Arizona republican., 1892-05-22
THE LOST SPOONS.

eHrW classic spots of Scotland, inasmuch as it f,r,nel part of the dowry which Robert ,ba Bruce bestowed on his eldest daugh- ,,r Ngr-erv, when she married Walter, ,bs sbirh steward of Scotland, and thus became the progenitrix of the royal and rr,rcky house of Stuart. Lying mid u,y between Edinburgh and Glasgow, those rival queens of the east and west, brt out of the common track of traffic ,ri travel it has been for ages a pas for.l parish of small and rather back warl farms.
 Of late years coal has been found ,bar, and steam and trade, which bid air to leave the world no rustic corner, are rapidly turning it into mining dis ,ricf. which nobody thought of about inc tme of the general peace, when Rgthmte lived on its own oats and bar lev. wore its own holden gray and had mt two subjects of interest-the corn market and the kirk session. Among its ragceabIe and industrious population tbara was c1e dame who, though neither The wealyhicst nor the best born, stood in her own esteeem above all but the lsirl and the minister, and her style and title was Widow Simpson. This lady valued herself, not on the farm left her by the good man who had departed this | life some seven years before the com upucrmcnt of our story, for its acres were few and they consisted of half re- claimed moorland; not on her grown up son Robin, though he was counted a likely and sensible lad;'not on her own thrifty houskeeping, though it was known 10 be on the "tight screw" prin- Cpl., but on the possession of a dozen silver teaspoons.
 Her account of them was that they had belonged to the young chevaher, \ and had been bestowed upon her grand father in return for entertaining that \ claimant to the British crown on his E march from Culloden-in proof of which II she was accustomed to point out half 0jLlerated crest and the initials c. S., \ with which they were marked. The ' widows neighbors, however, had diff Il taTant tale regarding their coming into . he family. It was to the effect that her E grandfather, who kept a small inn some where in Fife, had bought them from an II il doing laird for three gallons of High II land whiskey, and bestowed them on his \ |Tanlaughter as the one of his family EU0,t likely to hold fast to such an i'm kI5.tant acquisition.
 ' In the family resided in the capacity M "hclp' one Nancy Campbell, a girl . .a5wJ InTteen, who was suspected of M having taken fancy to Robin, who re- 4 4CPTJcatel the sentiment. Nothing, how Never would soften the heart of the & &Tldow as regards a match, until at last #he following event occurred and caused Der 10 give way: About the haymaking E me a distant and comparatively rich 'eation was expected to call and take lea one evening on his way from Lin. idsow. It was not often that this su- Pen0r relative honored her house with visit, and Mrs. Simpson, determined
 hat nothing should be wanting to his eaiertainment, brought out the treas led spoons early in the forenoon, with many injunctions to Nancy touching the
 care sAg should take in brightening ] them up.
 E While this operation was being con l1ctei in the kitchen, in the midst of
 ae Of those uncertain days which vary
 le northern June, a sudden darkening q 'ae sky announced the approach of heavy rain. The hay was dry and ready Tor housing. Robin and two farm men were busy gathering it in; but the great T drops began to fall while a considerable "glon yet remained in the field, and,
 1i'h the instinct of crop preservation,
 lrih rushed the widow, followed by Nancy, leaving the spoons half secured
 n the kitchen table. In her rapid exit
 A9 glrl had forgotten to latch the door
 I1e weasel and the kite were the only l spreaat0rs known about the moorland
 a7a; but while they were all occupied n l1e hay field, who should come that I F9y but GeOrdy Wilson.
 NeIl the kitchen door was open, and 5'ordy stepped in. He banged the ~Vio with his staff, he coughed, he lenmed, he saluted the cat, which sat
 .urnns on the window seat, and at
 alsth discovered there was nobody
 'Nhm. Neither meal nor penny was " be expected that day; the rain was
 Towng heavier, some of the hay must
 Wet, and Mrs. Simpson would return
 oad humOr. But two objects power
 .ay arrested Geordy's attention; one
 @ the broth pot boiling on the fire and
 .' other the silver spoons scattered on
 s table, Bending over the former
 u'oEdy took a considerable sniff, gave
 "e ingredients a stir with the pot stick,
 ~' muttcred Very thin" His pro
 aing with regard to the latter must
 ',Gam ummentioned; but half an hour
 "'.F when he was safely ensconced in
 farmhouse a mile off and the family
 ~l been driven within doors by the in.
 7sng storm, they found everything
 N had been left-the broth on the
 " the cat on the window seat, the
 '"ung and flannel on tho table; but
 " a spoon was there.
 Nhar's the spoons? cried Mrs.
 upon to the entire family, who
 .'ol by the fire drying their wet gar
 ~sals, Nobody could tell. Nancy had
 ' them on the table when she ran to
 hay. No one had been in the house, -'f Were certain, for nothing was dis
 .''ei The drawer was pulled out,
 The empty stocking exhibited.
 1.s'y shelf, every corner, was searched,
 -' 'o no purpose; the spoons had disap-
 r"iel and the state of the farmhouse
 ,' be imagined, The widow ran
 .uoosh it like one distracted, question
 ys' scolding and searching. Robin,
 sancy and the farm men were dis
 '''ched in different directions. as soon