The Coolidge examiner., 1931-04-10

JcCHlSJ.
unfurled a red silk petticoat in
the candle glow, and this time Cath
crime sprang to her feet with
an amazed intake of breath. for so
well had Hepsibah arranged his sur
prise. that one after another, he
had white lOve-hOCd. black
Iove-hood, and three more petit
coats on the tabIe-one of scarlet
with black lace, one of colored
drugget with pointed lace, and a
third of black silk with aSh-gray
lining; and as Catherine stood
gazing upon these treasures fit for
a queen he added to them two pairs
of stays for an eighteen-inch waist,
and then showered over them such
an array of lace drOwlas, gOrgets,
piccadillies, and other neckerchiefs
that Catherine closed her eyes for
a moment and then opened them
wide as If there might be a chance
of some clever trickery in it.
Dear Mother in heaven I" she
cried. "Are all of these ravishing
things for me? They must have
cost fortune w pausing to look at
her smiling brother and at the
same time holding up the scarlet
petticoat with black lace. This
one, for instance"
1.-TWO pounds fifteen shillings,"
said Hepsibah, opening his pack
wider and working his hands quick
ly. And to go with these dresses
| have here ruffles and fuckers and
threads and buttons and ribbons,
and four pairs of the incest shoes
that ever came up the Hudson"
and placing these last-named ar
ticles on the table with a flourish
of arms, Hepsibah gave a gloating
chuckle and paused to fill his pipe.
Jeems' heart was near breaking
with suspense, and it seemed to
give an audible crack when his
Uncle Hep's gnarled hands went
into the pack again. He drew a
bulky package from his store and
passed it to Jeems' father.
Three of the finest pipes | ever
laid my eyes on" he announced.
"One made in Holland, one in Lon
don. and one in America, and five
pounds of Virginia tobacco to go
with them, Henri, along with hat,
a coat, and pair o. boots that
may take you with honor to any
swoirree or gentry merry-making
this side of the sea. Now, how's
that?" And he stepped back as if
his pack were entirely empty and
held nothing at all for Jeems.
For an eternity, it seemed to
Jeems. his uncle remained in this
terrifying posture. Then, with de-
liberate and aggravating slowness,
Hepsibah Adams returned to his
pack.
No one of the three who were
watching him would ever have
guessed that Hepsibah's act was
one weighted heavily with the force
of destiny, nor that with dramatic
inevitableness it was to change the
course of human lives, bringing the
high down to earth, and the earthly
to great heights, loosing passions
and hatredS and loves, breeding
tragedies and joys, and ending. at
last, in what it is the purpose of
this humble chronicle of human
events TO narrate.
A swift-coming thought, a deft
return into the pack of a small
bundle which he had intended for
Catherine, and Hepsibah had
changed world. On such trivial
happenings do the most powerful
of the fates sometimes rest. Out
of the farthest corner of the col
lapsing pack he brought this bundle
to light once more and unwrapped
it as he turned toward Jeems' big
eyed, anxious face.
"Jeemsy," he said, "if I've put
the notches in my memory right,
you were born on the coldest Janu-