Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-04-04
thence. OH nv agony of fear lest the

the servants, I conjectured.
My hand was upon the key Of the
door, when the handle, with sharp
click, betrayed me.
l heard quick step across the apart
ment. A moment decided me.
l must feign somnambulism.
In another instant the door was
opened, and [, with my eyes fixed wide
open, entered the room.
The thief started back with smoth
cred exclamation of surprise
dared not look at him, but walked
straight past him to the bureau, and
spoke the following words disiointedly {:
Il lost my key here. Where can it
The man walked over to the other end
b the room, where an overcoat was
ung on the back of chair, and began
to search the pc ckets.
had in that moment time to regard
him.
could hardly forbear cry; for, in
this room, trying to rob my mother and
myself of our jewels, was Monsieur
Mention.
He returned to the bureau (where l
was still fumbling to find the key, and
forced one into my hand.
l then pretended that I had found
what I wanted, and, turning round, left
the room.
have often wondered since then why
I did not raise the house, but, truth to
tell, my movements on that night were
quite mechanical; my faculties seemed
to have given away under the unnatural
tension to which they had been sub
jected; I felt a sort of stupor, and
hardly knew whether I was asleep or
awake. ! returned to nay bedroom,
and, looking at the key as placed it on
my dressing table, saw that it was that
of the front door of our house, which
Monsieur Mention must have taken from
my fathers study aftef We had all retired
for the night.
Then [ returned to he'd, leaving q
thief Downstairs ransacking the place.
After about o quarter of an hour /
heard stealthy step ascend the stairs.
/ closed my eyes; and as I did SO my
door was opened, and again [ under
went another examination by the light
of the lantern.
Presently I heard my prosecutor go
over to the dressing table. There was
no article of jewelry there; SO if that
was what he wanted, he was disappoint-
ed. Soon he withdrew from my room,
and descended the stairs once more. [
heard nothing more. I cannot say /
slept, but the heavy stupor which had
been creeping over me deepened into
complete insensibility, and I remained
In that state till morning. It was my
habit to wake without being called by
the servant, but it was late when arose
the following morning, and was in
formed by the maid that my father and
mother were at breakfast. I could not
wait till was dressed to tell my adven-
ture, SO threw on my gown, and hur-
ried to the breakfast room. [ opened
the door. My fathers back was turned
to me, and my mother was facing me.
She looked up as I entered the room
looked up, yes, and, with terrific
scream, rushed toward ME.
My father evidently thought, as I did,
that she was deranged, till ne looked at
nae, when he in his turn uttered cry
of surprise and horror. My parents
both dragged ne to the chimney-piece,
above which there was looking glass.
1t was then my turn to exclaim. When
[ took down my hair to brush it the
night before, it was black as jet; now it
was streaked with gray.
The work of years had been accom-
pished in one terrible night vi
An explanation was asked, and an ex-
PLANTATION given; after which my mother
left the room, and in few moments
returned, Bringing with her the key of
the bureau.
"You must have been dreaming, my
love, " she said; /" evidently not s. thing
had been touched. Our iewelry is as
safe as it was this time yesterday"
"Well, where is Monsieur Mention ?"
I asked.
Gin his room, undoubtedly, an
swered my father. So saying, he went
from the room, but quickly returned
with pale face. and in his hand more,
hastily written in pencil.
81 Read it aloud" LIE said, handing it
to my mother, who took it, and read as
| follows: lis
My VERY DEAR FRIENDS: 1 write to say fare
| well to you. We shall never meet sgain.
| When you read the confession I am about to
make, you will think yourselves well rid of one
VINO acceptoO your nOSplGallty anu In6n turned
| traitor. @
| Yes, am poor, dsspicable wretch. You,
| my beuefactor, remember that last evening [
asked you to help me in some money matters,
which you said you could not do and you
know I had asked yon several times BEFORE
and you had declined; but yesterday night you
said you had given mo nay final answer. I
then grew desperately though 10 your facs fair
enough, and determined to steal the money
from you, if could get it i'll no other way. s
Earlier in the evening-before our converse
| ton in your study-you may remember that
your daughter (who by the way, never seemed
| to like or trust ne) WAS seated at her bueeau
| looking at some je welry. An idea seized me
that ii could only get possession OF these
| jewels-for some of them were very costly-L
could sell them 1t price which would not
only pay my debts, but would leave me enough
beside 10 enable me to got clear out of the
country.
Your daughter, in having locked her Bureau
did not take her key, but |, fG it 10 the lock;
| therefore, so far the way was paved for me.
did my best to cohquer these temptations.
but alas we are but weak creatures. and | az
| length succumbed, and resolved to turn Cob !
my friends: pass over the word as soon as pos
III ~ 1c, No ar rnr ia