Connecticut western news., 1917-05-24
Ar, Heirloom It Once Served as a Hiding Place
By SADIE OLCOTT

HAOlu, uSiS lS u IelteE IEOlu SueSleA, your Uncle Williams lawyer, and he has inclosed a copy of the will"
 ''To whom has uncle left his proper ty?" asked Flora.
 "I can only speak for that enormous mahogany bcdstead 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:
 1T, William Gray, being of sound mind, etc, do give and bequeath to my grand niece, Isabel Cray, 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 bedstoad which ston onds in my own chamber and which is known as tho gargoyle bedstead, together w.th the sum of s1.oOo."
 Where shall we put it, IIarry?' interrupted Mrs. Winchester breath lesSly.
 Put it? You don't expect to get it into this latg'
 We must have it here. l wouldn't examine it there with Isabel looking Cn. 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. I rcut to get it here aa soon as possi- ble. Who knows but Isabel or some Of the others might find the diary of Nancy Gray and learnsthe secret? My inheritance would be worthlessw Mrs. Winchester's voice trembed.
 "Oh, all rightr' said Winchester trac- tably. 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?"
 Now, Harry, dear," she cried, with one plump hand upon his lips, "tlia, bed must be got into this fat som,- how! First l will finish my letter tv MT. Chcsley and let Nora post 1t at once. I can hardly wait to see the bed stead, Harry, and I 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," t. ...#
 Two weeks afterward, while Mir. Winchester was engaged in a most important business transaction, he was summoned to the telephone.
 "Yes, this is Winchester. What? Oh, the bedstead there! I can't pcs sibly leave at present. I can't help it. Tell them to send it up tomorrow. know it's important-the bedstead! No, didn't speak. Yes, I will come home early. Goodby." #.
 When he reached the Etruscan apart ments that evening Winchester was fortified with box of candy and n huge bunch of violets He stepped to the elevator and pressed the button. X faint tinkle responded from some depth below.
 Presently the janitor emerged from an obscure doorway and surveyed him with an unpleasant eye.
 It ain't a-runnin'," he said grufily.
 Poor management" commented Win chester as he prepared to conquer the eight flights that barred him from home and dinner.
 "Huhr' exploded the man. What with the freight elevator out or order, and people breakin' windows movin' fin big stuff, and them chumps a-tryin' to put the feet board in my passenger ear and a-tearin' a lady's dress, and her the landlords sister-in-law''- He glared wrathfully at the vanishing form of Wine hester. ....
 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 its chaotic disturbance looked strangely unfamil- far to the-master of the house.
 In the library Flora reclined on a 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 q 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 a jerk, and it struck the chande- Her. The pieces of glass fell on my Wedgwood vase, and that is broken! I-I am quite dis"nurn gcd"'
 With a restless glance toward the parlor, where the gigantic bedstead lay like some dark shadow on his little home, aud with an unpleasant recol- lection Cs 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 endeavorcd to soothe his wifc'a shattered nerves. and together they obeyed Nora's summons to a bclateG | dinner.
 At table Mrs. Winchester drew a fold etl nancr from her gown.
 This is the n'c I copied from tlr' s1