The Portland daily press., 1875-09-11

very tired, went up stairs before me few
minutes. When l reached our room found
her sitting by the open window. She did
not stir for moment, but when l was partly
undressed, said she had left her lace handker-
chief in the parlor and must go for it. Pres
emily she came flying back.
ooh, Jack, Uncle Ward wants to see you.
Can't you put on your clothes and come
DOWN."
''Why, what made him so late?' said 1
rising hastily, tor Mr.. Ward was my mothers
only brother and had been like father TO me
in my early orphanage.
81 don't know" She said, her face pale
with excitement, "but hurry dear; it is so
late'' ...-
made good speed as the old ballads say,
but when We reached the parler there was no
Uncle Ward there turned to Nan With
surprise In looks and words.
II didn't say he was here dear; he wasn't.
But there is burglar in our room-under
| the bed, think and ! wanted to get you
| down."
''Nanv' I exclaimed.
There is, there isl Oh, Jack, smelt the
horrid tobacco the minute l went in, but 1
thought he would suspect if l went right
back, and opened the window so could
call if you delayed long, and so you would nos
perceive the smell too and make remarks
about it. Please get a policeman right
away"
What could 1 do? Could tell that super
cilious and condesceIding creature, the clerk,
/ that my wife smelt burglar, and wanted a
| policeman? Yet had faith to believe that
she did, knowing her as did. [ took refuge
in the well-known weakness OF the sex, toll
| Nanon to sit in the parlor till l came back,
and with shame on my countenance and a lie
on my tongue, represented to the clerk that
my wife was feeble and very nervous, and had
an idea not to be reasoned away, that there
| was burglar in our room. Would he kindly
send for policeman? With mild contempt
on every lineament no rang a bell and gave
the needful order, and in FIVE minutes the
article arrived. We mounted the stairs to 46,
and began our search. There was nobody
under the bed or in the closet, but the police
man signed me to shut the door, and insert
ing key from his pocket into the wardrobe
door, which suddenly observed was without
the key Nan had used after putting away her
cloak and hat, he laid violent hands on a
slight, wiry, Unlocking fellow, who tried to
slip past him, but submitted when he saw
there were two of us,
| On investigation next day, he disclosed
that we had been watched all the way from
home, my wife's devotion to her hand bag
observed and understood, from her not
putting it down an instant, and our transit
from the station to the hotel being very brief
and in broad daylight, it had been impossible
to obtain possession of the prize, and he had
resorted to lying in wait in the wardrobe till
we should be safely asleep. The bag had
been opened, OF course, but only the empty
case found.
Neither of us slept much that night. The
diamonds went to breakfast with US, and in a
carriage from the hotel stable we convened
them to the jeweler with whom we had be-
fore communicated. They were sold and the
money deposited in a bank before dinner
time, and we went home much happier pail
than we left it.
had weighed in my mind by this time al
the advantages and disadvantages OF my
wife's peculiar faculty, and concluded that
its good outweighed its evil. With satisfied
and grateful heart I said again that night
"Bless your dear nose, Nanp'