The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1864-09-14
WIDOW SIMPSONS SPOONS.

In her family rosjdol, in the capacity of
help, one Nancy Campbell, girl of about
nineteen, who was suspected Of having tax
en- fancy 20 Robin. the widows soh, who
reciprocated the sentiment Nothing, how
oVer would soften the heart OF the widow
as regarded n match, till at last, tho follow
ing event having occurred, caused her to
give way;--About the hoymaking tune
distant and comparatively rich rotation was
expected to call and take tea that evening
on his way to Linlithgow.
II was not often that the superior relative
houored her house with u visit, and Mrs.
Simpson, that nothing should DO wanting to
his entertainment brought out the treasured
spoons early in tho forenoon, with many
! nlunctious TO Nancy as to tho care she
should take in Frightening them mp. While
TINS upcr atiuu Nvoo boing oanduot0d in tho
kitchen, in the midst OF those uncertain
days which vary the Northern June, sud
den darkening of the sky announced the APP
proach of heavy rain. The hay was dry
and ready for housing. Robin and two
farm men were busy gathering it in; but
the great drops began to fall whilo a con-
siderable portion Of it yet remained in the
field, aud, with the instinct of crop proscr-
| walton, Ior,h rushed the widow, followed
by Nancy, leaving the spoons half secured
on the kitchen table. In her rapid exit the
girl had forgotten to latch the door. The
weaZel and the kite were the only depreda-
tors known about the moorland farm; but
while they were all occupied in the hay
field, who should come that way but Geor-
dy Wilson.
WE'LL the kitchen door was open and
Geordy stepped in. He banged the settle
with his staff, he coughed he hemmed ho
saluted the cat, which sat purring on the
window-seat, and at length discovered there
was nobody within Neither meal nor pen.
ny was TO be expected that day; the rain
was growing heavier, some of the hay must
be wet, a,ii Mrs Simpson would return in
bad humor. But two objects powerfully
arrested Ge)rdy's attentions one was the
broth pot boiling on the fire. and the other
the silver spoons scattered on the table.
Bending over the former, Geordy took
considerable snuff gave the Ingredients n
stir with the pot-stick and mut;ered Every
thin" His proceeding with the latter must
remain uumentioncd; but, half an hour after
when he was safely ensconsed in farm
house mile off, and the family were driven
within doors by the increasing storm, they
found everything as it had been lelt-the
broth on the fire, the cat on the window
seat the whiting and flannel on the table;
but not spoon was there.
son to the outireifamily who stood by the
fire drying thoir wet garments. Nobody
could tell. Nancy had left them on the ta-
BILE when she ran to the hay. No one had
been in the house; they We're certain that
+ nothing had been disturbed. The drawer
was pulled out and the empty stockings eX-
( hibited. Every shelf, every corner was
searched, but to no purpose; the spoous
had disappeared and the state of the farm
house may be imagined. The widow ran
through it like one distracted, questioning
scoldmg, and searching, Robin, Nancy, and
the larm-nen were dispatched in different
directions, as soon as the rain abated, to
advertise the neighbors under the supposi-
ton that some sroIling gypsy or beggar
might have carried off their treasure, aud
would attempt to dispose Of it in the parish.
Nobody thought of Geordy Wilson; he had
not been esped from the hay field. Lost
the spoons were, beyond doubt aud the
widow bado fair to loose her senses Tho
rich relation came at the appointed time,
and he had such time that ho avowed
never again to trust himself in the house of
his entertainer. But tn search went on;
rabbits holes were looked into for the miss
ing silver, and active boys were bribed to
turn out magpie's nests. Wells and barns
all through the neighborhood were eX.
plored.
The crers of the three nearest parishes
were employed to proclaim the lOsS it was
regularly advertised at kirk-gatc and mar
ket-placc; and Mrs. Simpson began to talk
ofgetting search warrant for the beggar's
meal pouch Bathgate was alarmed through
all its borders concerning the spoons; but
when almost a month woro away and notll-
ing could be heard from them, the widow q
suspicious tirl ed from bcggars, barns, and
magpies to light on poor Nancy. She had
been sconring the spoons. aud left the house
last; silver could not leave the table with
out hands. 1t was true that Nancy had
borne an tnqueslionable character, but such
spoous were uos to be met with every day,
and Mrs. Simpson was determined to have
them back in her stocking.
After sundry hints of increasing breadth
to Robin, who could not help thinking his
mother was losing her Judgment, she one
day pumped the charge, to the utter aston
isIlment and dsmay of the poor girl, whose
anxiety in the search had been inferior on.
~ to her own. Though poor and an orphan
Nancy had some honest pride; she immedi-
ately turned out the contents of her kist
(box,) mstrung her pocket in Mrs Simp-
sons presence, and ran, with tears in her
eyes, to tell the minister.
As was then common to the county par
shes of Scotland, difficulties and disputes
/ which might have employed the writer's and
puzzled the magistrates were referred to
his arbitration, and thus lawsuits and scan
, dals prevented. The minister had heard
as who in Bathgate had not 2--of Mrs. Simp-
| sons loss. Like the rest Of the parish, he
thought it rather strange but Nancy Camp
bell was one of the most serious and exem-
| plary girls Of his congregation-he could
not believe that the charge preferred
> against h0r was true; yet the peculiarities
/ OF the oase demanded Investigation With
some difficulty the minister persuaded Nan
cy to return to her mistress bearing a mes
sage to the effect that he and two of his ell
+ ders who happened to reside in the neigh
borhood, would come over the following
evening, hear what could he said on both
sides, and if possible clear Up the mystery
/ The widow was vel pleased at the minis.
ter and his elders coming to Inquire after
, the spoons. 'She put on her best mutch,
! THAT is to say, cap.) prepared her best
speeches, aud ehlisted some Of the most Sc
! rious and reliable of her neighbors to assist
in the investigation.
Early in the evening Of the following day
when the summer sun was wearing low and
the field work was oyer-they were all as
sembled in the clean-sconred kitchen, the
minister, elders and neishbors, soberly liz.
5 tening 10 Mrs. Simpsons testimony touch.
| 4. tl,r