The Van Buren press., 1875-06-08

y
lips. He had sketched such to me by the
hour, and | knew some of the young la.
dies with whom he was on very friendly
terms The idea Of his fancying this
cold grey little creature, with no figure
to boast of, and manner SO quiet that
she was seldom noticed at all, was pre-
posterous.
at fattered him to see her absorbed
by his picture, said; "only praise
him and I'm not sure that Beelzebub him
self might not hold him in the chains OF
eternal friendship. Harry Lonsdale is
the vainest man | ever saw for a man
who really is great genius"
We'll, wen see, " said my wife, with
that confident little nod Of hers. "It
will be sufficient punishment for your un
belief if | only have ts.i chance to say
some time, told yeus b. -
To my great establishment Harry
called at the house three evenings out OF
the week, after that. and under the infu
ence of his presence that little grey cous.
in grew positively 5eautifu!. noticed a
change in her department She seemed
at times more preoccupied; at others,
eated, mirthful, almost wildly happy ;
particularly on those days when It seemed
probably Harry would come | began
to share in my wifc's anticipations, and
began to watch Harry. He did not seem
exactly like an impassioaed lover.
About this time, my wife said to me
one day that Susie was receiving letters
from some far off friend
:" notice when they come; sometimes
| hand them to her, but she never mon.
tons them again. Shouldn't you think
she would speak about them 2" asked my
wife.
Susie's movements were now of i'm
portance in my eyes. How had that
plain little girl contrived to captivate
handsome, popular Harry Lonsdale. the
most exacting fellow in his relations with
women ever kIew2 The thing GER
tainly was done.
Susie came out in a new character
Her grey dresses were frightened with
exquisite bits of color She spoke to
my wife of needing new dresses, and to
Ncllie's astonishment bought herself sew
eral Then came ornaments, few, but
choice and costly.
"Where do you suppose she gets the
money p asked Nellie.
d" How do we know but she may be
rich and ecccntric? was my response,
-" on pitied her, and thought her poor
lone girl, but her father may have pos.
sessed property to a large amount for all
we can tell. "
Nellie shook her wise head
Il don't believe he left a ccnt-indeed,
what am saying it i, matter Of Ger
tainty that he did not T'r susie tod me
so herself Beside ~: -ould have got
fine things eaough,~t sGy's oftimes. I've
seen the look in her tie when I've been
shopping at Stewards, suggestive of
emptiness Of pocket and anguish of spir-
it--ior you see now what lovely taste
she has. But wish she wasn't such a
secret thing, that's what tormenls me; |
do like to bc confldcd in.
What followed made the conversation
memorable. Some months previous
had received the sum of three thousand
dollars for small piece Of land This
money, or part of it, l had occasion to
use. | went up to the closet in my room.
one side Of which served as a safe. To
my utter astonishment, the money was
not there | searched the closet through,
and then called my wife for a consulta-
ton
Together we looked in every available
place-cleared the shelves Of the library,
searched through all the closets, bureaus,
boxes, trunks and hooks that the house
afforded but in vain, the money was
gone; no sign of bank bills anywhere.
"Where could you have put them :
asked my wife, tired and discouraged.
81 put them in that closet; my key
has been in that little box on the end of
the mantle-piece; I have never been to
the closet since left the money there,
but some one else has, it seems ~
None of the servants but old Hester
ever comes into this rosm," murmured
Nellie, land would stake my life on her
honesty"
"Of course, and so would |. "
"Three thousand dollars; why, John,
that's a large sum to lose.
Large or small it's gone.
but where p my wife queried. per
picked and anxious. "Who could have
known it was there? People will do such
miserably strange things sometimes. "
"Yes, have spoken Of having that
amount by me, two or three times, but
no one was present but yon and Susie.
1t was an abominablc careless thing to
do, leaving 1t laying loose instead ofput
ting it in the bank, MS ] should.
Day after day we looked for the mon
ey, speaking Of our suspicious to no one,
until finally we gave it up for lost. A
week after this Nellie came to my room
with pale face
Its SO strange she murmnrcd
d" and do hate to have such thoughts ;
but, John, where could Susie have got
that splendid solitaire ?" she halt whis
pered.
"What solilairs?" | asked.
"You have not seen i'll She wore it
to. day for the first time.
81 suppose she's eng aged-Harry gave
it to her, suggested.
But Harry didn't give it to her. |
asked her. and she said no. y
"The deuce ~ was all | could say
"And John, it really looks alarming,
the number Of costly things she has been
buying Of late. Thirty dollars for para.
sol, only think. and mine didn't cost
twenty a box of the dairtiest gloves,
everything by the dozen.