The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-02-02
Ny Auqts SurQmer Boarders,

Ny aunt came downstairs one morning
greatly excited. Louise, step here a
moment" she said.
I followed her into small reception
room with some anxiety, for | knew by
the pallor of her face, by the cap-strings
united, the absence of care in ber toilet,
that something unusual had recently hap
pened.
"Louise, what am to think?" she
asked, as seated myself beside her. "Miss
Berry came to me last Thursday morning;
let me see"-she referred to her tablets
"yes, it was Thursday, and told me that
she missed her gold necklace with the jet
and gold cross. 1 said nothing to you
about it, though it worried me very much,
This morning she cannot find her diamond
ring, though she is sure she put it in her
iewel-box last night; and she says costly
lace handkerchief is also missing What
are we to think? Of course the servants
could not get access to her room in the
night. How could | suspect either Bar
| bara or Hannah? l Gould as soon accuse
YOU"
A chain and cross, diamond ring, and
a valuable lace handkerchief-the idea of
such loss nearly took my breath away.
Miss Berry was one of my aunt's summers
boarders. She was Southern woman OF
good family, and had spent two summers
with us. Her health being so delicate that
she did not like to room by herself, she
had hinted that another inmate, in whom
we had confidence, would be agreeable to
to her. So when, in early June, a letter
came to US, purporting to be from Dr..
Russell, an old friend of my aunt, asking
if we would accommodate his neice, aunty
was very glad of the opportunity, and had
our large, best room arranged for the oc-
cupancy of two
Miss Berry was a quiet little woman
of some twenty-six or seven years. She
had been very pretty, but ill-health and
disappointment in early life had given her
q faded and sad expression. She was
quite wealthy in her own right, and though
not following the fashion to its full extent,
she always looked very stylish and lady
like.
Miss Betty Willis, the other boarder-
neice of Dr.. Russell, of whom she talked
a great deal-was the exact opposite Of
Miss Berry. She was handsome, tall
dashing, and very brilliant. l had moi
been impressed in her favor, but Aunt Joe
and Miss Berry both admired her. She
brought with her very elegant Saratogs
trunk, filed with an abundance of beautiful.
dresses.
| wondered more than once why this
handsome young girl wished to board ii
so retired a country place. To be sure, il
was one of the most beautiful locations il
the State. There were mountain views
Lake views, and lovely stretches of varie
gated landscape. Aunt Joe was of g
social, happy nature, and always had mor'
! or less young company. Still, | always
thought it singular that Miss Betty did no
join some party among her numerous
friends, and spend her summer at fashion
able watering place. We two, aunt and I
T. talked the matter over, but came to no con
clusion. 1t was not to be disputed tina
3 Miss Berry had lost her valuables, and sh
was person to whom any loss was Sc
5 rious one; yet she had promised my aun
i to say nothing about it for a time.
"What were we to do? Our servant
D had been with US for years, one from he
J childhood, and we could not suspect eithe
of them. There was no one else in tn
I house save Miss Berry and Miss Betty
: both of whom had become, seemingly, YER
r much in love with each other, for the
were seldom apart. Miss Berry alway
left the key with my aunt when the tw
rambled by themselves, but to-day she cal
/ ried it with her, and l could see that m
Q aunt felt very mucn hurt.
As soon as we had the opportunity W
t searched every part of the house whel
: there was any possibility of finding tt
! missing articles, but without success
J. Miss Berry, who was always dignifet
seemed colder than ever to aunt and m.
|. self, and the situation grew very uncon
Q Portable for all.
a In proportion as Miss Berry grew di
= tant, however, Miss Betty became more
' fectionate, especially toward me. One d'
when we were sitting alone in the parlo