The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1878-02-01

about the place except the gardener,
and he seems most respectable man.
got a very high character of him from
his last place,in fact, we are told he was
most Trustworthy person.
Next day there was wonderful com
motion about the missing jewel-case.
The police were sent for, and every
place was searched over and over again,
but to no purpose. One thing, howev-
er,puzzled us; on the window-sill was a
foot-mark, and near the dressing-table
a little bit Of earth, as II of shoe or
boot, which led US 10 think that the
thief must have come in through the
window. But how did he get up 10 itP
II was good height from the ground,
and the creeping plants were not in the
least broken, as would have been the
case had any body climbed up by them
A ladder must have been employed, and
il was little TO the credit Of the police
that this fact had not been properly
considered. As the matter stood il was
mystery, and seemed likely to remain
so, and only one earring was left of the
valuable set.
In few days left for school, where
| remained for four years. spent
every vacation between my home and
my godmother's. We often spoke Of
the stolen diamonds, but nothing had
ever been heard Of them, though a re-
ward Of ESQ had been offered by Mr.
Hall for any information that would
lead 10 the detection Of the thief. On
my sixteenth birthday my godmother
gave me beautiful watch and chain and
the diamond earring, which she had got
arranged as necklet.
~ am so sorry, Lilian,' said she,
'sthat have not the rest of those dia-
monds to give you; but # ever they are
found, they shall be yours, my dear: \"
| must now pass over six years, hch
went by quietly and happily, nothing
very important taking place until the
last year. during which time had been
married. My husband was a barrister
We lived in the north Of England. My
mothcr-in-law, Mrs. Benson, and Mary,
one Of her daughters, lived some miles
away from US, near the sca-coast. 1t
was very lonely place, long way
from the little fishing-town, or rather
village, of Burnley. | confess l often
feis very nervous about Mrs. Benson and
her daughter living alone Cher husband
being dead many years.. Except three
women servants in the house and the
coachrnan and his family, who lived in
the lodge, there was no one nearer than
Burnley, four miles off. Besides, il was
known that there was a large quantity
of plate in the house and the little sea
side village was often the resort Of
smugglers and other wild and lawless
characters. One day, while thinking of
them, l felt SO uneasy that l said to my
husband: II hope, Henry, that there is
nothing wrong with your mother: she
has been in my mind all day."
.Oh,r said he, "why should you feel
so anxious about her to-day? saw her
last Tuesday; and il she were i'll, Mary
would be sure to let us know. IL is
only one of your sfancies,' little WIFE"
Still did not feel easy, for more than
once before my so called :. fancy had
proved to be "reality;- SO l deter
mined that in few days would 60 and
see Mrs. Benson. All that evening !
could not get her out of my thoughts,
and ii was long time before went to
sleep. think it must have been about
. O'Clock in the morning that woke in
state Of terror. had dreamed that
saw Mrs. Benson standing in the win
dow Of her bedroom, reckoning me to
come to her, and pointing 10 a female
figure who WAS stealing along under the
shade of the trees i'm the avenue, for the
moon was shining brightly.
started up. thinking | heard her call
ing me. And here is the most extraor-
binary part Of il although | was now
quite awake, | heard, as | thought, a
voice saving to me: $50 tell Mrs. Ben
son Martha is deceiving her tell her to
send her away at once"
Three times these words seemed TO be
repeated in my ear. cant describe
exactly what the voice was like; il was
not loud. but quite distinct; and felt as
listened that il was warning, and
that must obey il. woke my hus-
band and told him my dream and the
words had heard. lie tried to calm
nv mind, and evidently thought me fool
ish to be so frightened by only stupid
dream. said / would drive over the
first thing after breakfast and see if any
thing was wrong with Mary or her
mother. The only thing that puzzled
me was that Martha should be mention
cd As dcceiving Mrs. Benson. She act
ed a. housekeeper and lady's maid q
her. and was believed to be most trust
worthy In every way. She had been
four years with her, and was mnch re-
spected She was a silent, reserved
kind 81 person, about 30 years ~ age
One thing had often remarked about
her was, that when speaking 70 any one
she never looked straight al them; but
thought il might be from kind o.
shyncss more than any thing else.
As soon a. breakfast was over 1 set
t, telling ny husband would very