Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-04-04

The cook into nOs ina toe rats blancho0
The checks Of the manssrvant.
"Ill tell you what, Governor" said
Charles one evening, "I'll take re.
yolysr and set up al night in the upper
state drawing-room, and il I see the
shadow Of sweep I'll shoot it,"
"Stuf and Rddlssticks I" said his
father. "You shall do nothing Of tho
kind; the maids are scared enough
already without your driving them mad
with fear"
"You have seen and heard nothing,
Governor"
"Nothipg. Nor you, I suppossg"
absolutely nothing. You
don't believe in ghosts, do you, Gov. p"
"No, Charles, / do not. Neverthe-
less, I think it possible undef certain
contingencies spirit nigh. revisit a
spot where . premature death had sew
cred its connection with the body, there
to lament the accident. You do not
believe in ghosts, do you Charles 2"
Certainly not, father. Neverthe-
Less, I do not think it would be right
in me to deny what so many worthy
persons assert on the evidence of their
senses to be fact. 1t would be pre-
sumptuous in me-"
"Let US 60 to bed," said Mr.. Cor
der hastily.
Mr.. Corder and his son, though
neither believed in ghosts, and both
secuted the idea. of the house being
haunted by a chimney-sweep, were
wont to retire to bed very much earlier
at 1.-THE Yews" than had been their
custom elsewhere. Midnight never
found them together down stairs,
smoking and drinking whiskey and
water, with the great dark staircase to
ascend TO their several rooms.
One evening after dinner, when father
and son were sitting together over their
wine, Mr.. Corder said Charles what
a wonderful work of genius that In
quire Within for Everything ISL find
it an inexhaustible treasury Of Informs
ton. We must refurnish here, and |
took the book down to get an idea
out of it, and sure as buttons
is buttons there | find instruc-
tons how to choose a tasteful carpet.
Why, Charlie, that book contains
something of all kinds. find there
receipts for the kitchen, and remedies
for scalds, legal information, hints as to
etiquette, rules for carving hares, and
soles, and poultry, and for light read
ing, even poetry. At least I've come
on one piece, but l can't make it out
poetry, too, by the noble Lord-Poet
Byron
Twas whispered In Heaven. twas mutter-
And echo caught family the sound as it
On the confines Of earth t was permitted to
rest,
And the depths of the ocean its presence
confessed.
So it goes on, Charlie, and it means the
letter ii. Now the book says that it is
q very important thing for gentlefolks
to know when to sound that letter and
when to drop it. That is an art ! never
could discover. Can you see what the
noble poet means when he says that it
was whispered in heaven and muttered
IN hell: The noble poet never meant
to consign to a certain place those
who omitted their aspirates he
had a liberal education, and could
not have been so intolerant. l can
net understand him but j assure you,
Char lie, lie in bed Of night tossing
on my pillow, saying 'ouse, and 'orse,
and house, and horse, and, upon my
word. get so bewildered don't know
what is right and what is wrong. l
never shall learn without teacher,
and | should be ashamed to appear
among tip-top gentlefolks and make
my self ridiculous with my aspirates. |
wish / could find some one who would
Just put me on the right rails.
: Don't you think. father, you might
consult Mrs. White? ,"
Mr.. Corder colored. 81 see through
you, Charlie" he said. "You want
to force on an acquaintance with orr
neighbors so as to get intimate with
Miss Mabel. But | won't have it.
You marry one of the baronetical fe-
males, or sure as buttons is buttons I'll
endow the Orthopedic Hospital. 1t is
time for you to 60 to bed, Charles.
Good. might. You will find your candle
in the hall"
Mr.. Charles Corder dutifully depart
ed and retired to his room, where he
Invested himself of his clothes, though
the hour was only halfpast Q. He did
not, however, retire between the sheets,
but be redressed himself in a suit Of
tight-fitting black-rusty, sooty bla k
put black cap on his head, with fall
Of black gauze to it, which he drew
over bis face, giving his face grimy,
sweep-like appearance. He drew on
pair of black gloves, then took from a
cupboard short black ladder and
brush, and slipped into the state room
on the first floor.
The room had handsome, large open
fireplace, the chimney-piece Of marble
richly sculptured, and festoons of pears
and peaches. Charles crept in, planted
his ladder within on the hearth, and
proceeded to ascend the chimney.
When he reached the summit Of the
ladder, which was about six feet high,
he threw his leg across partition or
stone slab which divided the fue from
the fue of the state rooms of the other
portion of the house-a partition which
existed only few feet up the Chin
ney, sufficient for the direction Of the
smoke from the respective fires. Then
be pulled up the ladder and put it down
on the further side and descended by it
into the grand drawing-room on Mrs.
Whites side Of the house.
This drawing-room was thinly fur.
nished with old white and gold chairs
and tables. The long windows were
without shutters, and the full moon
poured in through uncurtained glass
upon the polished oak floor. No one
was in the room. Mr.. Charles seated
himself, with his back to the fireplace,
on the marble fender in pensive atti-
,ude, leaning his chin in the hollow Of
his hand, waiting, while with,his other
hand he played with his sweeps brush.
Presently the door opened, and Miss
Mabel White entered timidly in a light