The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1870-10-25
A WATERS STORY.
A New York Incident.

DuC also one OF my Wltes, and as cuStO-
mers do not seem very plenty, I'll give
it to you in the best manner | can.
My wife was formerly dressmaker
and worked in a shop not a great ways
distant from this place. She always took
her meals here, and perhaps the reason I
thought to make her my wife was, be-
cause she seemed so economical in her
meals. 1t was quite late one April even
ming, whom the little story, which has
been so often told, took place. The boss
had gone to the theatre and yet come to
think of it, Mr.. Hart, must give a few
preliminary remarks, in order to let you
hear the whole narrative. In the after
noon Of the day l am telling you off, my
boss received a large sum Of money, some
thing like five hundred dollars, but as it
was after banking hours, he placed it in
my charge until the next morning. ! re-
member the evening well. Mr.. Forrest
was to play " Metamora' at the theatre,
and as boss thought the customers would
not trouble me much, took it into his
head 10 go. The evening wore away un-
til about eight o'clock, when shabby
looking sort of fellow came into the sa-
loon, and ordered a stew" | didn't
like his looks at all, and thought l
wouldn't say much to him, lest he should
get into a conversation, and stop longer
after his " "oystcrs," than cared to have
him. l went to the, back part Of the sa-
loon, and put the oysters pickles and
crackers all on little waiter, and was
about carrying them to my customer,
when, upon looking around, found that
he had gone. An hour had passed, and
at nine o'clock Bessie Grant came in.
She said they had been hard at work at
her shop, and that was the first opportu-
nifty she had to get her supper. l wasn't
very well acquainted with her then, and
she was very modest herself, so that but
little conversation passed between us. |
got the supper she wished, and then went
back behind the counter to read. | went
there to read, but bless you, sir, I couldn't
do such a thing, when Bessies bright
eyes were so attractive. Once our eyes
met, and | felt so ashamed that | took up
hShppupSi3 anu NOlIulCuSGu W lCtiu III
through, advertisements, marriages, deaths
and all. Aud now we come to Bessie
story. She said that after | had left her
to her meal, in reaching over for the salt,
she dropped her knife under the table
and stopped to pick it up. Her table was
one that backed against the wall, and the
table-cloth upon it reached to the floor.
Upon lifting up the cloth, she beheld the
figure Of a crouching man. with counte-
nance of perfect hate. When a woman
is frightened, her first impulse is to eth
er faint or scream, and doubtless my
wife would have done both, had not the
man placed in her hand a note, he had
written in pencil Letting the cloth
fall to the ground again, she opened and
read the note.
| have seen its contents too often not
to remember them. They were to the
effect that the man in some way learned
Of the large sum | had in the drawer
and he was determined to possess the
same--he said he was armed and that
should my wife make the least outcry or
signify in any manner of his presence
there to me, he would shoot us both. He
said that as soon as my wife finished her
supper she was to leave the saloon with
out paying, and most likely | should
then shut up the place and retire to bed.
He also wrote that if she told any one in
the street about him her life would not
be worth a straw as his companions
would hunt her down, and he (if caught
and imprisoned) would on his return
make her existence so wretched that death
would be far preferable. Woman-like,
she believed all this--a man most likely
would have given the fellow a kick, a
heavy one enough to stun him and then
secured him, called an officer to his aid
and a short incarceration followed. My
wife's appetite entirely vanished-she
made no outcry but merely gave heavy
sigh and was about rising from the table
when thought flashed through her brain.
She would leave the note upon the table
and when went to clear away the things
| should see it and be warned. As this
thought was about to be carried into exc.
cution, another note was passed to her tel.