Litchfield enquirer., 1860-04-26

mansion on Hay Hill had been covered uE since September, when his lordship and hel ladyship went out of town. The carpets ir the grand saloons were rolled up, the chan deliers wrapped in yellow gauge; the pictures of the same-dreadful grim old pictures there were, of nobemen in curly wigs, and ladies in hoop pettcoats and shockingly low dresses--and the rich silver and parcel gilt plate of which my Lord Millamant, being so great a nobleman, had a vast quantity. was safe and sound in four oak chests clamp. ed with iron, at Messrs. Doublon and Moy- dor's, the bankers in Fleet street; it was a good plan to send one's silver to the bank CTS, for there were plenty of housebreakers about in those days, and no police except the wheezy old constables, and the Bow street red waistcoats.
 It was on the 21st of December 1919, that your humble servant received post
 letter, franked by Mr. Tubwell, one of the county members for Darkshire, for my Lord Millamant was always too generous with his franks, and never had any too spare for himself The letter was from his lordship, and, in his usual kind style, though to my very great surprise, told me that he and the Countess were coming up to spend Christ mas in London. All the time had been in their service, then four years come that Christmas-day, they had kept it at Cartfoil Hall. However, there was no mistaking my Lords directions. He always gave them himself, for her Ladyship, saving her memory, was one of the laziest creatures liv- ing, and never did anything much beyond lying on a sofa, and talking to her gray and gacen parrot. I was to have the carpets laid down, the furniture thoroughly dusted, all the beds well aired; for my Lord was to bring company with him from Darkshire; and was to get the plate from the bankers, and have it all we'll cleaned for grand ban quet my Lord intended to give on Christ mas day. Enclosed in the letter was slip of paper, containing an order to the bankers to deliver the plate to me, or to Mir. Bees wing, the butler; and which, as far as can recollect, ran thus:
 "Cartfol Hall, December 18th, 1919. Messrs. Doublon and Moydor,
 "Please deliver the four boxes marked A, B, c, D. containing the plate left in your care, to Mrs. -, or Samuel Beeswing, my servants, hearers of this. (Signed) "MH1AMANr.
 "There was his Lordship's signature, cer- tainly; but somehow the name seemed writ ten in larger and more tremulous hand than usual The is weren't dotted, nor the Us crossed in his Lordship's general style, but still the remainder of the letter was like enough to him, and the cover bore the Cartfoil postmark. showed it to MT. Beeswng, who laughed at my doubts, could swear the hand writing was my Lords throughout, and said it was very likely that there had been merry doings at Cartfol Hall during the week, that my Lord had taken t'other bottle overnight, and that his hand was rather shaky the next morning.
 "'And you may be sure,' added Bees wing, that his Lordship punished the small beer, if he did have t'other bottle' The quality drank small beer then, the morning after Soda-water was invented, but was thought bad for the stomach, and wasn't at all the fashion.
 However, notwithstanding Beeswing's confidence in the letter, wasn't quite satis- fled. I daresay it's very nervous and silly of me, Beeswiug,' I said, but it behooves us all to be careful l shall take this letter to Wild Mir. Will He knows my Lords hand we'll enough, and shall see what he says to it.
 "Now, Wild Mr. Will, as we servants, many of whom had known him since he was q baby in long-clothes, called him, was to the world in general no other than the Hon orable William Cartfoil, my Lords younger brother. He was dreadfully wild young man, Mir. Will. He was fond of wine, and women, and dice, and all sorts of wicked ness He had been a captain in the Horse Guards, but had sold out. He had fought scores of dues, and killed two or three peo- pie; rest their souls, and be merciful to his; but he was one of the merriest, best temper ed fellows you over knew or saw. My Lord was very fond of him, and had paid his debts and set him up again, time out of num- Der; but you could do nothing with Wild Mir. Will. He was always getting into scrapes; and when his Lordship had got him out again, getting into new ones. People said he lived mostly now by playing at cards and dice, and that his carrying-on with the actresses at the play -house-the wicked, painted ssies!--were dreadful. I know he had borrowed money of Beeswing more than once, and had, at least, two-thirds of his sister-inlaw's pin money, every quarter; but still no one could help liking him, and he was almost adored by the servants.
 II took the letter to Wild Mir. Will, at his lodging in Great Ryder street, St. James. He was drinking hook with cap tain of dragons and a low. wretch of felt low that got his living by prize fighting, but he came out on the landing 10 speak to me. I showed him the letter, and hinted at my doubts.
 Stuff and nonsense,' he cried. when he had read the letter twice through and held it to the light Its Jack Cart- foiPs fist for five hundred guineas'' My Lords name was John.) 'News-market to the knocker of Newgate that it's my broth CTS hand. Nobody makes blots like these excent the Earl of Millamaut. Besides, don't you see that he spells swept 'swep,' without the t. Jack never could spell Trot YOU away to the bankers, my worthy soul, and get the plate, and polish it all up nice and bright. for you know how particular my Lord Milament is, and what bother there will be if the cornet doesn't come well out on the spoons and forks There, get along with you, and there's guinea to drink my health. Stop-mind, for safety, you lock the plate up in my Lady's boudoir."
 Of course, after the honorable William Cartfoi, had given his opinion, hesitation was no longer to be thought of Beeswing and took q hackney coach to Fleet street.