Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1895-10-26
A PLOT FOILED.

ways new struggle to obtain my daily
bread lay darkening before me.
But the month was unfavorable. At
the beginning of August work, at any
rate in London, is scarce. looked over
the advertisements in the penny morning
papers, but could find nothing which even
promised we'll.
One afternoon, however, / obtained the
loan of The Times, and in 1t found the
following advertisement:
Wanted cultured lady (under 30 preferred)
to take charge of valuable domestic pet dur
ing owners absence in country; caretaker
left in house: liberal honorarium Apply to-
day friday to Mime. Lebrun, -.
And here followed the address OF house
in one of the old fashioned squares in the
north of London. An omnibus landed me
within about ten minutes walk of the
square.
The exterior of the house which was
seeking was at first sight plain; then l
saw that the handles of the bells were OF
sphinxes' heads and each knocker bronze
cats head.
An old manservant asked me my busi-
ness and on hearing it admitted me with
out a moments hesitation.
bAbhNo SBiAAAA cAtON 0thtAitA oh 'ith't
side of the great chimney piece, and the
walls were covered with paintings such as
arc found in Egyptian tombs.
But all was changed when the wide door
OF the drawing room was thrown open.
Here was France; France OF tho beginning
of the century was seen In the deep Grim
son satin hangings; France - today In the
small wood fire which smoldered ON the
hearth, for the evening was chill. In the
vanished boards and In the very places Of
the furniture.
My attention was fixed by a figure
standing In the middle of the room. The
figure was small, slight and fragile, draped
in long gray folds and crowned by a bushy
mass of gray hair. Its arm was out
stretched, and ON the wrist sat perched an
old parrot.
This old bird and Its older mistress
seemed TO understand each other perfectly.
II called. madame" began when seat
cd, lin answer 10 your advertisements
which l saw in The Times this morning. 4"
'Ahl ma fol, yes. That announcement
what trouble it has given mel You can
not figure TO yourself the persons l have
seen today who all declared themselves
ladies of cultivation But for you, made
moiselle, it is different thing. | could
not leave you alone In this great house,
you are too young, too pretty. 1t would
how shall | say tilt would walk out Of
tho conveniences.
~ implorc you, madame, not to let con-
siderations like these influence you. i am
entirely dependent on my work, and there
Is SO little work / can do"
"Ah, we shall See My doctors tell me
must positively have change Of air
My parrot, Gustavo, like other old people
for he is older still than I--cannot bear
to be deranged in his habits He Is mis-
cradle II he quits this house. / cannot
leave him TO servants, so thought II |
could get some lady to see to him, to talk
to him during my two months absence
Gustave, dost thou think thou couidst stay
with madcmoisellef"
Gustave, with great solcmnity, fiuttered
to the floor and, TO my alarm, began sol
EMMY hopping round me in ever lesscning
circles. At last lie stopped In front Of me,
and looking straight up into my face
/ emitted sound like drawing cork and
screamed out In high, fast, monotonous
Shrek:
Pretty girl, pretty grill Don't cry, my
dear. Don't like being kisseds That Is
what pretty girls are made for. Hal hal
hal"
Mime. Lebrun was apparently quite sat
isfied. and then and there we settled our
| business arrangements, salary, which was
| indeed liberal, included. AS / rose TO go
Mime. Lebrun said:
1.-TWO last injunctions I must give you.
You will not will you, leave Gustayc for
moro than two hours at timer And you
must not permit him TO go into the eel.
lars, mademoiselle. He IL a curious bird.
He belonged, as did this house, TO NJ
Beckford."
"The great Beckford, the author Oh
'vathekg' /" cried.
"Ah, you have heard Of him; Yes, to
him. My mother rented the house from
| him.
! A week after found me comfortably es-
| tablished in the house, In the care Of the
old manseryant and his wife, who found
was a supercxcellent cook.
One day the manservant asked me II be
and his wife might go that evening to
some family gathering and festivity &c
| which they were hidden. ! gladly consent
| ed. At O'Clock they left me. was ali.
sorbed in book and hardly noticed what
happened till the clock on the mantelpiecs
chimed Z.
"Gustave," I called. No answer.
searched in vain for him. Then conviction
flashed across me. He had run away into
tho cellars. took candle and boz Of
matches and started on my quest, down,
down, through the hall, the kitchen, till
reached the great vaulted cellars. / went
through them, guided by the sound Of
Gustaye cisattering and swearing excitedly.
At last, In tho farthest vault OF all,
found him He was hopping excitedly
round and round In q circle In the middle
of the floor.
Suddenly, as sprang after him, / fell
the paved floor beneath my feet trembje
The stone on which l stood was giving
turning. | sprang on 1t, unconsci0usly
giving it further Impetus as / did So Il
turned half round, leaving black vaul
at my feet, up which an icy wind bley
suddenly and extinguished my light.
At last lighted my candle, and shad
ing the flame with my hand from tn
draft I looked into ths blackness at m
feet. saw al flight Of worn steps windinl
downward, and from below sounded th
hoarse laugh Of Gustaye-
At last / reached the bottom. Befor
. me was an arehway, still hung with dusty
tattered fragments Of what had once bee
heavy portieres Round the arch coul
, distinguish an inscription In high, bloc
red letters. Slowly dcciphered it, Fa
CO que v0udras. shudderedl
Ipushed On and stood at last In vas
! vaulted hall BY my dim light l saw
! great table where lay ,nusty remnants
long dead orgie. Masks and tattere.
j rnoldy do1ninoes were scattered about
!, wild profusion, chairs oserset and pushe
back. Apparently sudden intsrruptio
! had broken up the feast.
Then CHASTITY imitation OF huna
voice struck my ear. 1t was Gustaye-
To kiss with the maid when the mistress
: kind.
: Believe me. you always are loath, sir;
q But il the maids fairest the oath doesn { bin
or-you may, II you like it, kiss both. sir
This, then, was the meaning Of his wis
:. to constantly roam about tho cellars. !