Middletown transcript., 1871-04-22
stlttt Storn.
THE OAK CLOSET.
ny ,Ii,E,, STRONG.

Margaret Grey was in some sort m up.
per srrvan, in the household of Juigc
Wallace Tho Judge lived in handsome
house il ;'io suburbs Of the liliia country
village of ihnrulale
Margaret was f an orphan at an ear
~ a-e, and ihe julE AMI his wife had Ia
ken her into lheir Il ~ I'd save her from
bping drown On The charity of the town.
They hay done their part well for her.
They had two children Of their own twins
Alice aud Algcruon and Margaret had
enjoyed every advantage f education IN
common with the brother and sister
As She grew older and began 10 real.
izr how much >hc owed the uigr aud b.,
wife. she felt n desire To be able in some
way to wake them recompensc for their
kindness, and as she was strong. active
giri shr soon became very useful about the
domestic affairs ot Tie household Mrs
Wallnc Ej4 a tcrhlc woman, ani very
willingly resigned some of the care and
burden TO Margaret and in due course ol
time the YOUNG girl became TO be trusted
anl depended Oh until by the time she
was twa aud twenty. She was really the
head Of ihe establishment. though Mrs
Wallace still dii the hen5ts II her quiet
lady like way, and poured the tea and cof.
fee "A, the head Of ihr table.
Alice had married early anil gone 10 the
far west with her husband. Algernnn was
finishing his medical studies at 4 German
university, and only the Judge and hi,
wita aud Margaret beside the man and
woman servant. who hal been with them
for years. were left ut home
some unfortunate speenlatipns. largely
indnlged in WHEN ths inigc WAS quits a
young man had ,neumbcrrl the old estate
with a mortgage aud this it was the
judges ambition to discharge IL want.
ed 10 leave thr plaer totally free and clear
frnm lrGt IN his snn Algernnn.
The s,rit'r.t economy had been practie-
ed for years in the household with this end
in view. ana a, la,t the iulgr hid in his
hanls the money with which to liluidate
the claim
Il was laie one Saturday night when
he brought il home, and >a i to his wife
as he swung the black leather trunk con.
tuning IL heidre her eyes:
Well. Annie. at last we IRE to he free
from debt, There are eight thousand dol
lars in thai trunk aud on Monday shall
pay Jones in full. aul We will burn that
nbnmnahle morigage together. YOU and
Annie. 1t will be the harpies, day 81
my life. :"
. But il anything should happen, Vii.
LAM said Mrs Wallace, nervonsly
" DO put thn money in snme safe place
II has cost Us dear enough to scrapc il TO.
geiher
The judge bent down and pattel the
anxious little woman on the head.
. am going 10 put /, in the little oak
closet. ANNE II has II spring lock, aud
if hy chance any burglar should get inio
the house be woull never dream Of finding
anything of value in little stiilcd up clo-
set nj the head of the earrct stairs
And with ligh, heart the judge wen,
off 10 deposit his treasure.
Margaret was sitting in the room. darn
ing the judges stockings when this con-
yersaton took place, and Of course she
heard where the money was to be placed
though ut the time she gave little heed
to il.
The next day. John and Sarah. the Two
servants, had holiday to visit married
daughter of theirs. who resided fifteen or
twenty miles away. aud as il was in No.
vember, and tho days were short. they
would not return until Monday night
Aud some time after they set out there
came message to the judge from his on
ly sisicr--saying that she was very i'll and
desired TO see him without delay, Her
home was nt Shclby-eight or ten miles
off. aud Of course the Judge lost no time
In obeying the summons. lie took his
wife with him, leaving Margaret alone in
the house.
After they were seated in tho carriage.
tho judge stopped to say:
- II Is barely possible Margaret. that
We remain all night Il looks very much
like storm. and 10 that case We shall Ger.
taiuly stay, And II SO, you had better
get Sallic Turner to come over and stay
with you for company"
But though Margaret would have liked