Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1874-05-15
Selistellanv,
scIP's SECRET.

Death seemed to have forgotten Old
Orley-probably felt 10th, as a true
sportsman, to waste dart upon him. -
And well he might; for less shining
mark" than Old Orley, or one apparently
less worth the expenditure Of ammuni-
ton, could hardly be imagined. He had
grown as old, seemingly, as he could get.
His withered face left Time no room to
edge in another wrinkle; and his palsicd
limbs shook so many different ways that
the opposite motions in manner neu-
tralzcd each other, and served to steady
the old man up. He was a miser withal,
thought by some to be of untold wealth, ,
its repository being a secret of Old Or
ley's own, or lying between him and his
colored man, Scip, the only human being
he was ever known to trust. The scene,
we had forgotten to mention, is laid in
the Old Dominion, and the time dates
back Of the Amendments"
Scip, whom Old Orley had taken for
bad debt, was nearly as old, but not as
decrepit as his master. A sort Of attach
mcnt had sprung up between them. $50
lated from the rest of the world, Old
Orley's social instincts found in Scip
their only outlet. Scip, in return, who
bad experienced more cuffs than kindness
at the hands of former masters, requited
his present treatment with the loyalty so
common to his class.
All things must have an end, and even
Old Orlcy's came at last. Scip stood by
in his last moments, rendering kindly
Offices, and profering such words of com
fort as he could command "He would
be glad" he said, ''to 60 long wild ole
massa, for company, an wait on him
whar he was gwyne, for he knowed his
ways better'n strange darkies would. -
But it wasn't so ordered; Old Orley had
to make the journey alone.
Scip's new statMs was a problem to
more than himself Old Orley had nei-
ther kith nor kin. Was Scip his own
master now, and, by virtue Of being left
in possession, that of the rest of the
dead miser's effects +?
There was much division of opinion
on the subject. The two leading men Of
the neighborhood, Col. Flute and Capt.
Scope, shook their heads over it.
"Not that it makes much difference"
said the Captain, "for the real estate
isn't worth the taxes, and Scip would cal
bis head off in a week"
"Jest SO" assented the Colonel, who,
nevertheless, lost no time in taking the
advice of Lawyer Burkitt, which was to
the effect that the dead mans property
"escheated7 to the State.
"And the wust kind o chedtin' / cal
it," muttefed the Colonel to himself, who
had entertained sort Of indefinite notion
which he had hoped the lawyers opinion
would confirm, that, under the circum-
stances, the title to Old Orley's posses
sions would vest in the fortunate finder
And having no doubt but the old miser
had left mint Of money bid away, he
bad set his heart on gaining track of it,
by hook Or by crook. Scip, he felt con-
WINGED, was the only one who knew the
secret. But would he tell? There was
one way to get the truth out Of him, and
that was to fog it out but tie right to
do SO must first be secured.
Learning from Lawyer Burkitt that it
was the States Attorneys business to
bring escheated property to sale, the Col
onel at once applied to that official to do
his duty, which the latter grudgingly did,
protesting there wouldn't be enough to
pay expenses, let alone fees; neverthe-
less, being candidate for second term,
he felt constrained to make show of
zeal
When Scip was brought to the block,
there was the liveliest kind Of bidding.
Col. FLUTE and Capt. Scope, secretly
bent on the same project, had each re-
solved to become the posscssor Of Scip
and bis secret at whatever cost.
The Captain struck out with stiff ia
Ger of five hundred, which the Colonel
promptly encountered with another