The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1917-05-03
An
Heirloom
1t Once Served as
a Hiding Place
BY SADIE OLCOTT

IL VI NUN HAS uICIe lelI Ills proper
ty?" asked Flora.
Il can only speak for that enormous
mahogany bedstead by which he set
so much store-the gargoyle bedstead."
Did he leave it to me?'
"Of course he did. Don't be foolish,
my dear. Listen:
II, 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 5000; to my grandniece, Flora
Gray Winchester, her heirs and assigns,
the mahogany bedstead which stands IN
my own chamber and which is known as
tho gargoyle bedstead. together with tie
sum Of $1,000"
where shall we put it, Harry?'
interrupted Mrs. Winchester breath
lessly.
Put it? You don't expect to get it
into this fat!'
I'VE must have it here. 1 wouldn't
examine it there with Isabel looking
on. And, besides, it is such a 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 posi-
bic. Who knows but Isabel or some
Of the others might find the diary of
Nancy Cray and learn the secret? My
Inheritance would be worthless!" Mrs
Wmchester's voice trembled.
"Oh, all right" said Winchester trac-
tably. But how the deuce you expect
to get it in here l don't quite see It's
very large piece Of furniture, isn't it,"
"NOw, Harry, dear" she cried, with
one plump hand upon his lips, that
bed must be got into this fat some
how! First l will finish my letter to
Mr. Chesley and let Nora 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 l found in the garrett"
We'll, truthfully speaking, I'm afraid
it wasn't treating the old gentleman
quite ON the square"
Two weeks afterward, while MI
Winchester was engaged in a most
important business transaction, he was
summoned to the telephone.
Yes, this is Winchester. What?
Oh, the bedstead there! l can't pos
sibly leave at present. l can't help it.
Tell them to send it up tomorrow. l
know it's iulportant-the bedstead!
No, 1 didn't speak. Yes, will come
home early. Goodby."
When he reached the Etruscan apart
ments that evening Winchester was
fortified with a 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.
ut amt a-runnin'," he said grufly.
Poor management" commented Win
chester as he prepared to conquer the
eight flights that barred him from
home and dinner.
Huh" exploded the man. what
with the freight elevator out er order,
and people breakin' windows movin' in
big stuff, and them chumps a-tryin 10
put the feet board in my passenger
car and a-tearin' a lady's dress, ara
her the landlords sister-in-law''- tie
glared wrathfully at the vanishing
form of Winchester.
Opening the door of his apartment,
rampant disorder met his eye \ huge,
dark form almost covered the floor Of
the tiny parlor, which in its chaotic
disturbance looked strangely unfamil-
lar to the master of the house.
In the library Flora reclined on
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.
my dear girl!' he uttered.
She turned a woebegone face to his.
"Such a 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 it in
with jerk, and it struck the chande-
lier. The pieces of glass fell on my
Wedgwood vase, and that is broken
IL am quite discouraged
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 janitor below
stairs and of the generous tip it would
require to reduce him to his customary
state of patronizing familiarity, Win
chester endeavored to soothe his wife J
shattered nerves, and together they
obeyed Nora's summons to a belated
dinner.
At table Mrs. Winchester drew fold
ed paper from her gown.
This is the page l copied from the
diary of Nancy Gray, Harry" she
said, spreading it open before her. 81
thought l would refresh my memory
as to the exact location of the secrt.
spring.
Richmond, Va, April 81, 1864
read Mrs. Winchester in solemn DC
cents. "I am greatly alarmed for the
safety of Grandmother Binpah's dia-
monds, and have vainly tried to find O