The Van Buren press., 1876-08-01

afraid shall have to dismiss her soon,
Margaret Mum, am begiuing to believe,
has one very bad habit"
"She surely don't drink or take opium,
cried Mrs. Bonnycastle. "She CAN'T
MY dear Mrs. Bonnycastle, said
Mrs. Cameron, "if Margaret is really
!. without the habit suspect her of. l shall
be sorry have allowed the idea to enter
my mind IL she is much addicted to it,
as suppose, why then you must know it
soon. Pardon me, il for the young wo.
mans sake, do not mention my suspi-
cions more definitely just yet"
Mrs. Bonnycastle went home greatly
bewildered but her curiosity did not
prey upon her mind very long, The ve-
ry next day che received note from Mrs
Cameron, which ran thus:
Dear MH,. -BoNNYcAsTLE: The time
has come when can plainly mention
Margaret's bad habit, without doing her
any injustice Will you lunch with me
at o'clock today FRANCIS CAMERON,
Two O'Clock found Mrs, Bonnycastle
at Mrs. Cameron's door. 1t was opened
by man servant, who showed Mrs Bon
nyeastle directly to Mrs. Camerons bou
deir.
The door was locked. Mrs Cameron
herself opened it very little to let Mrs.
Bonnycaste in: and as soon rs she
crossed the sill that lady saw Margaret
Mum standing with her handkerchief to
her eyes, sobbng as if her heart would
break,
"Yor may go now, Margaret" said
Mrs. Cameron.
"Oh, dear! Oh, dear" sobbed Marga-
ret What an unhappy woman am,
to be sure I'd lever die than steal
would, indecd-I'd lever die. Mrs. Bon
nycastle you don't believe it of me p
!, Believe that you would sbe dishon-
est 7 No, indeed, Maggie" said Mrs. Bon
nyeastle; and as the door closed behind
he, humble friend. she turned question
ing and indignant face upon quiet Mrs.
. Cameron
I" My DEAR said the lady, sit down,
, beg fyou. Don't be distressed. Let
me take your hat and shawl. am very
sorry, but it can't be helped. ! wrote
that could explain to you what Margaret s
bad habit was. will now do so. Yes,
, terday l should say it was pltering now
! must tell you it was theft"
You might as well accuse me as Mar
r garrett cried Mrs. Bonnycastle.
. Listen, if you please to my explana-
ton before you blame me-" said Mrs.
Cameron. From the first day of Mar
t garets arrival have missed little arti
cles now aud then an old cuff, now an
Lot N linz opllar tt6xJ frnua N
) chair, an old necktie. buttons, odds and
ends, you know nothing valuable. My
: women servants have all been with me
) for years. l took poor mamma's house.
t hold, you know. The men never come
up stairs. The little losses never occur
t ed to me before. | made up my mind
: after while that Margaret was at the
bottom of it all but at FIRST, was not
sure but that she in her neatness had
tucked it out of sight.
At last lost a lace collar worth Of.
teen dollars. gave thorough search
and made inquiry. 1t was not to be
found. A month later o very valuable
lace barce varce vanished. spoke lit.
! tie suspciously to Margaret about this,
, and she showed no dscomposure. !
could not accuse her; but on Monday
i my pearl bracelet disappeared..under cir
t cumstances that leave no doubt in my
mind of Margaret's guilt.
| We hold family worship every morn.
ing, you know. All the servants, being
t of our own religion, are present. Mar
garet, holding different faith, does not
present herself 1t was ut this time the
bracelet disappeared. laid it on my
cushion before ran down to breakfast
When went into my room it was gone
/ Margaret was the only person in the up
per part of the house besides her grand,
, mother"
t "Some stranger has stolen it. Any
sneak thief, any tramp, might do it, but
. Margaret never would" said Mrs Bon
nycastle.
!, "My dear" said Mrs. Cameron, abe.
; fore l took any active measures. l called
on Mrs. Coulter, with whom Margare,
lived just as she does with me--Grannie
and all-before she came here, and ask
, ed her plainly why she did not keep her
{ At first she refused to tell. Then | told
her my suspicious. 1t will surprise you
to hear that she then confessed to having
( lost SO many things, that she also lost
her faith in Margaret. So there is u po.
, liceman down stairs, and Margaret L
trunks are to be searched, and unless she
makes confession. l shall not let her of
Z SO easily, for she is the worst hypocrite
! ever met"
1 Il won't listen any longer" eric d MIRA
. Bonnycastlc. I'D trust Margaret with
/. untold gold. One of your dear old ser
, wants has done it, Of course, and you sus
pect the stranger. I'll go to Margaret. >
t Suddenly she stopped. A wall rang
r through the house--an awful cry. Mrs
!, Cameron caught Mrs. Bonnycastle by the
arm.
. People only scream that way over
the dead" she said. "Whatis it Where
is it?"
They rushedto the door. In the hall
they met the servants The policeman
t also hurried up stairs. The cry had
come from the housekeeper's room, and
thither they all made their way. 1t was
Margarets voice that they had heard,
/ and there in her arms sat the cause
Grannie, in her ruffled cap and apron,
with her knitting in her hand, but stone
: dead
"She wrs all l had to love!" vailed