The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-02-07
4 DREAM AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.

L
was invited by Mrs. Hall. my god
mother. to pay her visit before going
to 4 boarding-school, where l was to
remain for Il few years. My mother
had died when was very young. and
my father thsught it better for me to
be AT 4 nice school. where l would be
among girls of my own age. than in Il
house with only his sister and himself.
Mrs. Hall was very fond of me; she had
no children of her own, and, had my
father consented, she and Mr.. Hall
would have taken NE to live with them
entirely.
1t was lovely day IN June when 1
arrived at my sodmother's. and she
WAS delighted to see me. The house
was beautifully situated on high ground,
surrounded by grand old trees, and on
one side was flower garden.
One morning godmother said to me-:
Come up stairs with me, Lillian, and
1 will show YOU some Indian jewels
that my uncle left me lately" She
opened the drawer of an inlaid sandal
wood cabinet and took out Il small case,
in which were pair of earrings. Il
brooch and necklet of most beautiful
diamonds. thought had never seen
ANYTHING so beautiful before. My
dear Lillian said she. II intend to
give You these on Your sixteenth BIRTH
day. ! see. however. there is stone
loose in one OF the earrings, SO | will
take it into town to-day and have it re-
paired" She folded it up carefully
and put il in her purse: the case with
the other diamonds she put it in one of
the drawers of her dressing-glass.
After lunch Mr.. and Mrs. Hall took
me with them to the town. which was
about four miles distant. The earring
was left at the jewelers.. and as we
Were to spend the day at a friends
house we arranged to call for it on our
way back. But you will say. what has
al this to do with your dream? Well.
wait Il little and YOU will see.
We spent a pleasant day, called for
the earring on our way, and arrived
home about half-past nine o'clock. AS
WAS taking off my bonnet, godmother
came into the room. Lillian" said
She. Il cannot find the ease of dia-
monds anywhere. Did / not leave it in
the drawer in my dressing glass before
went out? Invent to put in the other
.arrin. now, and it was not there.
Who can have taken it?''
You certainly left it in the dress
in.-glas, drawer" l said. could any
of the servants have taken it, do YOU
think?'
II am sure they would not" she an
>Nered. Il have had them with me
for years. and never missed anything
before
Are there any strangers about that
could have come in through the win
,,ow?"
No. Lillian: there are no strangers
about the place except the gardener,
and he seems most respectable man.
got very high character of him
from his last place: in fact, we were
told he was most trustworthy per-
SON
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,
however puzzled us: on the window
sill was foot-mark. and near the
dressing-table little bit of earth, as if
oft shoe or boot, which led us to think
that the thief must have come in
through the window. But how did he
yet up to it? 1t was good height from
the ground, and the creeping plants
were not in the least broken, as would
have been the case had any one
climbed up by them. a ladder must
have been employed, and it was little
to The credit of the police that this
fact had not been properly considered.
As the matter stood it was a mystery,
and seemed likely to remain SO, and
only one earring was left OF the valua-
bic set.
In few days l left for school, where
] remained for four years. l spent ev-
FRY vacation between my home and my
sodmother's. We often spoke of the
stolen diamonds, but nothing had ever
Deen heard of them, though a reward
If $50 had been offered by Mr.. Hall for
any information that would lead to the
detection of the thief. On my SIX
teenth birthday my godmother gave me
Il beautiful watch and chain and the dia-
mond earring, which she had got ar
ranged as Il necklet.
II am SO sorry, Lillian" said she,
"that have not the rest of those dia.
monds to give you; but if ever they are
found, they shall be yours. my dear"
must now pass over six years
which went by quietly and happily
nothing very important taking place
antil the last year, during which time
1ad been married. My husband was {
barrister. We lived in the north of En-
gland. My mother-in-law, Mrs. Ben
son and Mary. one of her daughters
lived some miles from us, near the Sc;
coast. twas a very lonely place, /;
long way from the little fishing town
or rather Village. cs Burnley. l con
fess often felt very nervous about Mrs
Benson and ner daughter living alon
cher husband being dead many years.
Except three wOmen-servants in tn
house and the cOachman and his family
who lived in the lodge, there was n
one nearer than Burnley, four miles of
Beside, it was known that there was
large quantity of plate in the house; an
the little seaside village was often tn
resort Of smugglers and other wild an
lawless characters. One day, Will
thinking OF them, felt so uneasy ths
said to my husband: 3" hope, Henry
chat there is nothing wrong with you
mother; she has been in my mind a
day."
"Oh,n said he, "why should you fes
so anxious about her to-day? saw he
last Tuesday, and, if she were ill, Mar
would be sure to let us know. It
only one of your 'fancies,' little wife.
Still, l did not feel easy, for MOI
than once before my so-called fancy
had proved to be a reality SO | d
termined that in a few days l would 2
and see Mrs. Benson. All that evenin
could not get her out of my thought
and it was long time before l went
sleep. think it must have been abO'
three o'clock IN the morning that
woke in state of terror. hs
dreamed that I saw Mrs. Benson STAN
ing in the window of her bedroom
reckoning me to come to her. IN
pointing to female figure who WI
stealing along under the shade Of Il