The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-12-18
THE OAK CLOSET.

THE OAK CLOSET.
Margaret Grey was in some sort an
upper servant in the household OF Judge
Wallace. The Judge lived in a handsome
house in the suburbs of Il little country
village OF Thorndale.
Margaret was left an orphan at an
early age, and the Judge ard his wife
had taken her into their houseto save
her from being thrown upon the charity
Of the town.
They had done their part well for her.
They had two children of their own
Alice and Algernon, twias-and Mar
care, had enjoyed great advantage OF cd
ucation in common with the brother and
sister.
As she grew older and began to real
i2e how much she owed the Judge and
his wife she felt desire to be able in
some way to make them return for
their kindness, and rs she was a strong,
active girl she soon became very useful
about the domestic affairs of the house
hold. Mrs. Wallace was feeble woman
and very willingly resigned some OF tn"
cares and burdens to Margaret, and in
que course of time the young girl became
to be- trusted and depended upon, until
by the time she was twenty, she was real
~ the head OF the establishment, although
Mrs Wallace still did the honors in her
quiet, lady.like way and poured the tea
and coffee at the head of the table.
Alice had married early and gone to
the far west with her husbands Algernon
was finishing his medical studies in II
German University and only the Judge
and his wife and Margarct-bc>lde the
man and woman servant, who had been
with them for ycarS--rcmalned ut home
Some unfortunate spcculations, largely
INDUCED in when the Judge was young
had encountered the old estate with Z"
mortgage, and this it was the Judge :
ambition to discharge. lie wanted TO
leave the place totally tree from debt 10
his son Algernon.
The strictest economy had been prac.
ticcd for wears in the household with TINS
end in view, and at last the Judge held
in his hand the money with winch TO
hquidate the claim.
1t was late on Saturday night when
he brought it home, and SAID TO his wife
~ he swung the little black leather
trunk before her eyes;
well. Annie ut last We are to be free
from debt. There are eight thousand
dollars IN that trunk, and on Monday |
shall pay Jones in full, and we shall
burn the abominablc mortgage together,
YOU and |, Anne. 1t will be the happIest
day in my life
But if anything should happen,
William" said Mrs. Wallace, nervou-ly.
$40 put the money in some safe place.
L, has cost US dear enough to scraPe it
together $3.50
lie bent down and patted the little
woman on the head. l am gong to
nut it in the little oak closet, Annie. 1t
has a spring lock, and it by chance a
burglar should enter the house he would
never dream of finding anything Of val
W. in that little, stihed up closet ut the
head OF the stairs
And with light heart the Judge
went oil to deposit his treasure.
Margaret was sitting IN the room
darning the Judges stockings when the
conversation took place, and of course she
heard where the money was to be placed
though at the time she gave little atten-
ton 10 IT.
The next day John and Susan, the
two servants, had u holiday 20 visit "a
daughter OF theirs, who resided fifteen
or twenty miles away, and as 1t was IN
November, and the days were short, they
would not return till Monday night.
And some time after they set out there
came an imperative message to the Judge
from his sister saying that she WAS very
IN. and desired to see him without delay
Her home was in Shelby, eight or ten
miles of and of course he lost no time IN
chewing the summons. HetooS his wife
with him, leaving Margaret alone IN the
house.
1t is barely possible, Margaret that We
will remain all night. 1t looks very mucn
like storm, and IN that case we snail
certainly stay. And II 50, YOU mad bel
ter get Sallie Turner to stay with you
for company -.
Bat though Margaret would have liked
Salhc's company enough, she at once
decided not to ask for il. Sallies BROTH
cr would b. sure To come along, and the
less she saw OF Willie Turner, the better
She was pleased. Willie was an honest,
industrious sort of Il fellow, and he was
Margaret's most devoted admircr, but
with the usual inconsistency o. her sex,
she utterly refused to see what was best
for her.
The afternoon Wore slowly away.
MARGARET read little and drUmmcd Il few
tunes on the old fashioned piano, played
with the black and white kitten, and
held the old cat curled up IN her lap, like
a sleepy caterpillar and ut last 1t was
sunset-timc to milk the COWS, and shut
the barn doors for the night,
1t was evident enough that there was
storm brewing, for the north and west
were dark and gloomy with omlnou>'
black clouds, and the west wind sighed
drearilyin the pine woods back OF the
house And irdced. before Margaret had
done up the chores in the barn, the first
great drops of frozen rain began TO fall
and by the time she had eaten her supper
and strained the milk, the storm had set
in in good earnest.
She closed and barred the door-the
windows were already fastenod-drcw
1 / IL.