New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-09-29
LIE NEW STAR.

pretty. demure looking little xvifa in M iI
i t, az ChlsWick- The Old house was semi
del3ched. one of TWO old houses STANDING, il,
ancient green and fruitful gardens with bioh
Walls remarkable for the quality of the plums
anu pears that rpened against them And next
III - me Astronomer lived Mrs. kelsey
N'u-to-uo widow. who, as her wears declined
So, ,''' Increasing interest in the doings of her
-. et''uTeS- Mrs. kelSey'S domestic staff
was not large. but still sufficient comprising
d S!iiaIi bGt bright eyed housemaid and a sharp
MdgeH e ii"iiie vas
A.dseil. having sustained in early youth
80 To the system. having been accidentally
Siut IA an oven by her male parent an inebri-
died baker. and partially done before her
tioIher missed her suffered from a constitu-
uohal inability to sleep: otherwise she was not
remarkable. except for the extreme fiatness of
her hgure and the sharpness of her nose Mrs
Kelsey loved to dwell upon the different at
r Il' made ny various medical to bring
sumner TO the unwilling eyelids of NdgaU
!,eda'Ets and narcotics had been administered
- ouIu appear, IN Quantities sufficient rem
der an elephant drowsy, OF send an entire regi-
upon the patient
As the pnssessor Of so determined an in
Soihhla whose case had appeared in the col
unlns of The Lancet" Afideeu was entitled "a
respect ard she asserted her claim upon every
occasion. 1t was her unVarying custom Ia de
liver to her mistress with her morning break fast
Tray brief but SuCcinct report of her tX-
pe!;2nceS during the previous night and uDon
one particularly bright June morning toward
the close or the nineteenth century she began,
a. She SET down the tray on a table by Mrs.
helseys bed and wrapped a light Shetland
shawl around Mrs. Kelseys shoulders:
heerd it again just daybreak"
That mousse said Mrs. kelsey. fumbIing
under the pillow for her spectacIes Remind
me TO order a new trap at the chambers when
/ go out to-day
o., Il wasn't thinking of no mouse" said MidgelI
Il meant the garden gate next door"
why you silly thing'"-Mrs Kelsey chipped
her egg-1you're heard that garden gate click
regularly between = o'clock and half past > in
the morning for seven years That comes of
not being abie to sleep like ordinary folks and
of living next door to astronomer. 1t scarce
Iy seems respectable proper to get your
uNihg 10y SIttinS up all night, with your eye "a
the small end of a telescope-whcn you're a
married mun-but it's government appoint
lnentr MicGell. and hope YOU know better than
to run down the institutions OF your country"
i amt running EN- down." said Mdgel.
shortly Il said heerd the next door gate
cIlck, and so did. Twice | heerd it-once
o'clock in the morning and again at 3. Once
Dear me MidgelI," said Mrs Kelsey. but
tering her toast. you must have been dream
This put Midgelrs back up '.Dreamingr' she
said. with snort Why. l haven't slept a
wink before half-past > in the morning for
Twenty-Five year, and not aiwags then, the
We'll well. my girl" demonstrated her mis-
tresa. don't get put out for rothing, Now |
should click Probably Mrs. Badock' N}aldock
was the surname of the Astronomer had been
with friends to the theatre or a party, and you
heard her letting herself in that all"
There's more than Mrs. Baldock would BE let
IN said Midget with an awful look. If it
known that she had let in herself at that gate
at O'Clock every night for the last three
months. You may open your eyes at me-" she
continued, addressing her mistress. whose cir
cular gaze betokened intense surprise, but it's
the simple truth. There's a skeleton in that
poor Mr.. Baldocks cupboard assn walk out one
day and strike him pale birthstone on is
thresh0d'
sarah Ann MidgeIl'-this form of invocation
only used by Mrs Kelsey in moment. of
great intensity-'do you mean To tell me that
you believe his wife is deceiVing him.?
Mdgell's nod would have done credit to a
opium cater. Il do" she said; and. after draw
ing long breath: she is and as bin for three
months on end I've never breathed my lips of
il I'll; now. but the murders out at last
Take away the tray; what you've told me is
and sit down the chair by the bedside and
tell me everything"
SO Nidgell obeyed.
Won know that ever since Mr.. and Mrs. Bal
dock came. young married couple. TO live next
door she commenced, "Mr. RaldOck has gone
to is all night work at the Kew Observatory
rain shine, blow Ugh or blow low, punctual at
Is O'Clock. comm back in the small hours of the
mornn betwixt = an 3. Never sleepin' my
helm that sharp as the cat can't sneeze in the
kitchen without my hearin' her. though my
bedrooms the top floor front the click OF the
gate behind that man has got to seem quite
natural. But one broad moonlight night, three
mciths ago / heard that gate click at i o'clock
in the mornin' "
You said it was a moonlight night, and at
the time 1 O'Clock in the mornin,' said
the old lady rritably. Il do wish you would be
more precise"
Il may have been half-baked at five years
old said Midget hardly but I've got head
my shoulders. and not cruinmy quartern
The gate clicked AT 1 precise by mothers silver