The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-26
Select Story.
MAGGIE AND THE 3UReLARs


You are not afraid. Maggie
= Me afraid said Maggie. " I'd no
fear born with me. As for the house. 1t 5
the strongest fastened ever l was in. You
say yourself there's no lock a burglar could
force, and I'm not one to let tramps or the
like in Of my own free will. God knows
the place will be safe enough when you
come back-as safe as though there were
a regiment of soldiers in it, and II have
all bright for your new wife, Mr.. Arehi-
bald.
She called her master Mr. Archibald
Stiu. this old woman but she was the only
.cne who still used his Christian name. He
was an elderly man himself, and had few
intimate friends, hospitality not being one
,of lGs WRITES
He sE,ss ffth, snd shere w34s much that
was valuable in the house more ready
money. too, than most men keep about
them but then it was as secure as bank
vault-patent locks and burglar alarms that
first sent bullet into any one who sought
10 enter by stealth, and then rang bell to
wdke the household, were attached to every
door. and furious watchdog, that lived
on raw meat, was in the back garden The
Van Nett mansion could have withstOod a
siege at moments notice.
Mr.. Van Nott was a money dealer. He
had ways and means Of accumulfting pro
perty which were mysteries to his neigh7
bOrs. and they were suspicious that the lit
tie hack parIor. sacred to business, had even
seen sslch lesser dealings as the loan Of
money on the gold watches, cashmere
shawls. and diamonds ef genteel distress
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 10 altogether.
On tie whole. he was disliked in the place,
and. sch as he was, would have foahd it
hard to get a wife to his liking among hls
neiehbors at 0akham.
However, having resolved to marry
there had been Mrs. Van Mott, who died
wears before-he sought out a wealthy
widow Of saving disposition, who lived on
a 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
Gkely 70 bring any troublesome generosity
iigao his household, and had offered himself
.foIser and had been accepted.
Asd now, though both their economical
soulsrsrolted against 1t, custom decreed q
wedding Of some sort, and honeymoon
trip somawhere, and they had decided to do
Il as cheaply as possible. For this brief
time Mr.. Van Mott must leave his business
and his houses, and it was upon the eve of
departure that he held the above eonversa-
ton with his old servant, standing with his
portmanteau in his hand. and regarding her
grayely.
Yes, yes," he said, / presume it Is all
safe enough. And I'll speak to the night
,watchman, and give him dollar to take a
,earticular look at this house. Well, good
bye, Maggie; make things as neat as pos
sible. If they look dirty my wife may
think the furniture old, and want some
thing new for the parlor. And Mr., Van
Mott departed.
Yes, yes, said old Maggie, mo doubt
she'll have fine, extravagant ways. Poor
MASTER What pity he should marry,
after all-but old fools are the worst fools.
A Young thing of eight-aiad- forty, too, when
he has a sensible servant, sixty last Janu-
ary. and knows what belongs to good house
keeping. If he wanted to marry, why
didn't he ask me ? I'd not have gone gall
wanting and spending. All, WELL he'll suf-
fer, not ]" And Maggie trotted away to
begin her sweeping and dusting
She he'd truly said that there was no feai
born with her; but as the night drew on
she began to feel somewhat lonely. Her
masters presence was strangely missed out
Of the great house, and there was some
thing ghostly in the look Of his empty
chair when she peeped into hflittle back
Office
"If | was superstitious, she said e
herself. = | should think something dread
full was going to happen. / feel chilly NJ
and down my back, and keep thinking Of
funerals I'll make myself cup of tes
and see if / can't get over it.
And accordingly old Maggie shut her
self into the snug kitchen, and lighting tive
candles, drew out pot of the strOngesi
young hyson, and putting her feet close tt
the cooking stove began to feel much more
comfortable.
The old clock tieked away on the man
tie. the hands pointed to halfpast eight.
aTm going to bed at nine, said Maggie
aI've worked well to-day. Much thanks
I'll get for it, / doubt. Hark What
that /"
It was a sound outside the door-a slow
solemn grating of the wheels. Then fee
trOd the pavement, and the bell rams
family.
carriage! cried Maggie. " Has hs
changed his mind and brought her hons
at once? But that can't be-he's no
married yet. And taking one of the can
dies, she trotted to the door, but not before
the bell had rung again.
Who's that she cried, holding th'
door slightly ajar.
"a stranger" said voice, "one wh'
has something particular to say to you
sSYou'n have to wait for tomorrow,
said Maggie. You can't come in to
night
My good woman, said the stranger
q are you Margaret Black +"
That's my name.