Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1869-04-22

Pray proceed. SIR" said the vicar
whereupon Mr.. Penning read as un-
der:
According TO promise made and
given. James Billings, otherwise
known as "Jim the Downy," now pro-
coed 10 pu; down on paper some Rec
elections OF my Early Life.
ITO begin At the beginning. You
know already that was footman at
Belair. but YOU don't know how came
TO fill that situation and must add a
few words of explanation, 50 that YOU
NAV understand better what follows
Nv father was n well.known begging
letter writer. which accounts for nv
education and all my family were
more or less mixed up with the profes-
sion. But my governor 90, Jagged at
last. and INV two brothers came 10 grief
in another way 4; and l got such n
sickening Of the whole business. that !
determined to try what honesty would
do towards making my fortune. Not
10 bother you with what you wouldn't
care to hear about, got footman's
place at last; and two or three years
later. went into the service OF Lady
Spencelaugh on her marriage and SO.
in course Of time. found myself at Be
lair. | liked footman's life well
Ell ugh for some things-there was no
hard work TO do, and plenty Of time
for reading the newspapers but, on the
other hand, seemed far as ever from
making my fortune. 1t was about thi,
time that fell in with Nance Fcnnell,
who was living with her mother at
White Grange. and l used TO 60 there
10 see her as often as l could find
time.
Il ought TO have told YOU that one
Of my sisters was married 10 Charley
Wing, noted cracksman or house
breaker. Charley often professed ~
be sorry that l had taken to such n
duffing way Of getting . living and
said that fellow Of my abilities, with
proper instruction, might have done
something splendid in his own line;
and would often invite me to join him.
One day Charley met me. and said:
"Your people often 60 to Sedgeley
Court, and you go with them" YES
said L. We'll" said he, ''me and my
pal. Bill Stuckley, have got a plant on
there. There's no end Of plate in the
house and just at this time Of the year.
while they are having SO much COM
pany. the old dowager keeps all her
diamonds at home. Now, ! want you,
next time you 90 there, to make me a
careful. plan Of the house, and to ascer-
tain all you can about the position and
strength Of the plate-chest and if the
crack comes off all right, you shall have
a fair share Of the swag, and then you
can marry that girl that you are SO
sweet on. and hook it to Australia"
took the bait after . while, and agreed
to do as be wanted. Perhaps Charley
would have wanted to crack Belair, on
ly he knew from me that while Sir Philip
was away in India, all the family plate
kept at the bankers.
.AtVhis time there was living at Be
lair, Lady Spencelaugh and her baby
son; Master Arthur Spencelaugh, the
baronet's son by his first marriage, y
lad about five years old; and Miss
Frederick Spencelaugh, the daughter
of the last baronet. both Of whose par
ents had died in India. After a time,
Miss Frederlca was sent away with her
nurse to some seaside place for the
good Of her health and few weeks
after that. it was reported among us
servants down stairs that Master Ar
thur was lying very i'll upstairs Of
some catching fever; and orders we're
given that nobody was to 60 near the
room except the doctor, and the woman
who had volunteered to nurse him.
This woman was Mrs. Winch, the
landlady Of the Hand and Dagger at
Normanford, and my Lady's confidante
in everything (it seems they had known
one another when girls) and every
body said it was very good Of her to
run the risk. The doctor who saw the
boy was Mrs. Winch's brother his
name was Kreefe-a lame, squint-eyed
man. and not one ofyour swell doctors
by Nv means. Well, Master Arthur
got worse and worse, and in few days
be died-at least We were told 30 and
20 particular was Hrs. Winch that no
body shoald run the risk Of catching
The fsver hut herself. that when the un-