Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-01-04


1t was warmish, February night-sucf
things do befall now and then-and 1
blazing moon. We walked backward and
forward for turn or two, and then leaned
over the balustrade, looking at the expanse
of lawn and shrubberY and the woods be-
yond, all wonderfully clear and distinct IL
the white, still light. Suddenly spectral
outline flew over the lawn, followed by q
very substantial figure in hot pursuit.
"Congo exclaimed Marillier and
simultaneously. Doesn't it recall Bally
noggin ?"
Congo it was. He lodged Carmody
round and round the fountain, and then
attracted, presume, by the brilliant range
of lighted windows-made for the terrace,
came up and over the side in three swarm
ing leaps, chartered recognition Of his
master, and then, to make all safe, seized q
trailing bough of ivy and swung himself
aloft up to the ornamental stone-worI
above one of the windows.
Up came Carmody.
"It's the housekeeper's best bonnet, vel
honor She's just dancin' mad after him,
he painted.
Congo proceeded to dissect mangled
mass of black stuff, part of which seemed
| composed of giant grapes, made evidently
of some inedible substance, for, after tast.
| ing one, Congo wrenched off and cracked
the others spitefully, till he took to pelting
Blew with them.
Marillier meanwhile was talking to Car
mody.
There they are, ready enough, I'll be
! bound, sor," 1 heard the latter reply.
1.-TWO fine active boys, and ladther enough
to go up church steeple, let alone the
roof"
And lanterns 2" Marillier asked.
thought it rather an expenditure OF
force if they only wished to recover the
bonnet, now hopelessly demolished. Congo
had put it on, and Allonby. who had just
come out, was shouting with laughter.
Very well, very well, Major Marillier,
said Jonathan's voice at the window.
"I've found my servants in new mourning
once. can't be expected to replace your
brute's-"
Here his remarks were cut short by
Congo, who made one leap on to his head,
and second into the room. Marillier
sprang after him. He sped like lightning
through the whole suite of rooms, across
the hall, and into the deserted dining
room. Here, when we came up with him,
we found him ravaging the table, his cheek
stuffed with preserved fruit and nuts.
Allonby tried to throw napkin over him,
but this only produced fierce chatter,
and the creature, now seriously scared,
kicking over the epsrgne, raced back as he
had come. Out on the terrace, up the ivy,
appearing for one moment grinning over
the battlemented parapet, the next high on
the ridge-tiles of the roof against the sky.
"Shoot him :" shrieked Jonathan, half
frantic. "He's got the nut-crackers A
sovereign to the man who gets gun and
brings him down."
"Pll give ten to any man who can bring
him back alive!" shouted the Major.
Here you are, sir |" sang out garden
er's boy, hurrying forward with ladder
on his shoulder.
He placed it against the wall, and up he
went. Up went Carmody with lantern
swinging in his teeth. Up went Major
Marillier, shouting, "Come along-some.
one-Blew or Rivers !"
Up went all, followed by two men with
additional lengths of ladder, stirred by a
simultaneous impulse of frolic, to join the
mad game of follow.my. leader land that
leader Congo) over the roof of Brockwood.
There can never have been a weirder
scene under the stars than that monkey
hunt. Brockwood looked as big as small
village by the half light. The roof ran up
into countless peaks and ridges. now and
then descending sheer into abysses of
blackness, now opening into great wide
plains of lead roofing with treacherous pit.
falls of skylights. The great stacks of
chimneys cast black shadows across our
way an owl tapped out at us; lights be-
gan to fit about excitedly in the windows
that overlooked our course the servants
turned out on the watch for Congo's
descent, and we four lunatics in evening
dress ran, halloaed, slipped, scrambled and
perilled our necks more times than we cared
to count, without the smallest chance of
ever coming mp with our quarry unless by
his own good pleasure. Carmody, in good
training from long practice, kept well up /;
then the boy, an ex-slater, it appeared ;
then we four at varying distances. Jona-
than Marillier had taken heart of grace,
and descended, but contented himself with
surveying us from distance.
Congo took it easy now and then disap.
pearing entirely into some hiding hole
amongst the chimneys. When he did SO 1
noticed that Carmody marked the place
before dislodging him.
At last, after steady run of fifteen min.
utes, he seemed to conclude that it was
time to dispense with our attendance, and
accordingly made for "home. We could
hardly keep him in view as he flew up to a
higher level and round to the front of the
house, then up the steep slant of the roof
of the big hall, and with mighty leap
gained an arched opening at the top of the
clock tower.
Carmody gave wild "hurroo " Of tri-
umph, and was after him like a cat. Congo
danced and defied him madly. He was
safe until we could get the ladders up. At
last they came, also Jonathan. The gar
dener's boy swarmed up first, but retreated
in dismay from vigorous onslaught of
Congo's.
"Never mind the monkey" shouted the
Major "turn out his hiding. place.
| / looked at Marillier in amaze. His voice
was cracked and shakY with excitement,
his face deathly pale, with grim, desper-
ate look about it. In his disordered dress
and tangled hair no one could have recog-
nized him as the standard of military pro-
priety 80 we'll known to Ballynoggin.
Then followed a queer scene. We all
got as close under the tower as we could.
Someone sent us up more lanterns and a
clothes basket, into which the contents of
poor Congo's treasure house were flung, he
meanwhile lamenting piteously or grimac-
ing with impotent wrath from the top Of
the tower. First the sugar.tongs, also the
crown of the missing pineapple next my
fathers gold eyeglass, missing since the
funeral, and one Of Parker's shoes, also a
handful of livery buttons, apparently
wrenched off. That seemed the total OF
his recent pilferings but under a layer of
rubbish came a collection evidently dating
| from his earlier days at Brockwood faded
and battered work. basket once brilliant
with satin and beads gold-topped SMELL
ing. bottle; q set of kitchen skewers a
prayer.book and an evil-smelling mass,
which on investigation proved to have been
once tongue highly decorated and frilled
with lace paper. We got quite excited at
first, but it began to feel chilly and we
made movement toward friendly attic
window opened for our descent.
"Stop, please" implored the Major ;
"only . moment longer p His voice was
husky and queer, and his hand, laid on my
arm, trembled violently.
Hurry, men Is that all?
EVERY bit, sir, except some torn papers
and litter