The Republican journal., 1872-11-21
Bellies of the Kitchen.


READING, Penn. October %, 1872
Two servant girls, Mary RICHTER and
Margaret Maloy, employed in the family
OF Daniel Lerch. a member of one of the
most extensive hardware firms in Eastern
pennsylvania. are now in the Berlls COun-
tY Jail. The girls We're employed by Dan
iel Lerch several months ago without re-
commentator, and continued working as
domestlcs up to within Il few davs ago.
Mr.. Lerch's wife together with his sister.
who was residing with him, were absent
on visit for several weeks During their
absence Mr.. Lerch tool, rooms at an np-
| town hotel leaving his house in charge Of
the two servants. The servants had KEYS
which admitted them to the wardrobes of
Miss and Mrs. Lerch. One night last week
they resolved upon n promenade They
made their selections from the wardrobe,
and in Il short time stood before the parlor
mirrors arrayed in the c0Stiiest of silks and
the rarest of velvets.
They left the honse by the back wavsand
| appeared upon the streets by gas iioht in
All the elegance of II pair of METROPOLITAN
bellies. They had not gone iar before they
opened a Irritation with young gentlemen.
These gentlemen wore black and white
cheek pantaloons, theatrical collars, low
cut shirts, and looked very nobby. Their
names Were registered at the best hotel,
and their luggage proclaimed that they
We're drummers. One represented Il eel
ebrated hardware firm of New York, and
the other travelled for a paint, oil and glass
firm Of the same city. Supposing that the
girls were queens OF society, and noticing
that one ofthem dropped her lace handllcr-
CIlnt IrllnnlnrS / mn
and introduced himself. The four walk
ed and talked down the most fashionable
streets, but the gentlemen We're greatly
astonished to hear the ladies using a for
eign accent--not French. Ten o'clock
came, and the pairs mcandered toward
home. Down Fifth street they drifted up
the high stoop, and into the elegant back
parlor of Mr.. Lcrch's residence A pleas
ant evening was passed.
The next morning the hardware drum
mer walked into the store of George l.crch
q Son, at The corner ol Fifth and Penn
streets. During the sale of several parcels
OF goods the drummer stopped of a sudden,
and, tapping the junior partner on the
shoulder. said
''By the way, Dan, last night met with
one Of the most singular adventures ever
heard OH
"What was that P" inquired hardware.
Why" continued the drummer "llst
night myself and Mr.. met two servant
girls with ut least $500 worth of silks and
velvetS on. One OF them had Il canel's
hair shawl Well, we made ourselves
acquainted with them, and they invited
us into the pallOrs Of one OF the finest
residences in the city. They acted like Ia
dies, they talked like servant girls"
Mr.. Lerch-Where did You say YOU were
taken TOP
Drummer-Down Fifth street
Mr.. Lerch- Would you know the house
again?
Drummer-As we'll as know YOU
Mr.. Lerch-Well, come along and give
me Il look at it.
The two gentlemen then proceeded arm
in arm down Fifth street. To Mr. Lerch's
great establishment the drummer mount
ed the steps of Mr.. Lerch's own resi-
dence and exclaimed, "Th;s is the very
house,
The devil you say" said the hardware
merchant; lyon must be mistaken"
"No, | am not mistaken" was the re-
ply. "This is the same house; there are
the same window curtains; and this is the
same damask chair in which sat while
conversing with the ladies'"
Mr.. Lerch looked for the girls, but they
were out, and the drummer lett the city
before they returned. The hardware mer-
| chant, however, was satisfied that some
thing was wrong.
On Saturday Mr. Lerch's family sudden
ly eturned home. The servant girls were
out visltingthe neighbors. About midnight
an elegant carriage and span OF horses
drove up in front of the house. The rain
was descending in torrents There emerg-
ed from the cab two elegantly dressed la
dies. Mr.. Lerch and wife were looking
from 4 second story window. The girls
entered by the basement door, and the
cab rolled away They came singing up
the stairs, entirely unconscious of the
family's return home. The velvet bonnets
and silk dresses were utterly ruined by
the rain Over seven hundred dollars
worth of toggery was spoiled. The scene
upon the second landing, when Mr.. and
Mrs. Lerch confronted the girls, was really
heart-rending. The girls fairly wilted.
The next morning they were examined
and committed to jail by the Mayor in de
fault of bail
New England advertiser wants a woman
who fears the Lord and weighs 200 pounds"