Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-09-27
MRS. SIMPSONS SPOONS.

IuitJ. Dllll lOO4N " Dl OONkJ,
Their Disappearance Led to q
Strange Revelation.
The parish OF Bathgate in Linlith'
rowshire ought to be reckoned among
the classic spots OF Scotland, mas.
much as 1t formed part OF the dowry
which Robert the Bruce bestowed OIL
his eldest daughter, Margery, when
she married Walter, the high steward
OF Scotland, and thus became the
progenitr..s Of the royal and unlucky
house of Stuart.
Lying midway between Edinburgh
and Glasgow, those rival queens Of the
cast and west, but out Of the common
track Of traffic and travel, 1t has been
for ages q 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 likely and sensible
lad; not on her own thrifty housekeep-
Ing, though it was known to be on the
"tightscrew" principle; but on the
possession Of a dozen silver teaspoons
Her account OF them was that they
had belonged to the young chevaller
and had 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
q half obliterated crest and the initials
G, s., with which they were marked
In the family resided one Nancy
Campbell, u girl about nineteen, who
was suspected Of having taken a
fancy to Robin, who reciprocated the
sentiment. Nothing, however, would
soften the heart Of the widow as re-
CARDS the match, until ut last the fol-
lowing event occurred and caused her
to give way. About the haymaking
time distant and comparatively rich
relation WIS expected TO call and take
tea one evening on his way from
l.inlithgow.
1t was not often that this superior
relation honored her house with n
visit, and Mrs Simpson, determined
that nothing should be wanting to his
entertainment, brought out the treas
urcd spoons early in the forenoon,
with many injunctions to Nancy
touching the care she should take in
Frightening them up,
While this operation was being con-
Quoted in the kitchen, in the midst of
one Of those uncertain days which
vary the northern June, 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 a consider
able portion yet remained in the field,
and, with the instinct Of crop preser-
walton, 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 depredators 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
Geordy stepped in. He banged the
settle with his staff he coughed, he
hemmed, he saluted the cat, which sat
purring 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 hay
must be wet, and Mrs Simpson would
return In bad humor.
But two objects powerfully arrested
Geordys attention; one was the broth
pot boiling on the fire, and the other
the silver spoons scattered on the
table. Bonding over the former,
Geordy took considerable sniff, gave
the ingredients 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 farmhouse mile off and
the family had been driven within
doors by the increasing storm, they
found everything as 1t had been left
the broth on the fire, the cat on the
window seat, the whiting and flannel
on the table, but not q spoon was
there.
"Whar's the spoons?" cried MIRA
Simpson to the entire family, who
stood by the fire drying their wet gar
ments. Nobody could tell Nancy had
loft them on the table when she ran to
the hay. No one had been in the house,
they were certain, for nothing was
disturbed.
The drawer was pulled out and the
empty stocking exhibited. Every shelf
every corner was searched, but to nc
purpose; the spoons had disappeared
end the state Of the farmhouse may
be imagined. The widow ran through
1t like one distracted, questioning
scolding and searching. Robin, Nancy
and the farm men were dispatch. !,
different directions, as soon as the rair
abated, to inform the neIghbors, unde,
the supposltion that some strollipo
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