
ITO whom has uncle left his proper
tyr asked Flora.
~ can only speak for that enormous
mahogany bedstead by which he set
10 much store gargoyle bedstead."
Ibid he leave 1t to me?"
"Of course he did. Don't be foolish.
my dear. Listen:
al. 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 &2000; to my grandnlece, Flora
Gray winchester, her heirs and assigns
the mahogany bedstead which stands in
my own chamber and which 10 known ~
tho gargoyls bedstead. together with the
sum Of $1,000"
"Where shall we put 1t, Harry|
interrupted Mrs. Winchester breath
lessly.
put it, You don't EXPECT to get 1t
into this fatT'
I'VE must have 1t here. wouldn't
examine 1t there with Isabel looking
on. And, besides, 1t is such journey
down to Richmond. Anyway, you can
not spare the time to go down now,
and we mast examine 1t together.
want to get 1t here rs soon as posi-
bic. Who knows but Isabel or some
Of the others might find the diary Of
Nancy Gray and learn the secret? My
Inheritance would be worthless!" Mrs.
Winchester's voice trembled.
"Oh, all right" said Winchester trac-
tably. But how the deuce you expect
to get 1t In here don't quite see. Its q
very large piece Of furniture, isn't itf
Now, Harry, dear" she cried, with
one plump hand upon his lips, that
bed must be got into this fat some
how! First / will finish my letter to
Mr.. Chesley and let Nora post 1t at
once. 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, 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 ID gentleman
quite on the square"
Two weeks afterwarl. Nhile Mr..
Winchester was engaged In a. mQgt
important business transaction, he was
summoned to the telephone.
"Yes. this Is Winchester. What
oh, the bcdstead there! can't pos
sibly leave ut present. can't help it.
Tell them to send 1t up tomorrow. l
know it's important-the bedstead!
No, didn't speak. Yes will come
home early. Goodby."
When be reached the Etruscan apart
ments that evening Winchester was
fortified with box of candy and q
huge bunch Of yiOlets. He stepped to
the elevator and pressed the button.
A faint tinkle responded from some
depth below.
an obscure doorway and surveyed him
with an unpleasant eye.
ut amt a-runnin'," he said gruf1y.
Poor management" commented Win
chester as he prepared to conquer the
eight lights that barred him from
home and dinner.
"Huhy' exploded the man. what
with the freight elevator out er order,
aud people breakin' windows movin' In
big stun, and them chumps a-tryin' to
put the feet board in my passenger
car and 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 door Of
the tiny parlor, which in its chaotic
disturbance looked strangely unfamfl-
lar to the master of the house.
In the library Flora reclined on 4
couch before the bright gas log. while
sympathetic Nora applied wet cloths
to her mistress aching head. Wreck
age from the parlOr impeded progress
at every step.
"Mt dear grill" 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
vmall. and one of them pulled 1t in
with a jerk, and 1t struck the chande-
lier. The pieces of glass fell on my
Wedgwood vase. and that is broken!
IL am quite discouragedr'
With restless glance toward the
parlor, where the gigantic bedstead lay
like some dark shadow on his little
hama and v-{fh mn uur,1ca ea nt rpcnf.
lection Of the snurting janitor below
stairs and Of the generous tip 1t would
require to reduce him to his customary
state Of patronizing familiarity. Win
chester endeavored to soothe his wife's
shattered nerves, and together they
obeyed Nora's summons to q belated
dinner.
At table Mrs. winchester drew fold
ID paper from her gown.
ssTsh9s e Nho M 90 I copfo<7 frorn tho