Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-07-12
LOST, STOLEN, Or srRAYEp..

hold servant Of the name Of Anne Fairly. She
came into the hospital to be cured of disease
TO which her class peculiarly hable-a
white-swelling Of the knee. She was at that
time about forty years of sge. In her youth
this person first place was in the capacity of
housemaid to q nOblemsn's family, the head of
whom L shall call the Marquis of Cornberry, a
parsonage of some celebrity, connected-and
not renOtely-with royalty. Perhaps it will
be best if / tell the story in her own words,
exactly. as put it down at the time she re-
lated il.
"My lady had an intimate friend, Lady
Mosshill-a countess she was, and a very fair.
beautiful woman to look at, pleasant snoken
too, and not in the least naughty. The lady
was often on a visit to Lady Cornberry, and
her visits mostly lasted q very long time; for
the Earl, her husband, was employed great
deal in Parliament, and having no children,
Lady MOsshill felt dull. So she used to tell
Theresa, my ladys second maid, who attended
Lady Mosshill, when she visited at my lords,
to save her ladyshiP from bringing her own
maid.
After had lived at my lords for about
twelve months the hOusekeeper sent for us of
the servants hall, one morning, to come all
together to her room. We wondered A good
deal what could be the matter but gradually
we found ourselves all collected in the house
keepers room. Mrs. Merry's speech was
sharp one, very much to the purpose, and not
at all satisfactory-at least to the feelings of
some of US.
Its very unpleasant business have to
speak about said she; but it worries me
good deal more than, dare say, il will any of
you. To speak plainly, and without any pre-
amble, my lady has lost some of her diamonds.
and ct course suspicion falls on the servants
There was general exclamation. At last
same one requested to know if suspicion had
fallen on any particular individual
mot as yet, Mrs. Merry answered Miss
Dormer and vi lie. Theresa, my lady's own at
tendants, had desired their drawers and boxes.
even their pockets might be searched; and it
had been done without any result affecting the
obaraete1 Of these two young persons.
Every body was vociferous in denying the
guilt imputed. As for myself I was excessive
ly indignant, for L kept my lady's room clean,
though only under -hOusemaid; and knowing
that would have died sooner than have taken
the diamonds, 1 was very vindictive I got
severely rebuked by the housckeeper
mo one is accused she said, in reply to
my angry defence; but some one has taken
them; they couldn't 60 without hands, that is
certain. They are very valuable, and my lady
msy we'll feel annoyed at their disappearance
We all went to the drawing room to my
lady, and demanded that our boxes and per-
sons might be searched. She acceded to this
request.
NO one need feel aggrieved,' she observed,
at this proceeding; innocent persons, of course.
will remain blameless, and the guilty one will
be detected.
The search was made, but fruitlessly. As
Mrs. Merry observed the house was we'll nigh
turned out Of windows; yet neither nv Iady's
diamonds nor the thief who took them were
discovered
"A detective officer was brought into the
house, but even his sagacity failed to discover
the truth; and 80, for a time, the matter drop-
ped; not, however, without leaving a soreness
ranking in every dependant of that noble
hOusehO ..
Il hoI;
called too much spirit for my station in life
perhaps ought rather to say, too much temper
was no more individually suspected than apy
ot my fellOw-seryants; but had a sturdy hon.
estness Of soul, and it CALLED me terribly to
think that honesty should be suspected fire.
qnently declared 1 should never rest till the
real thief was discovered; and, to say the truth.
my restless and suspicious vigilance rendered
me as good detective as if / had been trained
to the business
My father, who was q shoemaker in the
village where my lords principal country res
ldenee was situated, was very violent rural
politician, and fierce upholder of what he
called the Peoples Rights I used 10 hear
him harangue his neighbors, hour after hour.
on evenings, when his work was done, and
they met in the kitchen-which served our
family for q parlor, kitchen and hsll'-oyer a
ppe'n tankard: for, with all his violence
ofpSrty spirit my ther was no pot house fire.
quenter. lie was like many Englishnen of
his class whom have since obseryed-a fierce
deerler OF the vices OF our aristOcracy, their
prIde, arrogance and extravaganza; and yet,
withal, in his heart of hearts a secret admirer
of lord. 1t must have been owing TO the
latter feeling that when my lady expressed a
gracious intention of taking me into her house.
bold my father did not offer the violent oppo-
sitiOn which might have been expected from
one Of his radical opinions. Some resistance
on his part certainly occurred; but the shall
lowest observer might have seen it was assumed
more for the sake of consistency than for any
dislike to my living with real nobility
=" However, had imbibed enough Of his pr,-
JudIces to set myself up as a talker against INV
superiors-a proceeding for which I was often
scoided, and not unfrequently threatened with
dismissal On the occasion of nv lady' 5 loss. INV
irritable and chafed spirit vented its bitterness
against the whole noble order to which nv lord
family belonged. 1t il q wonder to me now that
WAS NOT at once sent away for impertinence
and saueiness; but Mrs. Merry, the housekeeper,
was somewhat inclined that way herself 80 I
suppose she bad fellow-feeling. :
Il took particular spite against Lady Moss.
hill on the hrst occasion my lady had us all in
the drawing room and Lady Mosshill was pres.
ent. She wore, the whole time of my lsdy's
lecture and exhortation to confess the truth. a
cold, sneeung smile, that might have better sat
on the features of a fend than q living woman.
II was the more irritable because, having to
Keep clean my lady's suite Of rooms and those
appropriated to Lady Mosshill, which were near
Lady -,-s, felt was more particularly
liable TO be suspected than the servants who
were more remotely employed.
however, time wore on; Lady Mosshill re-
turned nome, the diamonds were almost forgot
ten, and rarely talked about. Nv hot imna
thence Of blame, real OF imputed, began TO calm
down. L gave satisfaction in my work, for 7
was determined always to do every duty we'll,
and wished to stay in my present service long
enough to obtain 6rst-rate character
Things were thus coming round, when NV
Lady Mosshill came again to pay my lady a
visit Of some length Mile Theresa announced
IL some days before her lsdyship's arrival:
Dat mauyaise sujet, mi ledi Mosshill, is
coming, Anne, said the French girl, in her
broken English. She hated Lady Mosshill. as
all lady maids hate those on whom (not being
their real mistresses) they are forced to attend
II must De dat you get her rooms ready, ali
bah. but hate her mOOshe-she l. vat YOU
call the beast in the sty-coekom-ah--eoeG
ooch0n" And Theresa stamped her little kid.
shod foot, and ground her white teeth
h. <ewr 20. IL