The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-04-15

~ praise utm bou ou uOt ouIc W
beelzebub himself might hold him il
the chains Of eternal friendship
Harry Lonsdale is the vainest mai
I ever saw for . man who really is
great genius"
"Well, well see," said my wife
with that confident. little nod Of hers
at would be sufficient punishment
for your unbelief If have the chance
to say some time, ] told you So"
To my utter astonishment, Harry
called at the house three evenings ou'
of the week after that, and under th.
influence of his presence that little
gray cousin grew beautiful. / no
ticed . change in her department
She seemed ut times more preoccu
pied at others. elated, mirthful, al
most wildly happy; particulay on
those days when it seemed probably
Harry would come. l began to
share my wife's anticipations, began
to watch Harry. He did not seem
exactly like an impassioned lover.
About this time, my wife said to
me one day that Susie was receiving
letters from some far off friend.
l notice when they come: some.
times ! hand them to her, but she
never mentions them again.
Shouldn't you think she would
sneak about tbem!u asked my
wife.
Susie's movements were now oil
Importance in my eyes. How had
that plain little girl managed to cap.
tivate handsome, popular Harry
Lonsdale, the most exscting man in
his relation to woman l ever knew
The thing certainly was done.
Susie came out in q new character.
Her gray dresses were frightened
with exquisit bits of color. She
spoke to my wife of needing new
dresses, and to Nelly's establishment,
bought several. Then came orna.
mcnts, few, but choice and costly.
Where do you suppose she gets
the money ?" asked Nelly.
How DO we know but she may be
rich and eccentric :" was my response.
You pitied her. and thought her q
poor lone girl, but her father might
have possessed property to . large
amount for all we can tell"
Nelly shook her wise head.
Il don't believe be left q cent-in-
deed, what, am l saying, 1t is q
matter Of certainty that be did not,
for Susie told me SO herself Besides
she would have got fine things fast
enough, scores of times. I've seen
the look in her eye when have been
shopping at Stewards, suggestive Of
emptiness of pocket and anguish Of
spirit-for you see how what lovely
taste she has. But l wish she wasn't
such secret little thing, that's what
torments me; ! do like to be confded
in"
What followed made that coversa-
ton memorable. Some months pre-
vious l had received the sum Of three
thousand dallars for small piece OF
land. This money. or . part of it, i
he'd occasion 90 use. wen. mp to
the closet in my room, one side Of
which served a. safe. To my Ut
ter establishment, the money was not
there. / searched the closet through
and then called my wife for a consul
tation.
Together we looked in every avail
able plsce-cleared the shelves ofthe
library, searched through all the clos
cts, bureaus, boxes, trunks and nooks
that the house afforded, but in vain :;
the money was gone-no signs Of
bank bills anywhere.
Where could you have put them ?"
asked my wife, tired and discour-
aged.
IL put them in that closet, nv kew
has been in that little box on the end
of the mantle-piece; l have never
been to the closet since ! left the
money there, but some one else has,
it seems.D
None OF the servants but one, old
Hester, ever comes into this room,"
murmured Nelly, land ! would stake
my lif. on her honesty"
"Of course, and so would l."
Three thousand dollars, why
John that's large sum to lose"
Large or small its gone"
But where 2" my wife queried,
perplexed and anxious. "Wbo co I'D
have known it was there? Have
you ever spoken Of the the money be.
fore-anybody? People will do
such miserably strange things some
times"
"Yes l have spoken Of having that
amount by me, two or three times,
but no one was present but you and
Susie. 1t was an abominsbly care
less thing to do leaving itlying around
loose instead of putting it in the bank
as / should" Day after day we
looked for the money, speaking Of our
to no one, until finally we
gave it up for lost A week after
this Nelly came to my room with Q |
pale face.
"It's so strange" she murmured,
"and do hate to have such thoughts,
but John where could Susie have got |
that splendid diamond solitaire ?n she |
half whispered.
What solitsre!" / asked.
you have not seen it; she wore |
it tonight for the FIRST time"
II suppose she is engaged-Harry !
gave it to her," suggested.
But Harry didn't give it to her. |
asked her and she said no."
"The deuce!" was all ] could
say.
And John, it really looks alarm
ing, the number Of costly things she
has been buying oflste. Thirty dol.
lars for q parasoll only think! and
mine didn't cost twenty, COX Of
the dantiest gloves, everything by
the dozen"
We looked at each other in ST.
lence.
About the richest black silk you
ever saw-better than mine. The
must have cost . hundred
what viii the dress come to
when it is made upi"
Whist can it all mean ?" l que
ried-