The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-12-16
THE DAILY STAR
AN UNWRITTEN STORY,

"There," resumed the housekeeper, now
thoroughly appeased, 81 see you're all
dying of curiosity to know about it, and
won't keep you any longer in suspense.
Besides, the story's very short one. 1t
was hushed up at the time, and it would
have been much more than my place was
worth to breathe a word of it to living
soul. But the chief people concerned in
it are all dead. The very dog was poi
soned with two ounces of poisoned paunch
by the butcher the day afterward, as If,
poor dAmb creature, he could have
wagged tail to compromise anybody
"But we haven't heard who the dog
was, or the butcher either" / broke in,
I am afraid, somewhat impatiently.
"Pray begin at the beginning, my dear
madam; we're all impatient to hear."
"Well, then," commenced the house
keeper, setting herself comfortably in her
armchair, "you shall hear all about it.
Just draw your chairs closer round me,
for Pm not very long of breath"
We did as the old lady desired, andshe
went on thus: .... -.......
ain the year 1879, was, as have told
you, housekeeper to my Lord Millamant
The story am telling you has to do with
the winter of that same year. A bitter
winter it was Frosts three weeks long,
and deluge of mud whenever there was
a thaw. Coal, bread and meat frightfully
dear. The poor crying out fit to make
your heart break, and the taxes as heavy
as hard dumplines. Our taxes were paid
for us, thank goodness even to that on
the hair-powder with which the footmen
plastered their heads.
eve were all well fed and well cared
for, for my Lord Millamant was far too
proud and rich nobleman to pat us on
board wages when he went out of town,
and always said that he liked to see his
servants plump and rosy. ....
at didn't matter to him how much
the butchers and bakers bills came to-.
He had immense estates in Darkshire,
and two or three comfortable things they
used to call sinecures in those days; be-
sides. wasn't there his wife, the late Miss
Jaghire's rich Indian fortuneP
"My Lord Miilamant had been away
from London during the hunting season.
He had pack of hounds at Cartfoil Hall
1.-THE family name was Cartfoil) Dark
shire, and had been entertaining all the
gentry of the country side, with many of
the nobility from London, in the true
style of old English hospitality. ..'
GAN the grand furniture in the man.
sion Of Hay Hill had been covered up
since September, when his lordship and
her ladyship went out of town. The car
pets in the grand saloons were rolled up,
the chandeliers wrapped in yellow gauze;
the pictures the same-dreadful grim old
pictures they were, Of noblemen in curly
wigs, and ladies in hoop petticoats and
shockingly low dresses-and the rich sill
Yer and parcel gilt plate Of which my
Lord Millamant, being so great noble.
man, had vast quantity, was safe and
sound in four oak chests clamped with
iron at Messrs Doublon & Moydops, the
bankers in Fleet street; it was good
plan to send ones silver to the bankers
for there We're plenty of housebreakers
about in those days, and no police except
the wheezy old constables, and the Bow
street red waistcoats ~
ut was Oh the 2lst of December, 1919
that your humble servant received a pos
letter, franked by Mr.. Tubwe!l, .one q
the county members for Darkshire, fol
my Lord Millamant was always too gen
erous with his franks, and never had any
to spare for himself ,t.-,...... ..
''The letter was from his lordship, ant
in his usual kind style, though to my very
great surprise, told me that he and tn
countess were coming up to ospend Christ
mas in London. All the time / had beel
in their service, then four years COM
that Christmas day, they had kept it a
Cartfoil Hall. .
However there was no mistaking m,
lords directions lie always gave then
himself, for her ladyship, saving he
memory, was one of the LATEST creature
living, and never did anything much be
yond lying on sofa, and talking to he
gray and her green parrot.
'I was to have the carpets laid down
the furniture thoroughly busted, all tn
beds well aired; for my lord was to brin,
company with him from Darkshire; an,
I was to get the plate from the bankers
and have 1t all well cleaned for gran'
banquet my lord intended to give Of
Christmas day.
Enclosed in the letter was a slip o
paper, containing an order to the banker
to deliver the plate to me, or to Mr.. Bee;
wing, the butler; and which as far as
can reeollect, ran thus:
"CARTFoIL HALL, Dec. 10, 1919.
',Messrs. Doublon Moydor:
"'Please deliver the four boxes marke
A, B, G, D, containing the plate left i
your care, to Mrs. -, or Samuel Bee
wing, my servants, bearers of this.
[Signedl MIILAMANT.'
"There was his lordship's signature
certainly; but somehow the name SCENE
written in larger and more tremulou
hand than usual The is weren't dottet
nor the t's crossed in his lordship's gel
eral style, bat still the remainder of tn
letter was like enough to him, and th
cover bore the Cartfoil postmark.