The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1870-04-28

| erS, SWlndlerS, and sly thieves, who would
cheat poor woman out of all she has. /
think my silver is safest where it is"
"You don't happen to have any Of the old
Spanish dollars that you would sell, l sup
pose?' questioned the Detective indifferently
Il believe have" replied she hopefully
| Mrs Bixby went into her bedroom again.
and this time partly closed the door; had she
turned around when she poured the silver
out Of Bixby's best pair of flannel stockings
she would have seen two sharp eyes watch
ing her through the crack in the door.
When she came out the Detective stood in
the kitchen door which opened into the gar
den, and his first remark was compliment
upon her cabbage.
''Ah!n said he, recolecting himself, '.you
went after the silver"
Mrs. Bixby had a couple of handtuls of dol
lars partially concealed in her apron. She
held up two or three.
"Only two?" said he
Mrs. Bixby showed him the others
81 will pay you dollar and a half 4 piece
for six
Mrs. Bixby assented, and he paid her in
fresh, crisp bills again.
''Old dollars have often been made up into
spoons and table ware. | have a silver tea
pot which was my mothers last gift to me,
and is very precious relic,' said the Detect
i've with emotion
He proceeded to describe his mothers sill
Yer teapot fuently, and concluded by saying
that those who had not sacred associations
connected with their silver ware knew little
of its value.
Mrs. Bixby was pleased with that senti-
ment. Stepping into her parlor, she opened
a cupboard and brought out for the Detec-
tiye's inspection a silver tankard which had
descended to her from her grandfather She
gave the Detective its history, and he appear
ed very much interested and said reverenti-
ally that it must seem priceless in her eyes.
She brought out pair of small silver candle
sticks which had also belonged to her ancestor.
'You leave your silver rather too much
exposed, l Think said the Detective. ''In
our profession we meet with many instances
of ineXcusable carelessness in the security of
silver"
II always lock that cupboard at night or
when am going out and put the key in the
clock. No one would think of looking there
for it."
'Certainly not" said the Detective
Mrs. Bixby cleared off her table, washed
the dishes and MIXED the cow. while the De
tective, swaying back and forth TRANQUILITY in
Mrs. Bixby's chintz- covered rocking chair,
read the Waterman and Reflector.
When Mrs. BiXby came in from milking,
she found him in an attitude of admiration
before q remarkable work of art that hung on
the wall between the chamber and cellar
door, This was a picture-trame made of
pine, hemlock, balsam and larch burrs, with
a sprinkling of beech nuts, and acorns. glued
on paste board The picture which it sur
rounded was entirely subordinate in interest
to the frame, and was simply intended to give
q semblance of u purpose to the latter.
The Detective expressed his appreciation of
the widows handicratt. and after straining
the milk. she lighted a lamp and offered to
elaborate specimens of high artistic taste
were to be seen.
| Here was another burr frame surrounding
the dead of Stephen" done in high coors,
and a similar one, with the addition of walnut
she'll roses, framed q very sanguineous and
struggling sketch of Bull Run battlefield.
| The Detective surveyed the impure looking
streams of blood that flowed prodigalIy
through the latter picture with some com
| placency.
Il also bled for my country in that engage
ment," said he.
''ls that natural ?" inquired Mrs. BiNby.
Very like"
| On the opposite side of the room was u
wreath of immortellcs surrounding q silver
coffin plate, on which was inscribed the
name, age and date of death of Bixby dear.
On the mantel, Just beneath with touching
pathos was reared pastcboard monument
fourteen inches high, covered with black
beans and highly vanished. Mrs. BiXby
called the attention of the Detective to these
memorials, but this was entirely unnecessary
for his practised eye had caught the glitter OF
the silver the moment he entered the room
nevertheless he expressed great interest
Mrs. Bxby put one hand on her hip, and
holding the lamp up in Il range with the
plate, read in tones of much solemnity ''David
Bixby, aged sixty-five, died June 10Th, 1862 =
She sighed heavily as she lowered the
lamp, and silence fell in the room, which
was broken by the Detective inquiring, in
subdued voice if she had his picture. Mrs.
Bixby referred him to the daguerreotypes on
the table. He looked them over quietly,
while she, standing by his shoulder, told him
dressed representation OF Mrs. Bxby herself
he observed that she wore gold beads. 'sThat
was a pretty fashion," said he. II always like
to see them. My mother Wore gold beads
Mrs. Bixby put down the lamp and turn
ed to the cupboard. She opened q small
pasteboard box and brought to the Detective
two long strings of the shining yellow beads
He took them in his hands and looked a
them half sadly. He saw in that sad glance
that they were eighteen carats fine. ",They
remind me very forciby of my mother anC
the days of my YOUTH said he. His eye.
were humid and his voice very sorrowiul a:
he replaced the beads in Mrs. Bixby's hands
He dropped his face into his hal ds, probably
to reflect on his mother and the days Of hi:
youth but peeped through his fingers to sec
where Mrs. Bixby put the beads.
Mrs. Bxby thoughtfully waited a few mo
ments for the Detective to regain his com
posure, and then led the way back to thu
kitchen. He entertained her through thu
evening with anecdotes of his professona
life. She would make an excellent detective
he said. There were q number of women il
the department to which he belonged. |
needed u person of great penetration. Mrs
Bixby took the compliment quietly. Sh'
felt that her experience in battling with the
world and selfish human nature, during he
widowhood, had given her a deep insight in
to character.
just before retiring the Detective took ou
his watch to wind it up, and was very mucl
surprised on finding that he had lost the key
t ''You haven't a key you could lend me
with which to wind up my watch? ?" aske'
, he.
Mrs. Bixby brought out Il heavy old fash
, I Oh ,,y.tI, l. tl,r> ,ol-