Smyrna times., 1873-12-31
MiSceIIU ~ e o IL S.
Mrs. Maycock's Keys.

however, only two were practicable. For long
time had resolved to sort that bunch Of keys,
most OF which we're waits aud strays. There
were two or three latch keys, one, L verify be-
lieve, OF house in London atwhich lived ff-
teen years ago; one of house in Brighton long
ago given up diss nldnibus. Memory refuses
| to affix titles to the rest. AT last, however,
happy fate has relieved me of the incubus OF
this useless bunch of metal. A change OF resi- |
dence has deprived me of the two last working |
keys and left me unincumbered. Ut what use |
are keys to me? | have never more money |
than [ conveniently carry in my pocket The
few letters that receive all the world is wei |
come to read they are read extensively in the
household, | know. | have long since thrown
open my skeleton cupboard, aud finding the
grizzly spectre dreaded mere harmless joist
of some decayed old building, with few laths
nailed across it, similating ribs and vertebra,
have burned it upon the domestic hearth and
scattered its ashes to the four winds. Thus
bare as my cupbOards may be, they are at
least clean and whtewashed. And my soul is
emancipated from locks aud keys.
In this state of happy freedom was one day
sitting by the open window, smoking the fra
grant matutinal pipe, and coming over the
Times, placidly conscious of the pleasant morn
ing sounds and sights; bells janglng softly
from The town bard by, the clank OF scythe
in field below, the cry of the man with the
children at plAy-accordlng to one OF the w elsh
triads, the three signs of an inhabited country.
1t was a leisure time with everybody at home.
NV wife seemed for once to be in an idle mood.
. Sailors, you know, when there comes an idle
time-when the wind blows fair and steady,
and the sails draw as evenly as if they were
moulded in 91dpier- 0ldche, when all the sheets
are Delayed, and they have finished coiling
little ropes round big ones when even the
frat mt Uaa
the bOatswain has ceased from piping, and
there is nothing whatever to do-Jack or Tom
proceed forthwith to overhaul their chests.
: So with women, | think-something, in idle
a moments, they will overhaul; in this case the
/. work basket Ends of ribbons are sorted bits
}. of lace turned over and mentally appraised,
|! half finished undertakings are sighed over; the
= eldest daughter looking gravely on, with view
!. to the welfare of her eldest daughter Dolly.
At the bottom of the basket is debris of un
considered trihes.
Ned, here's something of yours" the wife
II says; 'here's O bunck Of keys"
/. Don't, for goodness, sake, give them to me
y / don't want them should't know where to
y put them"
q leave thom in my work basket"
rs "Throw them away"
Or A bunch Of keys, however, are not things ol
l. which one can dispose at moments notice
- Ii you threw them AWAY, you would see them
~ advertised in the next day spaper; they wOull
ot be traced to you, money would be demanded
p there would be bother OF some Sort No, i
wouldn't do to throw them away.
Look; here we're going on the river to
night; we'll drop the keys overheard anC
make an end of them"
r. Before this doom, however, had been carried
into effect a claimant appeared for the buncl
of keys They were not mine, it seemed, bu
ne nurse s-NurSe Maycock's
ii Nurse came in with her youngest charge
'iS quite breathless at the danger she had escaped
10. ''Lor! whatever should have done if maste
had thrown my keys away"
She is a comey old lady, of digni6ed pre-
-. sence, with q brown face and a handsOm
" double chin, aquiline nose, which approache
her chin moro closely than OF old, owing to he
inc lack of teeth very dramatic woman, min
use you, full of action and gesture: with it all,
ler very comfortable mOtherly body.
ihe you're quite sure they are your key
M. nurse2 said my wife.
n'' "Bless you, yes, MAN." said nurse, sinkin
). down into chair She is not strong on ht
pins, and we don't exact rigid ceremony fro
M. her. why, l can tell you the history
the whole I 'em.
}. "Mrs. Maycock, like other story -tellers
d. d. know, requires very delicate handling. lfyC
ure let her see that you expect story from he
its she either shuts up altogether or spois her ia
al by overeffort. She must be left to herself, al
md: gently inclined to discourse of her experience
na. To be heard in full perfection, her narrati
must flow naturally from surrounding circur
4. stances
With the late lamented Maycock had
personal acquaintance but | formed viv
b mental picture of him from his widow oce
sional descriptions He was thin and sma
rather lame, reserved, fiery tempered ma
who had a vivid sense Of his own dignity and
rather contemptuous opinion OF the female Sc
He was an upper workman of some sort, ear
ing good wages and laying by little money
valuable man in his own way, and W
thought of by his employers.
TO return to nurse. Her attention is divert
for q moment by the youngster on her lap, W
makes desperate pull at her cap strings, a
ac almost succeeds in demolishing that elabori
W. fabric.
BLESS his little art" cried nurse; "ain't
playful, sir3 He do take after you, do Mas
Ralf"
,rs II don't see it at ALL" says the wife;
don't see the least resemblance"
but look at his eyes, ma m, and then
little ways; oh, he do take after master, sure
Then he Is so fond of books"
{, "Fond Of books, is he, said |, with daV
ing interest in the little chap. -.
or, "He just is fond of books, continued nur
y. with pride. g He's tored all the leaves out
- mine"
xrrn His father shuddered, and though he
better be taken away. ....-
"Bet about the keys. sir, as was tell
you the way | knows EN-. This here
with the ole in it is the key OF my chest
drawers. And these two just alike-ah,
r sees them two together, sir2'
lkls yes, see them" gI a.
"'Well, one of them was poor Maycock's
the key of bis box, where he KEEP. all
treasures; and, sir he Just were careful OF
here key; and this one;" went on nurse, v
a a twinkle in her eye, II had made q .purT
IS exactly like the other, so that could &c