Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-11-08
u4GGIF.AND TRE BURGLANS.

N8GGIEsAND TIE BURGLARS.
ayo1 are not afraid, MaEgieS"
0Ve afrsidm said Maggie. sd no
s.,. born with me. As for the house, its
.Sssstroucest fastened ever | was in. You
.sr ,ourselt there's no lock burglar
,on8 force, aud I'm not to let trsmps or
Es like in of my own free will. God
tnovs The place Will be safe enough when
-or come back-as safe as though there
Gas regiment Of soldiers in it; and I'll
bgve all bright for your new wife Mr..
Archibald"
She called her master Mr.. Archibald
still. This old woman was the only one
Who used his Christian name. He was au
e5erlv man himself, and had few init
mate friends, hospitality not being one
Of his virtues.
He vas rich and there was muck that
vas valuable in the house, more ready
monev too, than most men keep about
them; but then il was secure as bank
ysult-patent looks and burglar alarms,
that FIRST sent bullet into any one who
sought to enter by stealth and then rang
ben to awake the household, were at
tsched % every door, and furious watch
dog. that lived on raw meat, was in the
could have withstood q serge at o mo
m6nt's notice.
Mr.. Van Mott was money dealer. He
had ways and means OF accommodating
property which we're mysterious to his
leighbors, and there were suspicious that
the little back parlor, sacred to business,
had even seen such lesser dealings as this
loan Of money ON the gold watches, cash
mere shaws and diamonds of genteel
distress. Two or shree mortgages that
he had bought up had been rather cruel
" forecOsed; and he was q hard landlord
and a bad man to owe money to alto
gsther On the whole, as rich "a he was
he would have found it hard TO get wife
to his liking among the noighbors ut
OaAham.
However, having resolved to marry
again-there had been Mrs. Van Mott
who died years before, he had sought out
svealthy widow of q saving disposition,
VINO lived on q small farm, some miles
out OF town, and having already disin
hertsd her daughter for espousing an
estimable young man of small means,
and turned her own son out of doors for
equal, prudent reasons, was not likely
to bring troublesome generosity into his
hOuseh5 ID, and had offsrsd himself to
her and had been accepted. Ana now,
thOrgh both their economical souls re
VOTED against it, custom decreed we'd
ding of some sort, and honeymoon
trip somewhere, and they had decided to
do u az oheaply as possible.
Fer this brief time Mr.. Van Mott must
leave his business and his house, aud it
was upon the eve of his departure that
be held the above conversation with his
old ssrgant, standing with his portmtn
team in his hand, regarding her gravsly
Yes, yes he said, ~ presume 1t il all
safe enough. And I'll speak to the night
w'chm8u, md give him a dollar to take
Q parliluar look at this house. Well,
s9oi5y, Maggie, make things "a neat as
possible, for # they look dirty my wife
mag taiub tue furniture old, aud want
something new for the parlor," and Mr.
Van Mott departed.
Yves, yes" said old Maggie, 'no doubt
'asI have hne eztravsg"nt ways. Poor
Master. WHAT a pity he should marry
after si5 but oid fools are the worst soois.
5caaE thiug OF eight and forty, too,
wen b. .-- sensible servant. sixty last
s11-a-5, tl8t knows what belongs TO good
housekeeping. If he wanted 30 marry
way didn't be ask met ia not have gone
s-l7autilg and spending. All, we'll,
l'l suffer- not l." And Maggie trotted
away To- begin her sweeping and busting.
Sue said truly there ives no fear born
'..- -ar, but as the night drew on she
.sss4 n feel somewhst lonely. Her mas
.s r7. Ice vas strangely missed out
-s,a house, and there was some
-t- sau-tly in the look of his empty
..+' WHEN sh= peeped into the little back
!. Tas supegstitious, she SAID ~ hor-
.'. saguld think something dreadful
I pas going 20 happen. / feel chilly all up
--- my back, and [ keep thinking
.LsraIs. III make myself cEp OF tea
-~- SCI Il I caL't get over it,
eeCriiugiy cid Maggie shat her
.' asa the snug kitchen, lighting two
----a-, drew pot of the strongest
,--- uyson, aud putting her feet close
'-s cooking stove began to feel much
~-'s e5uf0rtable.
-s cock licked away on the mantle,
s11s pointing to half past eight.
s9iFg TO bed at nine said Maggie.
worked well to day. Much thanks
tQc III no doubt. Harkg what's
vas sound outside tbs door sloH
grating of wheels. Then feet
saa pavement, and the bell rang
sstiagew cried Maggie. Has 10
ai7 mind and brought her home
-sat But that can't be; he's not
e yet And taking one Of the
1e trotted to the door, but not
bell had rung again.
.hati' she cried, holding the
saty aiar.
u niger, said G voice, one who has
i particular 10 say 10 you"
ave 20 wai. for to morrow
gle "You can't come in 10.