South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1881-10-21
Maggie and the Burglars.
You are not afraid, Maggie?'

IN. You say yourself there's no lock
burglar could force, and am no,
one TO let tramps or the like i'm of nv
free will. God knows the place will
be safe though when you come back
as safe rs though there was a reci.
mcnt of soldiers in it; aud I'll have
all bright for your new wife, Mr.. AR.
chibald.'
She called her master Mr.. Arc,Ii-
bald still. this old woman; but she
was the only one who still used his
Christian name. He was an ell.
DERBY man himself, l. had few intimate
friends, hospitality not being one OF
his virtues.
lie was rich. and there was much that
was valuable inthe house more ready
money, too, than most men keep IL
bout them but then it was as secure
asa bank vault-patent locks & bur-
giar al-rms that first sent bullet into
any one VINO sought to enter By stealth,
ana then rang bell to wake the
household, were attached to every
door, d q furious Watchdog that lived
ON raw meat, was in the back garden.
The Van Mott mansion could have
wlthstood siege at moments no.
tice.
Mr.. Van Mott was n money dealer.
He had ways and means of accumu-
latng property which were mysteries
to his neighbors, and they were suspi-
cious 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, anu
diamonds of genteel distress.
Two or three mortgages that he
had bought up had been rather cruel
~ ioTecloSed, and he was hard land
lord and e bad person to owe money
10 altogether. On the whole. lie was
dlsiikcd in the place, and, rich as lie
was, would lave found it hard TO get
wife TO his liking among hs nngh-
bors ut Oukhnm.
However having resolved TO marry
again there had been Mrs. Van Mott,
who died years beforc-he had sought
cut wealthy widow OF saving dis.
position. who lived on IL small farm
some miles ont OF town. and having
already djsinhcritcd her daughter, for
cspousing an estimablc man of small
means, and turned her only son out
of doors for equally prudent reasons,
WAS not likely to bring any trouble
some generosity into lis household
and had offered himself TO her and
had been accepted.
And now, though both their econo-
mical souls rcvolied against it, GUS
tom decreed a wedding of some sort,
and a honeymoon trip somewhere, and
they had decided to do it rs chcaply
as possible. For5this brief time MIR
Van Mott must leave his business and
his houses, aud it was upon the eve OF
departure that he held the above con
vcrsation with his old servant, stand
ing with his portmanteau in his hand
and regarding her gravely.
Yes, yes, he said. i presume it is
all safe enough. And I'll speak to
tie night .watchman. and give him n
dollar to take a particular look ut this
house Well, goodbye, Maggie. make
things as neat as possible, if they look
dirty my wife may think the furniture
old, and want something now for the
par!or. And Mr.. Van Mott dc.
parted.
Yes said old Maggie. mo doubt
she'll have fine eXtravagaut ways.
Poor master! What Il pity he should
marry. after all-but old fools are the
worst fools. \ young man Of eight
and forty. too. when he has IL sensible
servant, sixty last January, and knows
what belongs TO good housekeeping.
IT lie wanted to marry why didn't he
ask me? I'd not lave gone galvantiug
and spending. All, well, he'll suffer,
not L. And Maggie trotted away TO
begin her sweeping and dusting
She had said truly that there was
no fear born with her, but as the
night drew on she began TO feel some
what lonely. As her masters pres
cucc was strangely missed out OF the
great house. aud there was something
gIostly In the look OF his empty chair
when She pceped into ms little back
Office.
If | was superstitious.' she said TO
herself L should think something
dreadful was going to happen. ] feel
chilly up and down my back, and /
keep thinking of funerals. III make
myself a emp OF tea, and see If can
get over it,
And accordingly old Maggie shut
herself into the snug kitchen, and
lighting two candles, drew q pot of
the strongest young dyson, and put
ting her feet close 20 the cooking
stove began to feel much more com,
Portable.
The old clock licked away on the
mantcl, the hands pointing TO half
past eight
I'm going to bed Mt nine said
Ng4rfrf. 10. ttn~t-.I .r.-IT 4