The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-01-25
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Banks coming in with the urn,
they placed themselves at table, and
the breakfast began. Suddenly Mr..
Butler spoke-"Caroliner' he said,
hastily and angrily. eyes, uncle
dear!" and the bright face turned
like sunbeam to him ''How often
have / said would not have the food
sent to our table touched in the
kitchen?' "Well, it is not, uncle, >"
said Garry little anxiously; "what
has been touched?" ''My pigeon
pie, " said her uncle furiously, and he
struck the handle of his knife upon
the table. ''Look here-what do
call this, eh? Is this not been touch
ed? What do you mean by this.
Gardiner He dragged the dish
forward. Garry saw to her dismay
the pigeon pie; which was her uncle's
peculiar dish-touched by no one
but himself-more than half devour-
ed. ''Ring the bell at once" he
cried;" and have up Banks to answer
tor himself. I'll know the truth of
this at once" So Walter rang the
bell, and Banks came to the sum
mons, as he always did, as quickly as
If he had been listening at the door
Banks! what's the meaning of this?"
exclaimed Mr.. Butler pointing to the
dishonored pie. "It's como now"
thought Banks. "Well sir, 1 can't
exactly tell you,' he replied, calmly,
the cellaret door was open, and I see
n lot of port wine and brandy had
been took; and when cook went into
the larder, there were plates and a
knife and fork, and this pigeon pie
all pulled about ten times worse nor
you see it now, and one leg of the
turkey gone, and bread and other
things eat beside. But who did it,
sir, know no more nor the dead,
nor does none of us down stairs; for
we've al been a talking of it over,
and can't make nothing of it
noways.' Smith Butler turned pale
and pushed back his chair. ';Do YOU
mean to tell me that we have robbers
concealed in the house?" he said
''Snowed up with legion of burg
lars waiting to murder us?'' He be
came violently agitated, and his
cough grew convulsive. II don't
say that, sir" replied Banks, re-
spectfully, ''but l DO say as how it's
curious thing, andno accounting for
it, as [ can see care any OF us sleep
walkers, said Walter. :Dlessmy soul,
Mr. Lechmere, what rubbish YOU
do talk, to be surer' Smith Butler
cried. "Sleep-walkcrs do not walk
into pigeon pies and turkeys legs.
Such foolish observations do no good,
sir. They only distract ones mind
from the main facts. For the pre-
sents, as Banks says, [ see no way of
accounting for it. SO Banks, You
may go; and here, take this mess
down stairs, and never let me see a
pigeonpie CT my table again as long
as | live; do you hear?"
Banks and his master were right:
there was no accounting for such an
extraordinary phenomcon so the fact
remained as before, unexplained and
lnscrntable-the fact of a midnight
appetite among them, which had salts
tied Itself on Smith Buffers own pecu-
har vlands- prowling even into his
Iarder, and violating the sanctuary
OF his cellaret. SO the thing remain
ed; but Walter brought little sere
nifty to the host, by Offering to
search the house thoroughly after
breakfast, and make sure no one was
concealed within its walls. And then
Mr.. Butler felt glad that to-day was
Us bad, if not worse than yesterday.
and said, quite cordially for him.
"Wc shall be obliged to keep you
prisoner over our poor Christmas day,
L see, Mr.. Lechmere; it is impossible
or you to face such weather as it is. !"
He thought that if they were locked
up with a burglar, it was quite as
well to have Walter Lechmere's
strong arm and well-known courage