Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1880-08-12
Midnight Footsteps.

In an ancient Northumberland mansion
two ladies sat within easy distance of the
fire, the length and depth and fierceness of
which would have astonished a London
householder. The elder lady-and she was
very old, but as brisk as bee-Sat at a
| large waiting table, and turned over numer-
Gus papers by the light of the wax can
dies that stood near in heavy silver candle
sticks The younger lady, and she was
closely approaching fifty, was busily en-
gagged with long roll of flannel, from
which she was cutting petticoats for the
poor. Any winters evening for two years
past the widowed Mrs. Crosby and Miss
Dorothy Grimble, her niece. might have
been found similarly employed, the aunt
ruling her large estate with firm hand
from that writing table, and the maiden
niece organizing the feminine charities of
the house.
''Scandalcus! That fellow Smith in
trouble again, and can't pay his rent. Soon
see about that idle rascal!" muttered Mrs.
Crosby
''Only fortnight till a club day; won-
der if these petticoats will be ready for the
womeD," murlnured Miss Dorothy, anx-
iously.
Send them up to the school-house; they
can be made there.
They are making new surplices for the
choir; can't do both"
BAH Surphces, indeed Petticoats
are much more use and Pm sure that poor
miserable rector is as much at the mercy
of those women as if he wore pettIcoat
himself"
"Well, Aunt Crosby demonstrated Miss
Dorothy, ''you can't eGpect a man to know
all that woman generally looks after"
''IIe ought to, if he hasn't got woman
to help him. How do / know all about
what man generally looks aftt-. ~
AT this moment the door was thrown
open, and the old butler announced the rec
tor of the parish.
Mr.. Preedy was very quiet, mild look
ing man. upward of fifty. He entered
nervously; for he was always uncertain,
until he had been greeted, whether his pow
erful parishoner, Mrs. Crosby, intended to
snap at him or pat him on the back (meta-
phorically). lie now received her gracious
shake of the hand with sense of pure
qualification.
paSslng-ahem, ah!"
And then the sentences died away In an
almost inaudlsle whisper of self-evident
fact, namely, that he had ''looked in"
''Quite right, sit down; I'm busy, but
Dolly will talk to you"
Very uneasily he approached dolly"
and seated himself on one side of the large
workbasket, his hands meekly folded on his
knees, and his eyet resting in fond admira-
tion on the heaps of flannel.
"Always busy, always useful, " he muir
INJURED.
Miss Dorothy's maiden hand tBitched
and she cut the flannel in wrong place.
Excuse me-, she said, rising In some
confusion. 81 forgot to leave out some
medicine for Mrs. Brown. will return
Immediately"
The door had just closed when the rector
murmured audibly:
Admirable woman! Invaluable !"
"Ah2" said Aunt Crosby, sharply turn
ing round, and the light from the fire made
her spectacles CLEAN as she sat with raised
pen, ''did you speak ?"
'tNo-I, ah-merely was thinking-ah
what a loss Miss Dorothy would be to you
-f-ah, she was to-leave you'll
''Bless mel" responded Aunt Crosby, in
tone of slight contempt 'no need to
trouble about that till she talks of going"
''NO, no; very true, madam. You have
such an amusing way of putting things"
and he ventured on a little nervous laugh,
from which he sobered down supernatural
ly next minute. "Perhaps-ah-she might
marry?"
''What is the idiot driving at9" said Mrs.
Crosby to herself, irate at so many Interrupt
tions. "Marry, did you say4" she inquired
aloud. "Well, about fve-and twenty years
ago Dolly was well-looking young woman.
Still, she might marry now, and so might
|, for the matter of that, if any one asked
me! Take look at the paper, MIR. Preedy;
they'll bring in the tray directly" and the
pen scratched on again.
s'What a cruel woman!" said the rector
to himself. ''She won't let me speak! I'll
try her again, though, see if | DON'T
And having manfully turned the paper
inside out, he gave preparatory cough.
''Mrs. Crosby, have long wished"
"Why can't he keep st1ll?" muttered the
old lady to herself.
81 say, have long wished, and he
had attained the fixed high key in which he
usually lntoned the service, and the sound
of his own voice thus pitched gave him
courage-''to express the admiration | feel
for your niece"
"Well, she's an excellent creature, Mr..
Preedy," agreed Aunt Crosby; and in des-
pair at his pert1nacity, she put down her
pen, frightened her pinched glasses on her
nose, and turned her keen face full round
to await the further remarks Of her visitor.
'What a wife she would make, Mrs.
Crosby!" cried the cheered rector, enthu-
siastically.
A glimmer1ng of the truth lit up the old
lady's mind, and she replied:
"You should be better judge of that
than me, Mr.. Preedy; did you want to
marry herr"
''Oh, Mrs. Crosby, you are too good!
May hope2"
With an odd smile on her puckered old
face, Aunt Crosby said:
Hadn't you better ask her I'll 60 out
as she comes in"
And, suiting the action to the word, the
mistress of the mansion left the room as her
niece entered.
A L L