Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-03-21
Pipes the Norther Shrili and loud
OLD MAGGIE AND THE BURGLARS.

BORN with me. As Tor the house, II 5 the
strongest fastened ever was in. You say
yourself there's no lock i burglar could
force. and I'm not one to let tramps or the
ike in of my free will God knows the
place will be safe enough when you come
back-as safe as though there were regi-
ment of soldiers in it; and I'll have all
bright for your new wife, Mr.. Archibald"
She called her master Mr. Archibald still,
this old woman but she was the only one
who still used his Christian name. He was
an elderly man himself, and had few init
mate friends, hospitality not being one of
his virtues. He was rich, and there was
much that was valuable in the house; more
ready money, too, than most men keep
about them; but then it was as secure as
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS locks and burglar alarms
that first sent bullet into any one who
sought to enter by stealth, and then rang a
bell to wake the household, were attached
to every door, and Il furious watchdog, that
lived on raw meat, was in the back-garden.
The Van Mott mansion could have with
stood siege at moments notice.
Mr. Van Mott was a money-dealer. He
had ways and means of accumulating prop
erty which were mysteries to his neighbors,
and they were suspicious that the little back
parlor, sacred to business, had even seen
such lesser dealings as the loan of money on
the gold watches, cashmere shawls, and dia-
monds of genteel distress. Two or three
mortgages that he had bought up had been
rather cruelty foreclosed; and he was hard
landlord, and a bad person to owe money to
altogether On the whole, he was disliked
in the place, and rich as he was, would have
found it hard to get wife to his liking
among his neighbors at Oakham. How
ever, having resolved to marry again-there
had been a Mrs Van Mott, who died years
jefore-he had sought out wealthy widow
of a saving disposition, who lived on small
farm some miles out of town, and having al
ready disinherited her daughter for espous.
ing an estimable man Of small means, and
turned her only son out of doors for equally
prudent reasons, was not likely to bring any
troublesome generosity into his household,
and had offered himself to her, and had been
accepted And now. though both their
economical souls revolted against it, custom
decreed wedding of some sort, and
honeymoon trip somewhere, and they had
decided to do it as cheaply as possible. For
this brief time Mr. Van Mott must leave his
business and his house, and it was upon the
eve of his departure that he held the above
conversation with his old servant, standing
with his portmanteau in his hand, and re-
garding her grayely.
eyes, yes" he said, II presume it is all
safe enough. And I'll speak to the night
Waterman, and give him dollar to take 4
particular look at this house. Well, good
by, Maggie, make things as neat as possible,
for if they look dirty my wife may think
the furniture old, and want something new
for the parlor." And Mr.. Van Mott de-
parted.
Eyes. yes,'' said old Maggie, ''no doubt
she'll have fine, extravagant ways. Poor
master . What a pity he should marry,
after all-but old fools are the worst fools.
A young thing of eight-and- forty, too, when
be has a sensible servant, sixty last January,
that knows what belongs to good house
keeping. If he wanted to marry why didn't
he ask me? I'd not have gone gallivanting
and spending All. well, he'ii suffer, not |. :"
And Maggie trotted away to begin her
sweeping and busting.
She had said truly that there was no fear
born with her, but as the night drew on she
began to feel somewhat lonely. Her mas
ter's presence was strangely missed out of
the great house, and there was something
shostly in the look of his empty chair when
she peeped into the little back Office.
''IfI was superstitious, she said to her.
self, Il should think something dreadful
was going to happen. l feel chilly up ard
down my back, and keep thinking Of fun
erals Ill make myself cup of tea, and
see if | can't get over it"
And accordingly old Maggie shut herself
into the snug kitchen, and lighting two car
dies, drew pot of the strongest young
Tyson, and putting her feet close to the
cooking-Stove began to feel much more COM
Portable.
1.-The old clock licked away on the mantel.
tie hands pointing to hal-past eight.
"I'm going to bed at nine," said Maggie.
"I'ye worked we'll to-day. Much thanks
III get for it, 1 doubt Hank! What's
that?'
1t was sound outside the door-a slow.
solemn grating of wheels Then feet trod
The pavement, and the bell rung family.
"a carriage!'' cried Maggie. ''Has he
changed his mind and brought her home at
once? But that can't be-he's not married
get" And taking one of the candles she
trotted to the door, bat not before the bell
bod rupr rain