Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-12-09
aNiseellaneous.
THE STEWARDESS' STORY.
[CoNCi''DED FROM YEsTERDAY. I

good-humored man in the world. .'What
has my stewardess been doing? She is
no smugglcr. Here" added he, turning
to his companion, your ship is close at
hand; could you not step on board and
bring Us your stewardcss. They are fright
enng Mrs. Ford into fits, and she needs a
friend to look after her. You know Mrs.
Lock very well, she shall come to you.
The summons to Mrs. Lock was an
swered by herself Immediately, and in
consequence of her presence, Mrs. Seaton
VINO had her own private anxiety about
the letters in Mrs. Fords pocket. had no
chance to ask for them for Mrs. Lock hur-
rled her friend away on board her own
boat. and Mrs Seaton was left to her own
devices.
1t was some time before Mrs Ford re-
covered her equanimity. The disgrace
which she felt had been put upon her
made her absolutely ashamed to be seen,
and even when good-humored Captain
stebbit paid her visit, and joked with her
about smugglers and searchers, she was
too much overcome to reply.
Cnconsciously that same evening she
put her hands in her jacket pockets, and,
as she snatched them out, she exclaimed:
Good gracious! if hav'nt got those let
ters still here that Mrs. Seat0n gave me.
What shall do with them?'
''She will come for them, l expect" re-
piled Mrs. Lock, when she had heard the
story. II would keep them till she does
The next day Mrs. Ford had another un-
pleasant surprise. The saloon steward OF
her own ship paid her visit, having gos-
sip about passengers to impart: "Do you
know what happened to that friend o
yours that fellow, Seaton!'
"Yes, know he was arrested. That is
how | got into this trouble and Mrs Ford
proceeded to repeat to Mr. Park the par
ticulars which Mrs. Seaton had confided to
her
a very pretty story" laughed Mr. Park,
"only it happens that none of it is true but
the arrest. He was caught and detained
on a charge of forgery
The two stewardesses, dumb with the
unexpected news, stared enquiringly at
Mr. Park.
Yes" continued he, "on charge of
belonging to a gang of forgers who have
been passing counterfeit greenbacks. /
suppose You know nothing about that, Mrs.
Ford. not an accomplice, hey?n
Mrs. Ford hesitated a moment, and then
drawing from her pocket the letters en-
trusted to her, she showed them to the
others, and asked what she had better do
The steward examined their exterior for
a moment; then without any remark,
opened and read them in anxious silence,
the two ladies looking on in state of sus-
pense. He had no sooner read them than
he tore them carefully into the minutest
fragments and scattered them out of the
cabin window, where the tiny morsles tlut-
tered away. and were soon lost beyond all
possibility Of detection in the waters of the
dock
What were they ?" gasped Mrs. Ford,
in great alarm.
evidences of his guilt. which, found
that you were an accomplce, and given
you share of his probable twenty years
in the State prison"
Good gracious" cried Mrs. Lock :;
''you don't say so. Why my dear what an
escape you have had
Yes, indeed; what an escape. They
were in my pocket when was searched"
said Mrs Ford family.
'Quite providential occurrence" OBJ
served Mr.. Park, as people are apt to say
when they mean an occurrence for which
there is special cause to be thankful Il
strongly advise you to say nothing about
them to any one present"
1t is not quite clear in my own mind
whether Mr.. Park was justified in the
course he pursued, or whether he ought
not to have retained the letters, and hand
ed them over to justice, as evidence
against the prisoner. He feared to COM
promise Mrs. Ford but have been as
sured that, in this case, had she come for
ward with the evidence she possessed,
and with character SO well known
among the line to which she belonged
she would have come TO no harm. How
ever, they acted as they believed to be
safest and best, and least likely to involve
innocent parties and according to the
rule, that it is better the guilty should es-
cape rather than the innocent should suf-
fer, it seemed the most prudent course to
take.
but now, look here" said Mrs Ford,
when the last morsel of paper had disap-
peared, .'there's another thing of theirs
have;' and she told the story Of the par
eel which was in her trunk.
"Iou must get rid of it, certainly" !"
! a go A'ii- 'tth, III -i'stN hti
is no telling what it may be- Get rid of
it at once.
'But how? My box IS locked, and
have the keys. Shall go on BOARD at
once and throw it out of the window ?"
"No, no. 1t might lead to suspicion if
you went off in Il hurry. If they think
you are confederate you will be watch
ed; and it would not do for me either to
90 and meddle with your trunk"
The three felt almost as il they were
conspirators and forgers themselves. as
they deliberated over what could be done
to secure the parcel they believed so dam
gerous. Mrs. Lock and the steward, in
tluented by a not unnatural curiosity,
We're extremely anxious to inspect the
mysterious package; but Mrs Ford, who
in the event of discovery, was the one to
fear the result, cared for nothing so much
as being assured it was forever concealed
from sight. Let it be what it would, all
that she desired was that it should be re-
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