The Washingtonian., 1845-09-27
FEMALE CURIOSITY.ia

a naval officer, who some time ago went 10
reside in Edinburgh, having previously en-
gagged large mansion on short lease, des--
patched his butler TO receive his furniture, and
have the house put ia order. The butler en- en.
gagged young woman residing id the neigh
horhood TO clean out the rooms, arrange arrange part
Of the furniture, and he assisted her himself to
carry up large chest of rather singular ap-l
peafance.7 The gigantic box his master kad
purchased as a curiosity bit unlike thar lesI..
crbed in the song Of the q Mistleto Bough,"'
i did not shut, but opened with 4 spring 'at.9
tached to the lock, which being todchea, tie
lid few open, and i tall BralwHny Highland
man, in full costume, stood erect, and stuck
out his right arm, in which was i wooden
sword.
The gentleman had purchased it ass curious
piece Of mechanism, and was wont to amnnuse
his children with It. ,o' Z e. HlAs s'''oi' . ~
That's a heavy chest" said the woman as
they placed It On the hoor II III 1s'N.,si' ~
eyes" answered the butler. who was was a a
wag Of the first water, atheres son something :
mysterious about it also, for although thes. KEY
hangs at the. end Of ii, no one is allowed to
open it." '.'t.. '1'i 4 ~ os3p'}2 II" etl'9'iS
"Did you ever see inside Of it?" replied she,
walking round it. \ 1891 III .'.a.1S' ps9'o'a
7" Never" said he, cts, as much as any Of
our places are worth even 10 speak aboul, it."
SO saying, the knight Of the corkscrew look.
ed first AZ the woman, then at the chest then
az the oor, and then retired slowly down i11 tie
stairs #histling, to work on the ground floao,r.
The girl proceeded to put things to rights ii,
the room; but every time she passed tie chest,
she though, il looked more odd. .sFrail,y,
thy name is woman y she raped Oh Oh, tie ia
with her knuckles-it had a curious hollow
Isound-vefy! And none Of the servants had
dared to open it! What on earth could Il
contain! Well, it was none Of her business,
50 she went diligently to work for Eve min.
futes; at the end Of which time she saw saw her,
self standing with her arms akimbo gazing gain on
the chest. ,''1t can do no harm to, look into
it," thought she; SO she quickly took the key
from the nail and applied it to the lock. or
course she heard, footsteps on the stairs--as
every one will do when afraid Of detection in
the. commission Of some act they wish 10 keep
secret Again she regained confidence, and
returned 10 the chest; she stopped and turned
the key. Up flew the lid, and the wooden:
Highlandman, kilt, and philabeg, sprung on
his legs with more than human agility, and
fetched the petrifed girl sharp whack across
the shoulders with the fiat of Andrea Fer
rera." a prolonged shrek, ending 10 moan
Of despair, indicated that the poor woman
sought relief in swoon.
In the course Of few minutes the woman
rose on her elbow, looking wildly around the
room, ill her eyes caught the Highlandman
bending over her. Seeing nothing but des,ruc-
tion awaited her, two springs took her to the
door, down, stairs she went; nor did she slacken
her pace till she found herself standing in the
house Of lady in the neighborhood The poor
woman did not recover from her fright fos
SINE days. fsy3 ausgss % Ii&is ono3
tf EaE9t ----G--- ii ,t@lGl.