The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-01-16
Prom the AIsosy.
How | Captured the Burglars.

WAS the eldest OF family of eight
three boys and five girls, and our mother
dying soon after the birth of the young.
est, much OF her cares dtyJlyed upon
me. We were happy, healthy children,
but certainly not dreaGy Or poetic ones,
which WAS the more Singular considering
the nature of my fathers profession
that of all artist. Perhaps il WAS the
consciousness that he would have made
his wsy better in lfe had he been less
sensitive and imaginative, that m sde my
father 30 anxious 10 mould our minds in
a different form 10 his own. ii" KEEP.
his dresmings for his studio, and WA
almost mOrbidiy careful 10 check any
romantic or sentimental tendency in hi'
children.
AN not sure il the system of repres-
sion was rot carried rather 10 an extreme
whether We, in our healthy, cheerful
hons, were not inclined TO be rather
intOlcr4nt Of what we called "ncTv,s"
or "lauCirs' IL our nrighDJr., meaning
THEREBY sensitive or imaginative feeling
tina; had never Deen cultivated in our
selyes. ii q stranger had broken his leg
on our doorstep believe We should have
nursed him 10 admiration; but ] fear
that real though less tangible suffering
migL. have met with les sympathy al
our hsud-, if il took the form OF what
we pleased 10 cal! " sentiment"
Therefore, il seemed al instance OF the
interruptions fate that 70 often BID, the
square man I'll the round hole, that !, of
all people, should be asked 10 spend
Christmas with my cousin Maggie. !
was jus; seventeen, and busy woman
or my age. suppose it WAS the fame
of my 2, neral capableness" that made
poor cousin Philip turn 10 ne in his
trouble. anyway it was 20 our house he
came one day il the beginning Of De.
ceubrr, - beg that ! would stay with
his wife during bis absence abroad.
We had kaOwn Philip sll our lives {;
he had lived in our house until his uncle
took him into partnership, about ten
years before the time my story COM
menCes. About year sitter joining his
uncle, Philip married. His wife WAS a
pretty, fragile looking creature, utterly
unlike any Of ". Sae was delicate, and
a little faIciful; had been = petted child,
and WAS now petted wife. Philip
adOred her, and now that lie was Obliged
Il
with the firm, wSs dreadfully worried at
the idea Of leaving her alone at Christ
mas.
you'll ice good Samaritan, Jane"
ne pleaded, aud just stay week or
two a. Grsylands. Maggie is very
nervous al the thought Of being left
alone in that large house with only the
servants and the children"
"And pray what protection shall be
again.t ghosts and Tobbers?" inquired,
rather scyrnfully, for nervousness was n
thing had no kind of sympathy with.
"There are no ghosts or robbers, OF
course, but you could keep her spirits
UP. She has never been strong since
baby was born, ycu know"
50 the matter was ended in my starting
for Grayelands. | found Maggie all
smiles and gratitude for my goodness u
in coming 70 her, and she really did look
20 thin and pale that my heart softened
even 70 her nervous fears.
Actual body illness was a thing !
could pity, and Maggie was 10 gentle
and afectionate that it was impossible
70 be muca with her without liking her.
Contrary " nv expectations enjoyed
NY visit extremely. The children were
capital companions. Despite the bitter
winds we walked and skated, and On the
days when The weather kept Us prison
err, made the old house ring with Oui
games 1t hide-and-seek and bettle-dore
Yet, truth to tell, Graylsnds was not 1
cheerful residence; il was lonely ever
for the country; the town was five mile
oil and our nearest neighbOriDg hOus.
Wa. stately castle whose noble Ownel
had never resided on his property fol
twenty years A few old servants KEEP
the house i'll order, and the gamekeeper
lodge was nearly mile from our garden
gate 1--WE must look 10 him a. ouI
champion in case OF rObbers," / had ono,
said laughingly, but the very idea o
such contingency arising seemed Ia
alarm Maggie 80 much that never ven
tured on such Joke again.
Christmas came and passed, and tn,
weather grew drearier than ever. II wa
what the country people called "sof
weather - that IL, bitterly cold, Blu
also foggy and slushy, instead OF tina
clear, bright frost that is 40 welcone L
skaters and sliders. Maggie grew dc
pressed, the children fractions, all of u
caught colds. ] began to acknowledg
that Maggie's objections 10 Grsyland
a. a winter residence were not i'll
founded.
Things were in this state when tn
monotony OF our lives was broken by
call from one of our Deighbors, countr
'squire, who lived about eight miles of
Doubtless many Of our readers have OF
served the great ayidity with which eve
the kindest hearted people cOmmunicat
disagreeable intelligence. MIR. Cstlin
was one Of the best natured OF men, bu
] dOuSt il the merely charitable desir
&c cheer our solitude would have induce
him to ride sixteen miles on dark wiz
ter's day.
$50 you haven't heard of my losses
ladies?" Was his remark, after the fir,
friendly greetings had been exclaimed.
owe never hear Of anything at GRAY
lands" answered, laughing.
"Well, ! hope you won't hear Of th
visitors whU hOnoTed me with call we
terday," was the reply; although, ,
they were 30 successful in my case, the
may be disposed 10 try other house
Morgan the constable, believed tn,
they are lurking somewherein the neigl
borhood still"
"Burglars" said Maggie, her delica