The Weekly Gazette for Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Cleveland District. — 1883-04-28 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

FOLK-LORE OF THE cuckoo. In Denmark, in the early springtime, when the voice of the cuckoo is heard in the woods, every village girl kisses her hand and asks the question, Cuckoo, cuckoo, when shall Ibe anarxied ?" And the old folk, borne down by age and rheumatism, enquire, "Cuckoo, cuckoo, when shall I be released from this world's cares ?" The bird, in answer, continues singing "cuckoo" as many times its years will elapse before the object of these desires will come to pass. But as some old people live to an advanced age, and many girls die old maids, the poor bird has so ranch to do in answering the questions put to her that she has no time to make her nest, but lays her eggs in that of the hedge-sparrow.  " Robbers and housebreakers!" ejaculated Dick to himself, as a cold sweat began to break upon him. 'Oh, dear, what shall we do? They will murder every one of us." " Ah, true," returned the captain, in reference to the last remark of the gruff voice; " but we have more work than that to do. l have, at least, and, by Jove! it will be the most pleasant piece of work I eNer performed." " What is it ?" asked more than one. "Hearken!" returned the captain, in a tone of wild, fierce triumph. 'When I brought you down here it was only to rob the old mansion. I learned that the owner was a recluse, who had a finely•farnished house and plenty of silver plate. but who could not find in his heart to make use of it, or even to have anyone to guard it. So I thought we might do both the one and the other for him, and did not imagine that our attention would be turned to anything else. But there is better luck still in store for us in that old mansion, and none of you will guess what it is I said I saw nothing but an old woman at first, but vtliile I was sitting a child came running up hate the kitchen By heaven, when I first saw her I almost betrayed myself— it was Lucy l'• "What, Sal's Lucy?" cried one, in amazement.  "Aye, Sal's Lucy," returned the captain. " Amazement made me incredulous at first, but the old woman chancing to leave the kitchen, I questioned the girl, and got it all out of her. Sal is here too. No wonder, then, that I was baffled in my search in Glasgow." " How could she finds, hiding-place so quick?' aaked one.  "Ha, the recluse is not so primitive and Quakerish as the good folks round about suppose," said the captain, in sneering tones. • But rii spoil him of his bird to-night." "Shall we take her up to Glasgow ?" asked one. "No," replied the captain, fiercely; "hen hour has come. She dies to-night, and by my hand." , "Bravo, captain! that's the sort of duck," grunted Heavy Ben, with great satisfaction. Dick shuddered, and he had to catch by something for support. He thought running to the house to give the alarm, but being intensely anxious to hear more of the plans, he remained. " What about the girl ?' asked one of the men. "We'll take her with us," replied the captain. "I engaged with Shuffle and Sleek to hand her over to them. They'll pay us well for it, and she'll be very little trouble. "And the other inmates?" "Well not disturb them if we can help it. I know the room in which the child sleeps •, we can, [(therefore, do the whole business without alarming any of the rest. What we have first to do when we get into the house is to break open the strong room where the plate is kept. Then, when you are backing it up, I will pay Sal a visit and close my heavy account with  "Then when shall we go at it ?" said Ben. " Not before midnight," answered the qaptitin. " Take a little rest till then, my lads, for we shall have a long and toilsome walk before it is light. There is a bundle of straw— throw yourselves upon it, and keep quiet." Not another word was spoken, but Dick heard the rustle they made as they threw themselves upon the straw. Then all was quiet. Noiselessly, and with a Leming heart, the gardener quitted the tool-house, and made his way to the mansion with the terrifying intelligence. Ile crossed the shrubbery, and gained the door of the kitchen unseen and unheard by the robbers in the coach-house.  (To be conned.)