Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1879-08-16

" II
@Win you take charge of go till to
morrow morning, MarianT lf
Take charge Of go, Harold r. ech0e(
my wife in amazement. what DO you
settled myself down to an explana
ton. Explanations are things hate
nevertheless, they are necessary some
times. One was due on this occasion.
"You know, my dear Marian" began
with q business-like air, that the fail.
ure Of Hardinge Brothers threw scores
Of men, women and children in this
neighb0rh0od out Of work, In the very
hardest part Of very bad year. This
evening q meeting was held with q view
to enlisting the sympathy Of the public
A subscription list was gotten up and 9
collection was made then and there Il
the tune Of go. As nothing else could
be done with the money tonight, was
as treasurer, obliged to bring Ii home
and very nervous l felt, / can assure yot
at coming along these lonely roads with
such q sum. However, reached home
safely in spite of my fears, and now
viii deliver II over to you until l car
get rid Of It." So. III
and so free your mind from all re.
sponsibility, added my wife with smile
She knows that one OF my chief weak.
nesses Is dread Of responsibility.
"As far as possible" / replied.
We went Immediately into q consulta-
ton as to where the money should be
put / suggested the meat safe, as q
place to which thieves would never
dream of going for money, but my wife
poOh-poohed the idea, as well as several
other suggestions of mine, which
thought were not 50 bad. At last an
idea struck her In the shape Of the wine
draw, in the cupboard of the sideb0ard
BY this means the money would be
doubly safe, she argued, for the draw
might first be locked, in addition to lock-
ing the door. looked rather contempt
uOusly on the plan. for, il the truth be
told, felt 1t was only due to myself to
do so, since my wife treated every sug-
gestion of mine In similar manner.
Both of US failing to hit upon any.
thing better, the wine-bin was agreed
upon; and. as I looked over the evening
paper. I watched her place the black
japanned box in the drawer, lock it, lock
the side-b0ard, and place the key in hel
own purse.
"Therew she exclaimed triumphantly
II shouldn't think that any one would
get at that before tomorrow
morning, for this purse goes into the
well of my dressing-case tonight, and
and that will be locked and the keys put
away In my dressing-table drawer, so
we are doubly and trebly secure"
In spite of these precautions there was
q load on my mind, that / felt would
only be removed when the money was
safe in the bank. envied my wife her
half an hour she was quietly sleeping,
while tossed restlessly to. and fro,
thinking Of the money and wondering
whether any one could get at it. Atlast
. grand idea struck me, which was to
put 1t inside the piano. Who would
dream Of searching for treasure in such
q place !? whereas, what robber coming
into house would not 60 to sideb0ard?
and the very fact of finding it doubly
locked would make him suspect that
something was hidden there. Plainly
enough Mistress Marian, with all her
cleverness, had chosen the very worst
place possible. Should i 60 down and
remove 1t? knew where the keys were
to be found. had half mind to do so,
If only for the sake Of quieting my fears
and getting little sleep. No doubt ]
shorld have done so, had not circum-
stance interyened-I fell asleep. @
B seemed scarcely an hour afterwards
that 1 awoke and heard sounds Of life in
the street below. Well, SO far all was
safe enough no robbers had molested
MS. and I felt 80 comfortable and easy
now that all danger was over that / began
TO laugh at my nervous fears. How
stupid It would have been to have gone
down stairs in the middle OF such Q bit
ter night Thank goodness I had been
too strong minded for that. i fell of in
10 another dOze, and as q natural conse-
uuence was late for breakfast. That
meal was hurried one, and when It
was over and 1 had my coat and hat on
ready to start Of 80 an important ease,
reminded Marian of the money, and
begged her to get It out quickly.
II had quite forgotten IT," she
exclaimed. Here. Martha, run up stairs
and fetch me my purse out Of my dress
ing case; the keys are In my dressing
table drawer. - - IS
Martha Jew up stairs to do her mis-
tress's bidding, while ] stood and chat
ed In the hall and submitted TO have my
coat brushed, ma moment she tetdrn-
ed, bringing the purse, and Marian ran
into the dining-room. Two or three
minutes passed and Marian was still
fumbling at the sideboari. I entered
the room impstiently. Marian looked at
me Grossly. sial
This is quite too bad, Harold. What
have you done with the box ?" So -
Done with the boxp exclaimed;
"what do You mean, Mariana" D. g >
IT won't stand this trifing any longer"
replied my wife. "It's a shame to give
me the responsibility of that money and
then tease me like this"
What on earth Is the woman talking
about?" / cried, bewildered. Say what
you mean In plain English, I beg"
The money Is not here. It's gone,
box fand al" Marian replied with q
white face. 90 a 81 -
aGoner / cried, @gonel Where is 1t
gone, hows 1t gone, or who has taken 1t,
I should like to know? You must be
faving. Let me come and lO0k." =.
Marian moved aside and, / knelt down
to the drawer. No sign Of the box was
there. As my wife had said, the money
was gone. ~ :, s.se.s. s..s- &, rs s
But how, when or where? The drawer
was locked, the cupboard was locked,
the dressing case was locked, the purse
was inside Of 1t, the keys in the dress
ING table drawer, These things nv wife
and Martha were sure Of. A man in
such position is bound to have an idea
on the subject, and to assert it, 80 I sug-
gested that Martha must be the culprit,
aNo. no, don't say that" cried my wife
exeitediy. II would as soon believe that
/ was the thief as she. Eve known her
all my life. No, no. il isn't Martha"
an air Of superiority, for really women
have no reasoning powers whatever