, 1870-06-12
A SAFE INVESTMENT,


a AoAG6 " to1&GW1 J..
From AFpltonT Journal
In the second year Of the late civil war, l
was married, and vent to i've with my husband
or sixty miles from New York. The house We
occupied wIs large, rambling mans ion, OF
considerable antiquity for this country. and
stood little npaTt from tho rest Of tho VII
lagc, surrounded by broad fields, md CON-
mAnding glorious view Of the 1ivnr and the
luis OF the Highlands 1t had been BULL te-
grandfather. and, though destitute Of many
modem improvements" was still q CON-
fortal 10 and pleasant residence.
Ny husband was lawyer and 1asge real
estate owner in the neighborhood, and, at the
period Of which I write, was greatly pePle1ed,
Like many either persons in the North, BY the
pe1louB state OF the times, and especially
about the eafe investment Of lis funds, as the
SUI pension OF specie payments, the great rise
IN gold. and the military disasters in Virginia
madn it almost impossible to tell whero 1t
would be safe to deposit or to use ones money
III any large amount.
In tho course OF hiB transactions in real
estate, it happened, ono day, that he received
what was for us then large sum, about ten
thousand dollars, which ho brought home and
placed in my charge, telling me at the Same
! time lie should haye to DO absent during tho
evening, attending to come business on the
other side Of the river, and shou1d not b. at
home till about midnight.
You can place thcmoucy in the safe, DEAR"
he sa,d, as be gave it 10 me, land tomorrow
will try and find come Way to invest it
! securely"
So saying, he stepped into the buggy, which
was standing at tho door, and drove away,
leaving me With no one in the house but Dinah,
an old eo1ored woman, who fulfilled in our
modest household tho functions OF cook aud
maid-of-all-Eork, IS she had long done in the
family OF my own parents, who, OH my mar
riage, bad yielded her to me as valuable part
Of my dover.
Dinah was indeed . character. Sho was
tall and very stout. weighing, ahe would mover
tell how much, moro than two hundred
pounds She was very black, and rs
lazy AZ she WIS black. I do not think
any one could movo moro deliberately than
wonderful dispensation, sho seemed to feel
thai, whatever her other faults might be, she
was strong on the point Of locomotion. For.
when sle had boen moving with ponderouB
s!ownees, almost naddening to Q. person Of
] 1eaaions was, SWeli, Mss S. Lille, ii % WhDt sbaii
iiy onto ne1t7" How she accomplished all
she did, tho brownies only know. We used
sometimes almost to t1emble when there was
any special hurry about our domestic ar
rangements, aud yet Dinal always man
aged to bring anulrs to 4 consummauon just
thing; and, with undisturbed front, would
slowly enunciate, " Wei, miss, what ehall I fly
onto next z"
ltNas nearly dark when my husband de-
parted, and, after giving my order to Dinah,
or rather my suggestions. I left her, md made
and properly locked up. This duty attended
10, went 10 my bedroom, intending 10 pass
the time in reading till my husband should re-
turn.
1twas lnrge room on the ground-1oor, with
Two French windows opening on yeranda
The windows were draped with long yellow
ELK curtains, between which tue moonlight
family entered, d1mmed by the shadow Of tho
roof Of tho piazza, and partly Intercepted by
the fringe Of woodbine which hung from it.
My bed stood with its foot toward the win
dows, and with it's head about half gard from
the wall: 1t was an old.fashioned structure,
hung with yellow silk like tho windows, but
l slept with the hangings drawn back and
fastened to the lead-board. The bed was 30
large that no one ever thought Of moving it,
except in those seasons OF household panic
called honee cleaninBs, when tho combined
strength Of three OF four men was called into re-
quisiiion to draw itinto the middle Of the room.
so esRbotately carved WIS it that it went By
the name Of Westminster Abbey in the family.
At one end Of tho room, at no great distance
from the bed, wzs largc safe, built in the
huge chimney Of the mansion, with !. uoor
ligl enough for 3 person to enter standing
upright. Here I waa accustomed 10 place,
every evening, our aiiyes plate on shelves
which extended around the sides, on which,
also we're placed boxes containing papers and
eo'Eer valuables. Opposite lie foot Of tie bed
running frulu the floor almost to tho ceiling.
Like ali the other furniture in the room, it was
old and handsome. How many happy scenes
it had reelected in tho hundred years it Lad
stood lerel
lie night was exceedingly hot, and there
curtains before seated myself ut the table
in he centre Of the room, lighted with candles,
aud began to read, in order TO pass the heavy
timc before the return OF my husband.
After awhile, heard tile clock strike Q,
At which hour Dinah always went to he'd. Her
chamber was in the attic, the third story Of
tue house, Remembering some household
matter al,out which wished to speak to her,
started hurnedly up, and went into the entry
to intercept her before she got up stairs. I
Ind to wait about a minute before she came,
aud our co1loquy continued three or four min
utee more.
When returned to my bedroom, feeling
somewhat tired, I received to 70 to BED, as, at
TINT late hour in the country It was quite Ger
tain that no visitors would call, and my hus-
band could let himself in with the latch-key,
which be always carried. I thought, however,
I would Try 10 keep awake by:reading, and &C
& fhs Eeei Of nsiSs'aa Se sn ess ssRss a
fastened the windows, undreesed, and got into
bed. The key Of the safe I placed, al usual.
under my pillow. =.
) After reading perhaps half an hour, grew
weary Of the book, and, quietly laying ii down,
remained for somo minutes meditating with
H. Il
Of the bed, in which could see myself re-
elected, together with the yellow silk curtains
behind my hend. Twas thinking, not NINA.
tu1ally, how pretty looked, and how happy
I vas with such . lqy::SSS husband md
such 4 large sum ct money in our
safe, when suddenly I saw in the
mirror = sight that made my heart stand stlIt,
a; hand appeared between tho curtainp, draw
the head-board. It VAS maa's f hand, slsss is1rs
and coarse and dark, rs il belonging to
mulatto, or 10 one greatly tanned by exposure
to tho weather.
Ny first impulse WIS to start from The bed
and scream for help. represse1 ii by
str1nE effort Of will, and lay perfectly
c4osed ny eyes, T Keeping eAt Them op[y PaFf!ay aui
Gciently open to watch tho mirror. as QUICK
as lightning my mind took III tho situation,
In the few minutes Of my absence from the
room, while talking to Dinah IN tie entry. q
thief robbeT, possible murderer, Lsd stolen
IN " tie piazza windows, and had hidden Lim-
seH either under the bed Or behind its lraped
cried out, and attempted to escape from tue
room, he could eaaily roach tie door before l |
could, and for Lis own security
would probably put me to death. b.
nall was too distant, and too feaIia
a93 and 1enmsy to aaord me any assistance,
az besides vas " this time fast asleep in the
Lllrtl story. The m2n doubtless know That nv |
husband Lad that day received large sum Of |
money, aud gono OF actogs the river, LEAVING
ne alone, Or nearly alone, in the house. ia !
lad entered, caring only for the money, and
anxious, above al things, to escape undetectei
md umecognized, If T let him know that I
myself 10 murder, and to outrage Tprse
han murder. Ny Obvious policy wsg.
= Keep quiet and feign sleop.
bought aleo Of the money, and was NOT
IitoGet1er willing to resign that without al
'nott to save it, and to have ut least some
-ue to the identity Of tho thief. I confess,
very strong ono, and am afraid that, IL
ou!d Lave soen my way clear to IN escape
rom the room and the house, should layo
ed 1ncontinently, without stopping to see
core than that terrible hand.
a !. moment, which seemed sn hour, passed
hlie these thougltsrushed through nv mind.
Icy pe1fe city still, with my lalfeclosed e,es
Iatching the mirror. Slowly and noiselessly Ills
lighful hand pulled up it's ownar
nth I could SEQ the head and face re-
ected &c IN tho -glass, and glaring at nc
1th herco yet wnry eyes- The man was a
lulato, very dark, with evil passions written |
ON shuddcring at the siglt Of Lis hateful
sage, and speedily closed my eyes to shut it
ut.
] WAS not set quite ready for the ordeal |
rough which knew I must soon pass,
tended to move my light-stand little out Of
'e way, and TO 80 arrange the bedclothes that
c0fll0 fr<1Ita ii,e. LII