The weekly messenger., 1891-08-01
WARNED BY A MOUSE

country, was not nall SO Weil hno"u as
it deserved to be. Cut off from the
highroad by a clump of ancient and
well-wooded wych clms, the few ira
vellers who passed by the plantation
gates plodded or drove wcarily on up the .
steep hill beyond it, reached the top, |
admired the view away across the valley /
of the Bar, and little dreamed of what a
curious old mansion lay hidden among
the trees.
Its master and owner John Trow-
bridge. was an old-fashioned bachelor, |
who had few friends, and their visits
were few and far between, he always
boasting that they were "enough for
him, and enough was as good as a feast"
1t was lonely place, too, ten miles
from the county town, and SIX from the
station; while the whole hamlet Of Barton
consisted of about a score of cottages,
all clustered around the tiny church,
half mile down the valley below.
The Squire, therefore-as he was every
where called-when not busy in his
library, troubled his head about few
things beyond his own domain, lived IN
royal sort Of cosy comfort on half his in
come and gave up most of his time and
thoughts to the care Of his niece and
ward, Miss Grace Rivington declaring at
times she was the plague of his life; and
at others, that without her he didn't
know what would become of Barton
Manor.
Left an orphan when a mere child,
with a fortune Of $40, 900 on coming OF
age, she had grown up at last to be as
wilful, high spiritcd and charming a
Young lady as could be found in all the
countryside. In short. she was the old
mans pet, and managed by dint of coax
ing, tlattery and scolding, to have her
own way ain things little or big" as
John Trowbridge often confessed. His
favorite name for her was, " the little
WITCH" "a wee body, but with mind
and spirit in it big enough and deter
mined enough to manage the most fussy
and troublesome horse in the stable, or
, out of it,"
These were the two who sat chatting
together one wintry evening in Novem-
Der, on the day of her coming of age,
when, contrary to all custom in such
| cases, and in defiance of his urgent
sntreaty, she had insisted on having no
dinner party and no birthday celebra-
ton but quiet time Just for us two, u
she said; "and l can have you all to
y. myself" Dinner was over, and the table
was wheeled up to the blazing wood
fire; Graves, the butler, had departed,
t and at last she could speak freely.
f My dear, dear uncle" said she,
"there never, never was, and never Will
i be. ANYTHING half so beautiful as th,
! necklace you gave me this morning.
C had It in my pocket all dinner-time, ant
, was longing to look at it the whole tim'
!, but why did you spend So mucl
u money!
l. why, my dear? Well, because yo'
- are such a naughty, ill-tempcred, ugl
; little shrimp, and | determined tha
u people should look at your diamonds to
l. morrow, if they wouldn't look al you
10 As to money. child, only had them re
set; they were my mothers fifty year
Is ago. and her mothers before that -
If wedding present from that old Jacl
# Trowbridge whose eyes are now loOkin
:. down at you from the other side of tn
y room. Gentleman Jack they used t
le call him when he came back from lndi
and brought the diamonds with him.
"Lookw she said, taking them Out c
her dainty morocco case, see how the
al shine in the light of the fire. | shall Il
r as grand as n queen tomorrow night ;
+, the ball and in that lovely dress frol
~ Paris, oh, uncle, the very happicst 81
III in Cornwall. What can say, what can
te do to thank you-the dearest, goodies
v wisest of cid uuclcs:'
Wei. Miss Grace Rivington 5;
S. good Knight, he of to bed, and lock L
IS your necklace in Il safe place, and Ike,
II. the KEY in your pocket. You'll have
thousand things TO do 10 morrow; so :
le now and get your Beauty sleep, that "
nj NAV look your best at night Half Il
,lf women will go crazy az the sight of yo
~. necklace and gay feathers; and all II
- men about your lovely face. But min
rn the first quadrille is for me"
IS, In less than an hour from that tlr
bo the diamonds were safely locked up
"' an old oak cabinet, and the happy ownc
}" like most of the hou ,ehold, sound a>lee
ID and dreaming of al the joys of the col
,th ing morrow.
The morning came, as most to-morro
TO- do, in GOOD season, heavy with clou
is at first, but slowly breaking out in
me sunshine at last Miss Grace Rivingtc
= after her Beauty sleep, came down rat
u ant to breakfast; and that being ov
ion sent off special messenger to her spec
the friend Florence, at the Grange, with
in following brief ncte
My Dear Florrie: Come over AT once
que only for half an hour, and you shall see
nm. loveliest necklace to be found in Cornw;
am TO wear il tonight. Il. Il.
1t was but a short walk from
inc Co.., ., .bo ,,,,,or b,,,,cc and in |