Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1883-05-31
A MILLION A MINUTE.

will of old Rodney Gauntlet. Eve
rybody in the city knew him in his
life-time-knew him as a shrewd, ac-
tive, hot-tempered man, and called
him "old" while he was yet in his
prime. As far as memory goes back,
he justified the epithet. He looked
old. withered, dried up, yet there was
plenty of life in him, as those found
who crossed his path, or tried to over
reach him in the business transac-
tions that took him every day into
the chief places of resort in the city.
I was only, as l knew quite soon
enough, the child of an old friend
one Col. Anthony Wyvern-whom he
had adopted out of charity.
Having so adopted me. he did his
duty by me. All admitted that; the
praise Of him in that particular rang
as ceaseless pean in his ears-and
in mine. And / was daily hidden to
take note how good he was, how low
ing and how generous, and what inf
mite return, by way of goodness, graf
itude, docility, perseverance and l
know not what other virtues, all this
demanded at my hands.
Ours was not a very lively home
Our house was an old one that had
held its own in the city when Che city
had even its palaces. But in the long
course of tiue it had ylelaed. !. foot by
foot, to encroachments on all sides,
until it was fairly bricked in, and ut
terly lost to public gaze. 1t could
only be reached by means of pas
sage through another house, which
had planted its great broad back right
In front of our windows, and so oD-
structed our view and shut out our
light.
Old Rodney Gauntlett's own rooms
were on the ground floor; they were
like dungeons, but he never saw them
so. All the year round he breakfas-
ted and dined by candle-light; yell
low wax lights, in old plated candel-
abra, red as copper, were always lit
for him night and morning. That was
his fancy, and like all his other hab-
its, had taken firm root in him.
Bridget and / lived upstairs. Brid-
get, by the way, was our one domes-
tic-housekeeper, nurse and general
servant in one. She was as old as
her master. Bridget was my good
friend and almost sole companion. If
/ could have wished her other than
she was, it would have been in res
pect of her sense of Rodney Gaunt-
let's goodness to me, and of the hard
measure of gratitude she thought pro-
per to exact from my unhappy self in
return.
AS | was saying, our rooms were
upstairs; they were three in number,
and formed the whole of the second
floor. Ny share comprised very
large bedroom, that had been a re-
ceTtion room in the olden times, and
a smaller apartment opening out of
it. Bridget's chamber was outside
mine, her door close to the top of the
great staircase; so that sleeping there
she in a manner kept watch and ward
over me.
The smaller room, in which / lived.
was like a room,borrowed from the
last century. The furniture was in
keeping tables with carved legs and
brass handles and fittings; chairs with
oval backs and striped moreen cush-
ions; escritoires with drawers, and In
dian jars-all these were conspicuous.
But most consdicuous Of all was a Ja-
panese csbinet, very large and cum
brous, black as ebony, with Quaint
figures in gold and dead colors, in
slight relief. 1t must once have been
very costly; but was now out of re-
pair, and was only used as a recepta-
Gle for papers.
/ never recall my room without a
thought of this cabinet. 1t is especi-
ally associated with the first visit Of
q friend of Rodney Gauntlet, who af-
terward came often TO the old house
far oftener than / cared to see him.
/ recall that visit like a dream. I
seem to see myself pale, slim girl
with hair Of reddish hue, SO thick that
it viii never keep its place in any
knot into which / twist it, but is al
ways hanging about my shoulders.
studded with hair pins. 'Tis evening.
and | am close to the window, strain
ing my eyes over a book in the fail
ing light. The book touches me
deeply. and | am conscious that nv
eyelids are red. and that there are
tears on my cheeks. While | am
thus absorbed. the door opens, and
BRIDGET enters baarino IN ona ha,d