Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1895-06-22

''N'' P'ppoNi iPp hN"S" ~
Robert Spenceley's handwriting was
Father, send soon; feel sure they
will not take less" But still Lord
Methwick would not give in without
another effort to reduce the amount,
and he increased his offer to f25O0.
The day came when Giuseppe's re.
ply was due, but it did not arrive,
and pcnt'up anxiety caused his lord
ship two sleepless nights and two mis-
cradle, irritable days. On the third
morning, among the contents of the
POSTING was small PARCEL, the hand
writing of the address of which was
Immediately recognized. With trem-
bling fingers Lord Methwick tore open
the package, and there lay disclosed
the bold brigand's staggering reply
n cardboard box containing II man.
ear packed in sawdnst, and inside the
lid these words we're scrawled:
''No less than $4,000. Part of his
Excelency is sent free so that he may
hear your decide which was final"
In after years that day always re-
manned impressed with startling vivid
ness on his Lordship's memory. What
with his wite's continual fainting fits I;
his three daughters in consecutive
Mysteries, their conscious intervals be-
ing employed in upbraiding him in
such severe terms that one would have
thought that the poor man had him
self cut his sons ear off; his own
mental anguish as he remembered that
the future head of his house would
never be able to hear both sides; the
horrid possibility of getting the wan
derer back for nothing-a piece at
time; and the fear that at that mo-
ment further tortures might be in
course of 1nhiction-he often mar.
yelled, not only that he survived it, but
that reason did not altogether forsake
her lettering throne.
And the climax was reached when,
in the softening shades of twilight,
Lady Methwick and her three daugh-
tiers, dressed in black, went in solemn
procession to a distant part of the
grounds, where, beside ripping
stream and beneath spreading tree.
the gardener had already dug grave.
There, with fresh bursts of tears and
passionate sobs, the box of sawdust
with its precious freight was solemnly
buried, and cairn built over and
about its resting place.
The outgoing evening mail carried
two letters, one to the brigands agree
ing to their terms, and the other to a
friend of the family, who happened to
be Consul in the near neig hborhood,
inclosing draft for $4,000, and beg
ging him to put himself in instant
communication with Giuseppe, and
obtain the captive's release.
The Consul did as he was desired,
and, in compliance with instructions
from the robber band, who were evi.
IDENTIFY taking every precaution against
being trapped, proceeded alone one
evening carrying parcel of 1000 SOW
ereigns to an indicated spot on the out
skirts of a forest. Here he was met by
sunburnt, black-bearded giant, pic
turesquely attired in his native dress,
who carried II rifle, while couple of
revovers and IL poniard adorned his
sash. Motioning TO the Consul to fol-
low him, he proceeded but few PAGES
into the forest, then halted and blew
long, low, peculiar whistle on his fin.
gers.
Approaching footsteps We're imme-
diatcly heard, and there emerged from
among the trees the whilom prisoner,
alone. As he ranged up to the side of
his deliverer the gold was handed over,
carefully counted, and then. with
low bow, the robber turned on his
heel, at once disappeared, without !
having uttered word, and the Consul
and his purchase were free to depart.
Methwck Hall was ablaze with light /
on the evening OF the heirs return to |
his ancestral home. The female por-
ton Of the family had spent the day
in alternately laughing and crying for
JOY, and were now i'll a state of intense
excitement, anXiousl y awaiting the re.
turn Of the carriage from the station.
Presently the sound Of wheels was
heard drawing up to the door, and
mother and sisters rushing out, fell
VI on Robert, Rugged him and kissed
him and half dragged, half carried him
into the house, but it was not until
after they had been for some time as
sembled in the library that there
flashed across their minds the remem-
brance of that horror that lay buried
beside the stream. His mother first
made the disco 7ery.
"Why, Robert, you have two ears! !"
"Two ears, mother? Have | not
always had two?"
''But we buried one of them"
The Hon. Robert was evidently IN
the dark, and when they explained he
declared (truthfully) that he knew
nothing aboutit. As word painter
he proveda decided failure, consider
Ing the adventures which they expect
ed him recount He had nothing to
relate, simply monotony waiting for
the ransom, and, no matter now they
piled him with questions, he could tell
them nothing of the doings OF the
gang, for he said lie never saw any of
hem except the one who had him in
charge. |
A few days after his return, pleading
The necessity of visit to West End
tailor, he travelled to London. after re
,eiving strict injunctions and giving
promise to shun his old haunts aud
Arrived in town he at
once proceeded to Tom Langton's
and his first words to his
,hum were:
81 say, Tom, what about that eur,
md why wasn't told ofit?"
"Well, | thought you might object,
md as it was desirable to bring things
20 climax, | got it from the disect.
ng room at the hospital through stu
lent"
SIT took me quite by surprise when
hey accused me of having two ears,
md told me they had buried one of
hem. But how about the money?'
81 lave told the fellows that you
AVE negotiated loan and empowered
10 "a 1nhtg Have !