Richland beacon., 1873-05-17
Dl1VILLE, Ia, SATURDAY, MAY Il, 1913.
II can't; l do not believe she will ever

come back"
''Never come back never! Why. wha
do you mean? DO you think she has run
off,"
mo; not of her own accord. But
think she has been spirited away. She
was too handsome to be out in the streets
alone in the evening. And Barbara has
been telling me such shocking things-o
murder and everything. Barbara says
she knows there are men in the city who
would not hesitate to carry her off and
kill her. She says she knows there are.''
Good gracious! Barbara must have a
choice circle of acquaintance, certainly. Ii
Is all nonsense. Barbara is a goose, and you
fairly nervous. 1t is absurd. Just think.
kidnapping and murder i'm quiet Christian
city like this! Why, the idea is too pre-.
posterOus 90 Yet, as walked down the
street after breakfast, could not help my
thoughts reverting to the sad story OF
those two young and beautiful married
women in New York, who, it was said,
left their happy homes, where they were
loving and beloved, and in full daylight
went out into the streets to shop or pay
visits, and never returned; no tidings
ever came from them. the most vigilant
search failed to discover them. and con-
lecture itself could form no clew to their
fate.
When returned at dinner-time found
matters still worse. She had not returned.
My poor landlady was almost i'm Mysteries,
though she tried hard to control herself ;
and Barbara, who had no self-cOntrOl,
was audible in her grief, and began to
feel myself that the chances of her safe re-
turn were growing less and less.
"What is there can do, Mrs. Honey
void? 2" said. "You may command my
services, if you will only tell me what you
think l had better do"
"Oh, thank you, thank you, General
Anchester! 1 have been all round the
neighborhOod myself this morning but
if you would be willing to see the police
men, and go to the city-hall and speak to
the town-crier flor such folks never mind
what woman says), and if you would
not think it too much trouble, just write
an advertisement for the papers, and offer
reward for me-"
did not spare myself; | visited all the
purlieus of the city; posted up notices
in various directions; | wrote advertise
ments to appear in several of the local
papers, doubling the reward Mrs. Honey
void had named l interviewed the city
crier, and was interviewed by the police
men. One of the latter, l fancied, seemed
to take more interest than the rest. He
followed me down stairs, and indicated a
wish for a private interview, without the
knowledge Of his chief.
Il think, general" he began, cOnfiden-
TALLY, "you said as how the party was
han'some!"
Yes" said, "very handsome"
"And young, sir did you say young
No Offense, hope?"
"Yes," | said; "yet no, not very
young. do not know her age. but she
is the mother of twins"
"Ah!" said the policeman, speaking
slowly and deliberately; 81 see. guess
it is an awkward fix. rather. But I'm
with you, general; I'll do what 1 can for
you. seeing as how you look like gentle
man as wouldn't hesitate to do the gener-
Gus thing" Here he paused, but he
looked at me so Significantly that invol-
UNFAIRLY handed him a small bank-nOte as
retainer.
"Thank ye, sir; thank your HONOR"
he said, as the ready hand closed over the
bribe. "That's handsome of you, gen.
eral. that is. and I'll do my best for you !;
that's so. But still, at the same time.
"Blue! how do you mean?'
Well, mean Just this. If she is any
where's round about here. and is % X
as we say, i'm course she'll come back to
them young ones of hern; and if she don't
U'll do my very bounden best for them !;
in course / will)-but l doubt if she ever
turns up in this beat again. Fve knOwed
something of such things in my time, and
guess if she turns up at all, you'll find
she has gone to distant market. But
I'll do my best"
And so, sad, weary, and discouraged,
returned home at night, only to learn
there were no tidings of the missing one.
II give her up nOw," said my weeping
landlady; al shall never see her again
She is lost forever and those two poor
pretty little creatures"
By-the-way," said, 81 wanted to
speak to you about them. If she never
does return. what do you propose to do
with them?"
"Keep them," said the generous and I'M
pulslye little woman.
81 wanted to say, if she does not re-
turn, will, if you like, relieve you of one
of them. My sister, who lives with me,
and keeps my house, Is very kind, ten
der-hearted woman. There are no chill
Urcn Ill Tie HOqfc. anu sue Wouiu, all
sure, be very kiS to the poor little thing.
What do you say?'
"NO, moi" sObbed the poor woman; "l
cannot part them. / am poor woman,
it is true, but not too poor to give them a
home; and while l have bit and a sup
for myself they shall have one too. Their
poor mother left them here, and if she
ever does return she shall find them here.
And if she nerer returns, then"
And she never did return, and no It'd
ings of her fate ever reached us. If she
was enticed away by artful Establishments
or kidnapped by cruel violence, we knew
not. But I honestly believe the latter.
Either way, it was her fatal beauty that
led to her destruction; for, as have said
before, she was the most perfect creature,
the most beautiful Maltese cat that ever
beheld in my life! l am sure she never
deserted her two pretty little kittens OF
her own accord. And if-pOOr dumb
thing-she was stolen and killed for her
beautiful fur, still say, as said at first,
she was " more sinned against than sim
ming"
"Requies-cat in paee."-Harper's Maga,
zine for May.
The Position of q House.