The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-08-16

Madge was forcibly reminded of SEN
tence which she and Fan had once found
in an old book, and had treasured up in
their memories ever since: The man
who has not anything to boast of but his
illustrious ancestors, is like potatoe -
the only good belonging to him is under
ground
When Miss Thorney was tired of walk
ing about the room she sat down again,
and made Madge read to her till bedtime
from the Natural History Of Enthusiasm
That first evening was sample of the fol-
lowing days. Madge was not allowed to
go beyond the garden; she spent her morn
ings in needle work, pedgrees, and the
Peerage, which was Miss Thorney's favorite
book; and her afternoons chiefly in read
ing aloud. Sometimes in the evening her
cousin chose to teach her obsolete games
of cards, or to give her music-lesson,
which Madge dreaded above all things;
her cousil always lost her temper, and
banged away herself on the ancient yell
low keys with: "Your grandmother, my
dear, would have been: ASHAMED of such
descendant And as to your great-great-
grandmother, she would have sent you to
bed at once. There, I've done with you.
Ring for your candle and 60"
1t was hard on poor Madge, who played
very respectfully, though she had no par
ticular talent for music. Miss Thorney's
system was that of teasing and tagging at
her perpetually, and the girl, without
sympathizing creature to speak to, began to
lose her rosy cheeks with them. She had
her own anxieties too, which kept her
awake at night.
The cook, Lawrence, and old Joseph,
the butler, slept in quite different part
of the rambling old house from herself
aud her cousin, whose room was separated
from hers by a long passage and flight Of
steps. Beyond Madges room, at the end
of the passage, there was large unoccupi-
cd room, in which there stood several box
es, and one of these, Lawrence told her,
was full of valuable old plate. Against
one of the windows of this room there
| gre" Gicc, anu any oho S"oi'y
enter the window from its top branches
Often at night, before she went to bed,
Madge used to steal into this room to see
that all was safe; and the third time she
did SO, on the Saturday night after her
arrival, she found that the fastening was
gone from the window.
Her cousin had been very irritable all
day, and Madge felt half afraid of going
to her room, but she did not allow herself
time to think, ran along the passage, and
was at her door directly.
Madge opened the door. A night lamp
was burning, and Miss Thorney, who was
sitting up in bed, asked her what she
| wanted.
81 only came to tell you," she said,
"that the fastening is gone from the Win
dow in the room next to mine"
"Well! what of that p
81 can't think who can have taken it
off, and I'm afraid of robbers"
"Nonsense! 1t probably fell off of it
self The window is rather crazy, and l
have given orders for it to be opened in
the middle of the day. Don't be a goose.
What should robbers come for?"
"The plate" faltered Madge.
"Nobody knows of it outside of this
house. And rs to that, there's plate in
the drawing-room plate everywhere -
plate in this room, and jewels too. Go to
bed you little fool, and don't infect the
servants with your nonsensical fear. Do
you hear? Coz
Miss Thorney made an alarming move
ment, as if she was going to spring out of
bed, and Madge ran ont of the room, shut
the door, and darted along the passage to
her own CELL where she passed an almost
sleepless night, listening to the wind as it
howled among the trees outside.
On Sunday morning, Madge went down
early, and finding the old butler in the
dining room, instantly entered on the sub
ject nearest her thoughts.
"Joseph," she said, 81 think a new
fastening ought to be put on that window
in the room next mine"
Joseph did not answer Immediately, and
there was something odd in his manner,
which sent thrill of suspicion through
Madge's mind.
"Fastenng, Miss! Amt there fasten-
ing? Well, I'll see about it, but don't
know as it matters much.''
81 certainly think you had better see
about it," said Madge with emphasis
cit is not at all safe"
81 hope you wont be alarmed, Miss"
said Joseph more politely. My mistress
has lived here for many years, with moro
valuables in the house than any one out
side it has notion of, and we've never
been troubled with burglars YETI
Madge would have added something
more, but she heard Miss Thorney's Sun
day silk rustling downstairs and so held
her peace, feeling, however, more uncom-
Portable than before. If Joseph was not
to be trusted what would become of them!
ana she knew very well that no suspicious
of hers would be listened to by her cousin.
While they were sitting at their stiff
breakfast in the gloomy dining room at
|
coffee and eggs in one of the odd old rooms
of his uncle's house. 1t was very funny
and delightful old house, he thought,
though he did no mean to live there. 1t
stood near the church, at one corner of a
large open square, with the market-cr
in the middle, which formed the centre of
the little town. There was pair of tall
iron gates, fianked by stone pillars and
balls; then came little paved court, and
then the house itself, old red brick, with
pilasters and ornaments. 1t had largo
square hall, with replace, great many
rooms paneled in white, of which the
boards creaked dangerously, and wide
shallow stepped staircase, with heavy carv-
ed oak bansters. 1t had been stately
house once, but was all falling to ruin now
from long neglect; tho rats, as Robin told
his friend, had it all their own way for
fifty years. Yet Robins uncle, and now