The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-11-01
SELECTED STORY
[Macmillan's Msgazine.l
No Fiction.

took possession Of the official residence
provided for us.
1t was an old stone house of one story;
rooted, in part with ancient stone slabs, in
part with modern states; and standing in a
garden bare of trees. A wide passage ran
BACK from the entrance toward the kitchen,
where there were two doors; the one leading
into the yard, the other into the larder,
which was, in fact, roomy cellar atthe foot
of a flight of very old stone steps. The five
Bedrooms all opened on a square landing
sHnw ahont the roof?' asked of the
man in charge.
All rsns sir; everything has been care
fully seen to; and when the thaw comes. I'll
warrant you'll not be troubled, anything to
matter
In few days we had shaken down; and
the verdict on our new home was, Not
grand, but decided 'cosey.'
A tall, solid, feshy, rosy young woman
had undertaken to be our one servant
Sparing of words was she, but not sparing of
work.
The incarnation of stupidity and stolidity
said my son Primus.
The very thing for u.s. said his mother.
This girls name being Stillwell, soon be-
came corrupted into Saltwater; to, for short.
Still.
1t was splendid skating weather. The
4
of foot or more, and one glided along over
acres of smooth, green, transparent ice
Every day we sailed FORTH my three boys,
their sister and |, to take our fill of enjoy
ment in this icy paradise; coming back to
bask all the evening before the bright golden
Sunshine and the silvery ashes of North
country coal fire.
NJ wife has the weak habit of going to
tuck up her boys after they are in bed
f1pa piobf fhoir uaiapc sounded
that she ran up in haste to see what was
wrong. On entering their room she found
the two elder boys sitting up in bed, huring
Injurious and derisiye eptheis at some
person or persons unknown.
Let me just find out who you are, and
you'll get such jolly good licking as You'll
remember announced Prmus, gazing
wrathfnlly at the ceiling.
'Oh, you blooming IDIOT! / wish I'd your
boots I'd throw 'em' at your head. Be off
I'm taking sight at you, shouted Secundu's,
nose and fingers up-turned in the same
direction.
Are you both mad?' inquired the stern,
maternal voice.
It's that fellow, mother, that / told you
about. He's on the roof again. Just listen
30 the row he makes
'Nonsence, said his mother; but she
stood lis ening for some time.
ooh, you cowardP
'Ah, you funkp proceeded from the two
beds. Not sound above.
i heard no row on the roof remarked
mother, with dignified emphasis; and having
performed the usual ceremony, she departed
and came and told me of the whole affair,
concluding with:
Il wonder if it can be rats
Not doubt of it,.
Next morning the boys were full of their
nocturnal visitor; and declared that no soon
er had the drawing-room door shut. than
the scrambling and trampling began again.
History tells OF a certain cat who wore
top boots; but l never heard of rats adoubt.
nag the fashion, remarked.
Rats, fatherl why we know the sound OF
them well enough. And they run bstween
the ceiling and the roof. But this is unmis-
taxable boots, with plenty of hobnails in
them too, on the outside OF the roof. We
expected every moment to see the fellows
legs come through plasltoand ALL ! think
may be permitted to speak with auth ority
on the subject of boots and roofs in coniunc,
tion'
He certainly might, for he had perambu-
lated the roofs of all the outhouses at S,
TO the great detriment of tiles and states.
We'll them continued Primus, with the
air of an adept, [ am so sure it was boy OF
nay size in hobnailed boots, that feel as if
l had seen them. could swear to Them
Come out and have a look,' was my reply.
There lay the white mantle, smooth and
glistening in the sunshine, and untrodden by
so much as the foot of tom-cat
The boys looked at each other in amaze
ment 1 don't care said Secundus defiant.
ly, 4 shall always believe it was boy
Its the FUNNIEST thing 1 ever knew,
slowly remarked Primus.
IF Boots comes again the only thing you
have to do is to wish him good night, and to
cover up your ears was my recommends
ton.
That evening, just as we were about tc
begin prayers, we were all startled by some
tremendous blows on the cellar door, My
wife, thinking there must be some one at the
back door, told Saltwater to 90 and see who
it could be knocking in that outrageous way
The girl did not stir. After moment she
aid, It's the cellar door,
'Impossiblep said her mistress. Go quick
ly and see what it is
We heard the unlocking and relocking OF
the gard door. When the girl came back
she said there was no one there. Presently
while was reading, there came more loud
blows as if struck by heavy fist; and I'M
mistakably against the cellar door.
When prayers were ended, we went tc
make acquaintance with our mysterious cap
tive. On opening the door, there was moth
ing to be seen but the fight Of steps.
My wife and l exchanged glances which
said very plainly, "a sweetheart So as the
youth appeared shy, gave him an enceur
aging invitation to come forth and show him
self. No reply.
L am determined to know who you are
said 1, nobly plunging into the abyss, thu
boys al my heels. Nothing whatever to b'
seen, and not corner in which anything
bigger than a mouse could hide. Thu
window? 1t was tightly closed up for the
winter, and was, besides, blocked with snow
was certainly mystiied; but l sent tht
young ones off to bed with an assurance
that wind. in an old house, was capable OF
making the most extraordinary noises: and
in ILLUSTRATION, we all in turn shook the door.
not, however, producing anything like the
preVoas effect.
4 must have been at the back door, said
my wife, with searching look at Still
water.
No; it's the cellar door that does it,,
quietly replied the girl.
How can it make that noise of itself?
4 don't know
did you ever hear it beforer
Yes; this evening, when Miss was at The
piano.
We decided that we must watch Still
water.
In the course OF the night we were aWake(
by the agreeable sound of Drip, drip, drip
in one corner of the room. My wife put
basin beneath, with towel in it, to deader
the sound. Presently, drip, drip again, jus
outside the door, which we always kept open
There's sudden thaw, and we're in fo
it, said /. Let's go to Sleep 1t won
hurt the fioorcloth.'
But there was no going to sleep, for The
drip came faster than ever, until it increased
to little stream. There were no matches
in the room; but managed to find my bath
and to set it, with blanket inside it, under
the spot whence the sound came
When at breakfast, I announced the sad
news of the sudden thaw, there was a
chorus of EXPLANATIONS: 'Whyl everything
is rs hard as iron,' ETC., etc.
The mother, meanwhile, was directing
her handmaiden to dry up the water which
had come in during the night. The cir
stared. When she came into the room
again her mistress asked her what she haG
done with the wet blanket. She stared
more expressively, and was mute.
Don't you understands
yes, ma'am. Bat there is no wet blanket
and no water to wipe up
Up stairs went the mistress and servant
and in two minutes back came my wife,
Iooly;n0 o,Iito homildarod