Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-08-04

4uaiuO tuu queer cuOuSu 10 puZIie HiHl,
but he made ont the words, "Lady dr.
mytaye." Before him was one of the
low doors with the number ten on it,
and in it stood an old woman with Q
black silk cap on her head, and little
black shawl over the shoulders Of her
purple calico gown.
She held something in her hand and
showed it to him. It was q piece Of a
silver buckle.
Bring me the other half" she said,
"and / will tell you tale that will
please you."
Then the lad awoke determined to 60
to London. He was SO excited by tho
dream that he could scarcely wait until
morning to tell it to his mistress, who,
on hearing it, at once brought out the
silver half buckle that she had kept ever
since he had been left at her door, and
vowed that she would 90 to London
with him to see what came of this strange
dream.
Together the woman and boy made
the journey, and after many inquiries
and much wandering about the strange
city, they learned that there existed in
it's heart an old time charity called,
queerly enough, 'Lady Armytage's
twenty -four old wives
Twenty-four old women, who had
been reputable wives and mothers, were
fed. clothed and lodged in these build
ings-the funds for the purpose having
been bequeathed by a certain pious
Lady Armytage, long dead.
To this row of buildings the two cOun-
try folk made their way, and the boy
cried ont with something very like ter
TOR when he saw the houses Of his dream
and on one low door the number ten
that he had read in those very white
letters. He knocked at it with tremb
ling hand, and an old woman in black
silk cap, purple gown and little black
shawl opened it at once. She made
courtesy such as humble English wo-
men give their superiors, and said:
"What can | do for you, ma'am"
And the boy staggered back against the
doorpost, too faint to speak but Mrs.
Cartwright walked bravely into the
poor little apartment,
'Dame," she said, Twelve come long
way to ask you little question. Have
you the other half of bit of buckle
like this I"
The old woman looked at her mo-
ment and answered:
II have, ma'am and parcel, too,
for one that shows it to 1ne. Sit down
and I'll tell you about it,"
Mrs. Cartwright seated herself; the
boy drew near. The old woman went
to chest which stood in recess, un
locked it, aud took thence parcel,
well tied up.
''rheres two of us in this home al
ways, ma'am," she said. ''The last one
died here. She was an old nurse wo-
man-Hannah Clegg, she called herself
and in her last illness, she was great
ly put about by something that was on
her conscience. Before she died she
gave me card, with name and
place on it, and this parcel. "When
Pm dead" she said, "not before, write
to that place and say: eff you want
the other half of the buckle, come to
me-" When any one comes, if they
show You half of a silver buckle, give
them this parcel"
'It's all she said, ma'am. She died
very soon. Of course, ] was upset, and
when all was over, found that though
had the parcel safe, ] had not the
card-that was gone. Eve been think |
ing to 90 to the minister and show the |
parcel to him, for it's full of writing,
and there's a bit of buckle in it, too.
But it seems some one must ave told
you about it. ! think it's yours by
right, and / should give it over"
The farmers wife was wise enough to
keep her own counsel. She gave gift |
to the old woman that made her feel
herself paid for any trouble she had, and
took the parcel away with her. At the
hotel where they stopped for the night,
the two anxious travellers read the pa
per; it contained. I, Martha Grey, who
have been living in the City of London
for ten years or more, under the name
of Hannah Clegg, do hereby swear and
affirm that sixteen years ago, being then
employed as nurse for my Lady Marlowe
of Marlowe Hall, shire, was DESTROYS
of Furnishing Lord Marlowe for trifling
with the affections Of my niece, Kate
Grey who died, as / know, of broken