The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-03-07
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From Chambers Journal. %
When first / remember my aunt Barbara
she was over 40 years of age, but she could
never have been accounted handsome
woman. She was very tall and very angu-
lar, with a, long thin face, the most re-
markable feature Of which was Roman
nose of commanding proportions. But as
she had one of the kindest hearts in the
world her paucity of good looks seemed a
matter of trifing 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 follow
ing 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 wider circle of
readers than that comprised by the writer's
immediate friends and acquaintances.
You ask me to go back in memory (be-
gins my aunt) to what seems to me now
like period of remote antiquity, when l.
Barbara Waldron, was "a years ofage, and
my sister Bessie five years younger, and
endeavor to put down in writing the little
story l told you by word of mouth few
days ago.
You must know, then, that in those far
off days my sister and were keeping house
for our brother John, who at that time
filed the position of steward and land
agent to Lord Dorrington. The house we
lived in was pleasant but somewhat lonely
residence, about half mile from the little
country town of Leyensfeld. 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 en-
trance to Dorrington Park, by which my
brother could take shortcut to the Hall
whenever he had business with his lord
ship, or his lordship had business with him.
Our household was small one, and besides
ourselves comprised only Mary Gibbs, a
middle-aged woman, and her niece, a girl
of sixteen. Johns horse and gig were
looked after by young man named Reu-
ben Gates, who did not, however, sleep on
the premises. An important part of Johns
duties was to receive and pay into the
Levensfeld bank the rents due from the
farmers and other tenants of property held
under Lord Dorrington. One such tenant
was certain Mr.. Shillito, corn and seed
merchant, who was noted for his eccen-
tricities 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 check for the amount, as he was
quite in position to have done, and that
he should make point of bringingiit him7
self, instead of naming 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 a certain autumn eve
ming. Kitty had just brought in the tea
tray 1t was growing dusk, almost too
dusk to see clearly without lamp, but
Bessie and | liked to economize the day
light as much as possible, especially now
that the long winter nights were to close
upon us. John had come in for cup of
tea. This evening he was going to drive
over to Nethercrof some ten miles away,
dine there with some friends, and stay all
night. After dinner there was to be a
dance, and | was not without my suspic-
ions as to the nature of the attraction which
was taking him so far from home, although
he laughingly pooh-poohed the soft i'm
peachment when challenged him with it.
John was in the act of putting down, his
cup and saucer when we heard noise of
wheels outside, which presently came to a
stand opposite the house. He crossed the
room and peered through the window.
'sIt's old Shillito, come to pay his rent, y
he remarked moment later. 1.-TWO hours
after banking time, as usual What a
nuisance he is Y He went down stairs,
and about ten minutes later we heard Mr..
Shilito'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" sig