Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-06-09

Aoon noAo, Au"A, y yOu Hason iooo "HJ
thing by that row, and there isn't much
use in exposing her, is thereP''
''No,'' was the reply; ''but since they re
so fond I'll make them marry and set up
house by themselves"
With that they entered the kitchen, where
Aleck, all shivering with his bath, deposit
ed the box on the floor. A cheerful fire.
light showed Kitty, not, as might have
been expected, with abashed countenance
and the demeanor of culprit awaiting JUS
tice, but with heightened color and spark
ling eyes-far BONNER than ever, as her old
lover could not help thinking"
"There's your true blood" she said to
Adam, but pointing to his son, ''and this
has been fine nights work for him. 1t be-
gan by robbing you that's done SO much for
him; then the sweetheart that liked him
so well as to run away with him he left on
the wrong side of the burn; and then to
draw his knife on an honest man! You'll
never seek to make me wed him now."
'sThat you shall, you shameless hussy,"
broke out her uncle. "You're not fit for
Allan, and Pm sure from what I've seen
this night he wouldn't look at thief
ssNo, couldn't do that" said Willie;
"but there's no need for me here" and with
a sad and regretful countenance he. was
stopped by burst of mischievous laughter
from the impenitent, but bewitching cul-
prit."
"It's Bets box, she said.
''Bet's box!'' said Aleck; and "Bet's box!"
echoed Adam and Willie.
"Aye, Bets box, said Kitty.
'Sure enough it's not my box," said the
uncle, dragging it into the light; it's the
same size, but not the color. But what
ever is making it so heavy?"
That was soon discovered. The redhead-
ed servant girl came forward with smile
on her gaping mouth that suggested the
part she had taken in the trick. /.
"There's stone of shot," she said, ''and
there's the horseshoes from the backyard,
and there's the rusty keys that used to lie
+, the stable, and here's my old petticoats
stuffed in to keep them from iingling, and, !"
she added, s'the weights and the fatiron!"
"By George" said Willie, che must have
meant to start pack. Would you have
stabbed me to save that dirt?'
s'He didn't know what it was" answered
Kitty for him. 81 just wanted to try his
mettle, SO put this box in the room of the
other one, and it's back in its place now,
neither touched nor opened"
"I'm glad o. that, lass," said the old
publican, and though there was not much
in the words, there was a something in the
voice that made them sink deep. 'It
would have been a bad day for me when
found you turning against me. But Willie,
lad, if you want to catch this skittish filly,
you'd better be quick. Down to the minis
rer's you go tomorrow and get your names
asked; and as for you, you lubberly sumph,
after making fool of yourself like that;
what's to come of you?"
"Marry him to Bet, suggested Kitty.
"The very ticket" returned her uncle.
Is'Will you have him, Bet?"
"Aye, that I will" said the laconic
maid.
"You'n go down to the minister's as
well, then," said Adam to Aleck. "And
now, lass, bring US drop O. that brandy,
and put the kettle on and bring the sugar,
and we'll christen the bargain"
So..a few weeks afterward there were two
weddings in Blackford, and when the lads
of the village "roped'' Willie Allan, he
gave them a whole half-sovereign to drink,
and was, therefore, allowed to enter the
croft house with a thunderstorm of cheers;
but when they did the same thing to
Aleck, he morosely cut the rope with a
knife, and that is why he has been SO un-
lucky ever since; for if you will go to Black
ford nowyou will find the croft house to be
the neatest, prettiest, incest house there,
while ever since old Adams death, which
happened many years ago, the Red Lion
has been so squalid and dirty and disreput-
able that the marquis has serious thoughts
of taking away the license and turning it
into butchers shop.-Adopted. from Long
mans Maqizine.