Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1876-08-02

ike baby. She says she will never
give 1t up. 1t is very funny object
Margaret coaxed her to show it to me
one day. She held up her gown little
way and said:
"It's not so old and worn as Maggie
thinks. keep 1t mended neat, ma'am
and ! think a deal of it, l no. Lei
Maggie wear the new one herself; this
this will last me out"
"But Margaret takes it so to heart
that she cries over it."
Mrs. Cameron laughed over the story.
Grannie's quilt would never trouble
} her, as Margaret said. 1t was nothing
but joke to any one but Margaret.
Time passed on. Weeks, days, months
three of them. Margaret still re-
mained housekeeper at Mrs. Cameron's.
Grannie still sat knitting endless relays
of blue stocks at the housekeeper's fire.
side, an! the house was model of neat
ness. Never had the door-bell and
plate glittered, or the stair-rods shim-
mered in the sun as they did now. As
for dust, the house knew it not; but
despite this, Mrs. Cameron began to
speak cOldly Of her housekeeper, and to
wear an expression of face that Mrs.
BOnnycastla could not account for when
that lady mentioned her.
"Aren't you suited with Margaret p"
she asked outright, at last. And Mrs.
Cameron replied.
"a more perfect housekeeper never
lived, but, nevertheless, Pm very much
afraid shall have to dismiss her soon.
Margaret Mum, l am beginning to be-
lieve, has one very bad habit"
"She surely don't drink er take
opium" cried Mrs. Bonnycastle. "She
can't"
my dear Mrs. BOnnycastle," said
Mrs. Cameron, 'if Margaret is really
without the habit l suspect her of, l
shall be sorry have allowed the idea
to enter my mind. If she is much ad-
dicted to it as suppose, why then you
must know it soon. Pardon me, if for
the young woman's sake, ] do not men,
ton my suspicious more definitely just
yet."
Mrs. Bonnycastle went home greatly
bewildered; but her curiosity did not
prey upon ner mind very long. The
very next day she received note from
Mrs. Cameron, which ran thus:
DEAR MRS. BONNYcAsTLE: The time
has come when | can plainly mentien
Margaret's bad habit, without doing
her any injustice. Will you lunch with
me at 2 O'Clock to-day?
FRANCES CAMERON.
Two o'clock found Mrs. Bonnycastle
at Mrs. Cameron's door. 1t was opened
by the man servant, who showed Mrs.
Bonnycastle directly to Mrs. Cameron's
boudoir
The door was locked. Mrs. Cameron
herself opened it very little to let
Mrs. Bonnycastle in; and as soon as
she had crossed the sill that lady saw
Margaret Mum standing with her
handkerchief to her eyes, sobbing as if
her heart would break.
"You may go now, Margaret" said
Mrs. Cameron.
"Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" sobbed Mar
garet. "What an unhappy woman
am, to be sure! There never was such
injustice done to any one. I'd lever
die than steal would, indeed-I'd
lever die. Mrs. Bonny castle you don't
believe it of me?"
"Believe that you would be dishon-
est? No, indeed, Maggie" said Mrs.
Bonnycastle; and as the door closed
behind her humble friend, she rurned
questioning and indignant face upon
quiet Mrs. Cameron.
"My DEAR" said the lady, "sit down,
beg of you. Don't be distressed. Let
me take your hat and shawl. am very
sorry, but it can't be helped. l wrote
that 1 could now explain to you what
Margaret's bad habit was. will now
do so. Yesterday should say that it
was pilfering; now 1 must tell you it
was theft"
"You might as well accuse me as
Margaret, cried Mrs. Bonnycastle.
"Listen, if you please, to my expla-
nation before you blame me" said Mrs.
Cameron. "From the first day of Mar
garet's arrival have missed little arti-
cles; now an old cuff, now another,
now linen collar, tidy from a chair,
an old necktie, buttons, odds and ends,
you know; nothing valuable. My wo-
men servants have all been with me for
years. / took poor mammals house
hold. you know. The men never come
up stairs. These little losses never oc-
CURED to me before. l made up my
mind after while that Margaret was
at the bottom of it all; but, at first, /
was really not sure but that she in her
neatness had tucked them out of sight. |
.'At last lest lace collar worth fif-
teen dollars. gave thorough search |
and made inquiry. 1t was not to be
found. A month later very valuable
lace barbe vanished. / spoke little
suspiciously to Margaret about this.
and she showed no discomposure.
could not accuse her; but on Monday
my pearl bracelet disappeared under
circumstances that leave no doubt in
my mind of Margaret's guilt.
"we hold family worship every MORN
ing, you know. All the servants, be-
ing of our own religion, are present.
Margaret, holding different faith, does
not present herself. 1t was at this time
the bracelet disappeared. laid upon
my cushion before ran down to break
fast. When I went into my room again
1t was gone. Margaret was the only
person in the upper part of the house
besides her grandmother"
''Some stranger has stolen it. Any
sneak thief, any tramp, might do it,
but Margaret never would" said Mrs.
Bonnycastle.
ssMy dear" said Mrs. Cameron, "be-