Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1894-09-08
MRS. SIMPSONS SPOONS.
Their Disappearance Led to a
Strange Revelation.

The parish Of Bathgate in Linlith
gowshire ought to be reckoned among
the classic spots of Scotland, mas
much as it formed part of the dowry
> which Robert the Bruce bestowed Oh
) his eldest daughter, Margery, when
she married Walter the high steward
OF Scotland, and thus became the
progenitrix Of the royal and unlucky
: house Of Stuart.
Lying midway between Edinburgh
|, and Glasgow, those rival queens of the
I east and west, but out Of the common
track OF traffic and travel, 1t has been
for ages a pastoral parish of small and
|, rather backward farms.
Among its peaceable and industrious
/ population liv ed the Widow Simpson
This lady valued herself, not on the
farm left her by the good man who had
departed this life some seven years be-
fore the commencement OF our story,
for its acres were few, and they CON
sisted of half-reclaimed moorland; not
on her grown-up son, Robin, though
he was counted Il likely and sensible
lad; not on her w thrifty housekeep-
ing, though 1t val known to be on the
"tight-screw' principle; but on the
possession of a dozen silver teaspoons.
Her account of them was that they
had belonged to the young chevalier
and Ind been bestowed upon her
grandfather in return for entertaining
that claimant to the British crown on
his march from Culloden, in proof of
which she was accustomed to point out
a half obliterated crest and the initials
c, S., with which they were marked.
In the family resided one Nancy
Campbell, a girl about nineteen, who
was suspected of having taken n
fancy to Robin, who reciprocatcd the
sentiment. Nothing, however. would
soften the heart OF the widow as re-
CARDS the match, until at last the fol-
lowing event occurred and caused her
to give way. About the haymaking
time a distant and comparatively rich
relation was expected to call and take
tea one evening on his way from
Linlithgow.
1t was not often that this superior
relation honored her house with a
visit, and Mrs. Simpson, determined
that nothing should be wanting to his
entertainment, brought out the treas
ured spoons early In the forenoon,
with many injunotions to Nancy
touching the care she should take in
Frightening them up.
While this operation wat being con-
Quoted in the kitchen, In the midst of
one OF those uncertain days which
vary the northern juno, a sudden
darkening Of the sky announced the
approach of heavy rain.
The hay was dry and ready for hous-
ing. Robin and two farm men were
busy gathering it in. but the great
drops began to fall while n consider
able portion yet remained in the field,
and, with the instinct of crop preser-
vation, forth rushed the widow, fol-
lowed by Nancy, leaving the spoons
half secured on the kitchen table. In
her rapid exit the girl had forgotten to
latch the door.
The weasel and the kite were the
only d%epredators known about the
moorland farm; but while they were
all occupied in the hay field, who
should come that way but Geordy Will
son.
Well, the kitchen door was open and
Gcordy stepped In. He banged the
settle with his staff, he coughed, he
hemmed, he saluted the cat, which sat
prrring on the window seat, and at
length discovered there was nobody
within. Neither meal nor penny was
to be expected that day; the rain was
growing heavier. some of the hav
must be wet, and Mrs. Simpson would
return in bad humor.
But two objects powerfully arrested
Geordy's attention; one was the broth
pot boiling on the fire, and the other
the silver spoons scattered on the
table. Bending over the former,
Geordy took a considerable sniff. gave
the ingredients a stir with the pot
stick, and muttered: Very thin"
His proceeding with regard to the
latter must remain unmentioned: but
half an hour after, when he was safely
esconced in a farmhouse a mile off and
the family had been driven within
doors by the increasing storm, they
found everything as it had been left
the broth on the fire, the cat on the
window seat, the whiting and flannel
the table, but not a spoon was
there.
"Whar's the spoons?" cried Mrs.
Simpson to the entire family, who
stood by the FIRE drying their wet gar
ments. Nobody could tell. Nancy had
them on the table when she ran to
the hay. No m had been in the house.
they were certain, for nothing was
disturbed.
The drawer vas pulled out and the
empty stocking exhibited. Every shelf.
every corner al searched, but to no
purpose; the spoons had disappeared
and the state of the farmhouse NAV
be imagined. The widow ran through
1t like one distracted, questioning, I
scolding and searching. Robin. Nancy
and the farm men were dispatched in |
different directions, as soon as the rain Z
abated, to inform the neighbors, under |
the supposition that some strollinq ,
beggar or gypsy might have carried off
the treasure and would attempt to dis
pose of 1t in the parish. ,
Nobody thought of Geordy Wilson. !
had not been spied from the hay ,
field; his circuits were wide; his visits &
10 any house were not frequent, and If :
ne avoided Widow Simpsons from the =
lay of her loss 1t was believed Geordy 4
knew that neither her temper nor her I
iberality would be improved by the q
9
Lost the spoons were beyond a doubt, q
Ind the widow babe fair to lose her a
The rich relation came at his ]
appointed time and had such a tea r
hat he vowed never again to trust him. .
elf in the house OF his entertainer. I
But the search went on. Rabbits q
loles were looked into for the missing y
liver and active boys were bribed to