The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-10-04
IN A FLASH.


counted handsome woman. She was
very tall and very angular, with long
thin lace, the most remarkable feature
Ct " hieh vas a ~. = se5liI5n nose OF COM
handing proportions. But as she had
one of the kindest hearts in the world,
her paucity of good looks seemed o
matter of trif1ing moment to those who
had the privilege of knowing her well.
1t was at my request that, some two or
three years before her death, she wrote
out the following narrative of an actual
occurrence in her early life. l put the
manuscript away at the time, and did
not come across it again till the other
day. On looking over it once more, it
seemed to me not unworthy of being
Transcribed for a wider circle of readers
than that comprised by the writer's
immediate friends and acquaintance.
You ask me to 90 back in memory
(begins my aunt) to what seems to me
now like period of remote antiquity,
when |, Barbara Waldron, was twenty
four years of age, and my sister Bessie
five years younger, and endeavor to
put down in writing the little story
told you by word of mouth a few days
ago.
You must know, then, that in those
far-off days my sister and l were keep
ing house for our brother John, who
at that time filled the position of stew
ard and land agent to Lord Darlington.
The house we lived in was pleasant
but somewhat lonely residence, about
half mile from the little country town
of Levensfeld. The house suited us
for several reasons. In the first place,
the rent was low; in the next, large
walled garden was attached to it, in
which Bessie and / spent many happy
hours; and in the third place, there was
a side entrance to Darlington Park, by
which my brother could take a short
cut to the Hall whenever he had bust
ness with His Lordship or His Lordship
had business with him. Our household
was small one, and besides ourselves
comprised only Mary Gibbs, middle
aged woman and her niece, girl of
sixteen. Johns horse and gig were
looked after by young man named
Reuben Gates, who did not, however,
sleep on the premises. An important
part of Johns duties was to receive and
pay into the Levenstield bank the rents
due from the farmers and other tenants
of property held under Lord Dorring-
ton. One snch tenant was certain
MIR. ShillitO, corn and seed merchant,
who was noted for his eccentricities. 1t
was only in keeping with Mr.. Shillito's
aggravating way of doing business
that he should never pay his rent at
the time other people paid theirs; that
he should always pay it in gold and
notes instead of giving a check for the
amount, as he was quite in a position
to have done, and that he should make
point of bringing it himself, instead
of naming a time when my brother
might have called upon him; and
finally, that he seldom arrived with the
money till after banking hours.
We come now to certain autumn,
evening. Kitty had Just brought in the
tea-tray. 1t was growing dusk, al
most too dusk to see clearly without the
lamp, but Bessie and | liked to ecouo-
mize the daylight as much as possible,
especially now since the long winter
nights were so close upon us. John
had come in for cup of tea. This
CFOhlbS5 hC W DO SOluG " ullNc ONCI W
Nethercroft, some ten miles away, dine
there with some friends and stay all
night. After dinner there was to be u
dance, and | was not without my sus-
picions as to the nature of the attrac-
ton which was taking him so far from
home, although he laughingly pooh
poohed the soft impeachment when
challenged him with it. John was in
the act of putting down his cup and
saucer when we heard n noise of wheels
outside, which presently came to q
stand opposite the house. He crossed
the room and peered through the win
dow.
ats old Shillito, come to pay his
rent" he remarked q moment later.
''Two hours after banking time, as
usual. What nuisance he isr' He
went down stairs, and about ten min
utes later we heard Mr. Shillito's trap
start of. Presently John came back.
"Ninety pounds, all in gold and notes, :"
he said. I've had to lock it up in my
desk till morning"
/ may remark that iron safes for the
custody of money and other valuables
were by no means so common in those
days, especially in out-of-the way coun-
try-places, as they appear to have since
become.
"But the money will be quite safe
in your desk, won't it, John?" asked
Bessie.
"Safe enough without doubt, seeing
that no one but ourselves knows of its
presence there. Only, as a matter of
business, | should prefer to have had it
in the Golfers of the bank" Presently
he added: "The old fellow was half
seas over, as he generally is; and /
have no doubt, with so many houses of
call by the way, that he will be soaked
through and through before he reaches
home. wonderif he goes to bed sober
night in his lifep'
A few minutes later John kissed us
and babe us good night. Bessie and
went TO the window to see him start;