Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1860-01-02


farm men we're busy gathering itin; bat the grgal
drOps began % lill while q considerable poui0-
Jet remained in the field, aud, with The Instinct
OF crop preservation, forth rushed the widow, cl
loved by Nancy, leaving the spoons half secured
on the kitchen table. In her rapid exit the girl
had forgotten to latch the door. The weasel and
the site were the only depredators k0oBn about
the moorland farm; but while they were all occu
pied in the bayfield,, who should come that way
but Geordy Wilson.
Wen, the kitchen door was open and GeOr6v
stepped in. he banged the settie with his staff
be eoughed, he hemmsd he sslu,cd the ca,
which sat purring on the window scat, ard at
leogth discovered there was nobody within.
Neither meal nor penny was to be expected that
day; the rain was growing heavier, some OF the
hay must Be wet, and Mrs. Simpson would return
Ia bad humor. But two objects powerfully ar
rested Geordy's attention; one was the bF5thpOt
boiling on the fire. ard the other the silver spoons
scattered on lhe table. Bending over the former
Georiy too a considerable sniffi gave the iOgre
dients a stir With the pot stick, and muitered
every thin" His proceeding with regard TO the
latter must remain unmentiored; but half an
hour after, when he vas safely ensconced in q
farm house a mile of, the family we're driven
within doors by the increasing storm; they found
everything az il had been left-the broth on the
FIRE, the cat on the window seat, the whiting and
uALntl on the tkults nNh DOT z cJQDH Na1 NNFfe y.
"WhsT's the eDOOns7" cried Mrs. Simpson %
the entire family, who stood by the FIRE dining
their wet garments. Nobody could tell. Nancy
had left them on the table when she ran % the
hay No one had been in the house, they were
certain, but nothing was disturb bed. The drawer
pulled out, ard the empty stocking exhibited
Every shell, every corner was searched, but 10
no purpose; the spoons hsd disappeared, and the
state oil the farm house may be imagined. The
=
tioni0g, scoi5ing ard searching. Robin, Nancy
add the farm men we're despatched in different
directions, as soon as the rain sbated, 70 advertise
the neighbcrs, under the suppOsitiOn that some
siroiliog beggar or gipsy might have carTied of
the treasure, and would attempt TO dispose Of IL
in the plrsh. Nobody thought of GeOrdy Viii
son; he had not been sp;ed from the hay field; !;
his circuits were wide; his visits to any house
Eese not iFequent; and if he escheWed Widow
simpsons from the day of her loss, it was be
eyed Geordy knew that neither her temper nor
her iOerslity would be improved by that cir
cumsfance.
Lost the spoons we're, beyond doubt, and the
widow bade fair 70 lose her Senses Toe rich
relation came at bis appointed time, and had
such tea that be vowed never again to trust
himself in the house of he entertainer. But the
search went On; rabbits holes were looked into
for the missing silver, and active boys were
bribed to turn out magpies' nests. Wells and
barns in TIE neighbOrhood were explored The
criers Of the three nearest parishes we're en-
plOyed 10 proclaim the loss; it was regularly ad
vettised at kirkgate and n ark ct place; and Mrs.
Simpson began TO talk of getting search war
rant for the beggsr's meal l-pouch. Bgbgste was
alarmed through all its borders concerning the
spoons; but hen almost month wore away,
and nothing could be heard Of them, the widow 5
slspicors turned fIom heggsrs, barns and mag
pies, to light en- poor Nancy. She had been
securing the spoons, and left the house lss' sill
yer could not leave the table without hands. Il
was true that Nancy had always borne an Un
questioned character; but such spoons were no,
/ to be met vi b every day, and Mrs. Simpson was
determined to have them back in her stocking
After sundry hints OF increasing breadth Il
Robin, who could not help thinking bis mothel
was losing her judgment, she, one day, pumped
the chsrge, to the utter astoDis hment and dsmsy
OF the poor girl, whose anxiety in the search ha(
been inferior only to her own. Though poor
aud az orphan, Nancy had some honest pride
| she Immediately turned out the whole contents o
her hist (cox.) unstru0g her pocket in Mrs
/ Simpsons presence, ard ran with tears in be
I eyes TO tell The minister.
IL was then common in the country parishes o
Scotland, difficulties and disputes which nigh
have eupl07ed The writer's and puzzled the magis
trates were referred to his arbitration, and thu
lawsuits or scandal prevented. The miU's'e
bad heard, as " no in Blthgste bad nOt7 OF Mrs
/ Simpsons lOss. Like the rest Of the parish b.
thought il rather strange; bu. Nancy Campbell
| vas one Of she most seriers and exemplary gir'
| in his congregation he could not believe tha
the charge preferred against her was true; ye
the pecuiiarities Of the case demanded invessiga
ton. With some difficulty the minister peFsus
ded Narcy to return TO her mistress, bearing
u - - cffack that ho nd two Of nj
elders who happened to reside in the neighbor
hood would come ever in the folloSing evening
hear what could be said on both sides, and.
possible, clear up the mystery. The widow va
well pleased at the minister and his elders con
ing to inquire after her spoons. She pus on be
! best muteh-that is to say, cap-prepared be
best speeches, and enlisted some of the mo:
serious and terrible of her neighbors to assist
the investigation.
Early in the evening Of the iOl,oxiug day
when the suMmfr sun wss wearing low and "a
held-wOrk was over-they were all assembled !
the clean secured kitchen, the ministers, elder
and neighbors, scberly listening to Mrs. SIM
ssn's testimony touching her lost silver, Name
Robin, and the farm men sitting by ull the
turn came: when the door, which had been le
half-open to admit the breezs-for the evenir
was sultry-Tas quietly pushed aside, and
Slid Geordy Wilson, with his usual accoDpau
msnts OF staff snd wallet
There's nae room for ye here, Geordys" ga
the widoE; "se're on weigbty business"
sW eel, men," said G sordy turning 10 depi
"i,'s OF nae consequence. l only came to spel
sbou, your spoons"
"HIe ye heard o. iheml' cried Mrs. Sim
son. bouncing from her seat.
81 conldns miss, bein' blessed VII the pr
ciou. giit o. heann'; AID, what's better, su
them" said GeoTdy.
~.
here's a whole shillin' for ye;" and Mrs. Sim
SOL n's purse, or rather an old glove used for th
purpose. vss instantly produced.
''Weel," said Geordy, al slipped in ane da
and seein' the siler ungarded, | thought soI
iIl guided body might cOvet il, and jist laid
by, may say, amang the leaves o. that Bib
thinkin' you would be sure to zee the spoC
when Jou went 20 read"
Before Gsordy had finished his revelatil
Nancy Campbell had brought down the proud
displayed, but never opened b be, aud int
spersed between its leaves lay the dIzsn Of loI
sought spoons.
The minister Of Bathga.e could scarcely co
maDd his gravity while admoni=hing Geordy
the trouble and yexation his trick bad c8us
The assembled neighoOIs laughed outright VI
the daft man, pocketing the widows shilli
which be had clutched in the early pirt Of
discourse assured them all that be kenned y
Simpson read the Bible "a often the spoons VIC
- be certain to turn up. CeoTdy got macy D.
of broth aid msnv q luocheon OF bread a
cheese on account os that transaction, with wh
he amused all the freeides OF the parish
Simpson vas stuck dumb even iTom scoldi
J. The discovery pu. an end TO her ostenlati
professions, and. il may be hopsd, turned her
tention more to practice b. way of max
=; amends for her uIjust imputl'ions on M
W Campbsll, she consented TO receive her I
est - - = : - - = ; :, - - - !, f'rr-, r.,
2 bu, the good people Of Bathgate, when discus:
me a character Of more preteuee than performsI
lse still refer to Widow Simpsons spoons.