Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-11-18
MAGGIE AND THE BURGLARS.

"Me afraldH' said Maggie. I'D no fear
born with me. AS for the house, it's the
strongest fastened ever was in. You say
yourself there's no lock burglar could
force, and I am not one to let tramps or
the like in Of my free will. God knows
the place will be safe though when you
come back-as safe as though there was a
regiment 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
intimate friends, hospitality not being one
of his virl ues.
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 a bank
vault-patent locks and burglar alarms
that first sent bullet into any one who
sought to enter by stealth, and then rang
bell to wake the'household, were attach
ed to every door, and furious watchdog
that lived on raw meat, was in the back
garden. The Van Mott mansion could
have withstood siege at a moments no.
tice.
Mr. Van Mott was money dealer. lie
had ways and means of accommodating
property which were mysterious 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, cash
mere shawls, and diamonds of genteel dis
tress.
Two or three mortgages that he had
bought up had been rather cruelty FORE
closed, 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 a wife to his liking among his
neighbors at Oakham.
However, having resolved to marry again
there had been Mrs. Van Mott, who died
wears before-he had sought out wealthy
widow of saving disposition. who lived
on small farm some miles out OF town,
and having already disinherited her
daughter, for espousing 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 Of
fered himself to her and had been accept
ed.
And now. though both their economi-
cal souls revolted against it, custom de-
creed 3 wedding of some sort, and hon
ey-moon trip somewhere, and they had de-
cided to do it as cheaply as possible. For
| this brief time Mr.. Van Mott must leave
lisbusness and his houses. and it was upon
| the cave of departure that he held the
above conversation with his old servant,
standing with his portmanteau in his
hand. and regarding her grayely.
! Eyes, yes" he said. 81 presume it is all
safe enough. And I'll speak to the night
wa1chman, and give him dollar to take
particular look at this house. ''Well,
goodbye, Maggie, make things as neat as
possible, If they 'ok dirty my wife may
| think the furniture old, and want some
| thing new for the parlor.'' And Mr.. Van
Mott departed
| Yes said old Maggie, mo doubt she II
/ have fine, extravaganza ways. Poor mas
ter! What pity he should marry, after
! all-but old fools are the worst fools. A
4 young man of eight-and-forty, too, when
! he has sensible servant, sixty last Janu-
airy, and knows what belongs to good
! housekeeping. If he wanted to marry
why d;dn' he ask me? I'd not have gone
galivanting and spending. Alb, well, he'll
suffer, not I.'' 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
Oh she began to feel somewhat lonely. AS
her master!s presence was strangely miss
| ed out of the great house, and there was
lsomething ghostly in the look Of his emp
ty chair when she peeped into his little
back office.
eff was superstlGlous, she said tc
herself, 81 should think something dread
lful was going to happen. feel chilly up
land down my back. and keep thinking
LOT funerals. I'll make myself cup of tea
land see If I can get over it,
i And accordingly old Maggie shut herself
aiinto tho snug kitchen, and lighting two
acandles. drew pot Of the strongest young
hyson. and putting her feet close to tn
/ cooking stove began to feel much mor'
c. omfortable.
| The old clock licked away on the man