The Worthington advance., 1879-04-17

But what tickle, aattering world is ourse
Our needs We must not measure by its ways,
For oft 1t hides sharp thorns with faireat !
flowers,
Then God has given . calling to us all,
A heaven that must be battled for and won,
It matters not, 80 as Gods work is done."
-Annie Laura Nasthesos.
THE WOUNDED HAND.
A German Detectives Story.
On the 22d of May, 1875, l stood In our Of
fee, behind my desk, when our chief entered
the room with q letterin mis- hand, and ad-
dressed me with an invitation to undertake
the unravelliug Of mystery which had baf-
fed the local police at T. lconsented, and de.
parted for the scene Of the crime which had
been committed, much limited. however, as
to the time was allowed for spending on the
case.
Two hundred and hfty-five thousand marks
had been stolen from the widow OF = well. con-
nectcd man named FriedoW. Her villa stood
outside the gates OF small town, and the lost
property consisted chiefly in coupons ana
such value, together with little coin. Her
habit was to keep all papers Of importance, as
well as money, in q chest OF drawers beside
her bed. Her sleeping-rOom was situated on
the first floor, and had but one window, which
looked out upon the yard. Her confidential
friends had often advised Frau Friedow to
keep her gold at least in some safer place,
but she had always resisted such counsel, and
| put no faith in banks or BANKERS. As to
! safe!-she had averred that II robbers did ever
molest her, unless her trusty dog and her
| faithful Frederick, who was her factotum and
the only male person upon her little property,
could protect her, an iron box would avail
little beyond perhaps delaying the thieves in
| laying hold OF what they wanted.
On the night of the 7th OF May the poor
lady Was suddenly awakened about twelve
o'clock. Her room was Illuminated. Before
! her bed stot q small, thin man, with q lau-
| tern in his left hand and hatchet In his
right.
In rough, disguised voice he threatened to
| knock out her brains il she so much as ven-
! tured to utter asouud. The unfortunate Frau
| was alreauy yoiceless from alarm. This
| speech could scarcely make her more quiet
! but she could use her eyes. and did SO for the
next few seconds while her visitors remained
with her. She saw that the SPEAKERS wore
black hose, blue blouse, and a mask. and
| that two more men were busy in the back
| ground breaking open her chest OF drawers.
| In the farthest back division, covered over by
| stockings, yarn and fax, lay round tin case,
| in which she kept her movable treasures.
| She was just recovering herself sufficiently to
begin thinking about risking her life by call
| ing fol help, when the smothered yelling of a
| dog was heard without. The thieves had
| found what they wanted, however, and sprang
with it to the window, one sash of which was
| open. They threw themselves upon ladder
without, aud descended to the ground, while
| the third man still kept guard beside the bed.
Frau Friedow cried, "Help! Help!" with all
her might.
| You may scream as long as you like now,"
he muttere turning away and following the
others from the room.
Frederick appeared at this instant, having
been awakened by the noise. He found the
ladder still in its place, and below and Just in
time to save the life Of the house-dog, which
had been almost choked by a cord twisted
round his reck fastening him to his kennel.
The man-servant reused up the neishbors,
but all pursuit then or LATER by friends private
" or by the police publicly, had been in vain
Not the least clew had hitherto been obtained
Us to the identity of the house breakers.
| This was how the matter stood when
arrived at I. When l had privately communi-
lcated with the magistrates, my second visit
was naturally paid to Frau Friedow. Isough ht
| everywhere for any special indications which
might put me on the right track, but what
found was desperately little. Like those who
had gone before me, concluded that the rob.
berry had. at any rate, been accomplished by
persons we'll acquainted with the locality, US
the entrance to the premises had been made
by small door in the yard, of the very exist
ence OF which many of the neighbors were
unaware The ladder made use Of had been
dragged out OF nook in which It had long
lain concealed. A pane Of glass had been
smashed in the window of the bedroom to
enable one Of the assailants to slip back the
bolt. few footprints had been traced, but
there was nothing remarkable about their
appearance, and they had been lost at once
upon the high road or street upon which the
little courtyard opened.
| One thing seemed certain amid the maze Of
| ho .hroo
sought from among neighbors, servants,
friends or relations. Now theneighbor theory.
| urOn investigation, seemed utterly futile, and
one glance at old Frederick was enough to
make one dismiss oil thoughts connected with
the second term in the list. There remained
the friends and relations in the habit of visit
ing at the villa. The widow rad not the faint
est suspicion Of foul play in any OF these;
nevertheless, made her describe and closely
particularize them all to me. took up half
a-dozen imaginary scents. I ran hithcr and
and thither. | telegraphed in various direc-
tons. worked, in fact in the sweat Of my
brow, but,alas! The result was simply nothing,
nothing, nothing. never before had been so
utterly puzzled and hopelessly atfault.
On the fourth day OF my residence at T.
went again to the villa, where the widow
greeted me 18th eyes full of expectation.
| Frau Friedow,"I said,'i seems to me hard
ly possible that you are without suspicion in
every quarter. There must surely be some
one or other on whom you. mind has fixed, if
it were Tut for second. Confess it is 80, and
conide in me-"
u assure you have not even shadowy
thought such as you describe" she replied. in
amuch disappointed tone.
"And has nothing more struck you about
those men you saw in your room than YOU
have already mentioned? One remembers
things on due consideration which have been
often overlooked before. Did you not CO no
popularity about any Of the scoundrels-in
the voice, ::or instance, the way of standing,
the hands Of him who held the axe9 Had he
on ring? Did he look rough, like the 9TH
ers?''
"rhere was one little thing may not have
told before" she replied, slowly. 1t was scarce
worth telling; When the two fellows ran Of
window slapped down as they disappeared.
the third man pushed it up again to 20 .after
them, but in so doing think he must have
put his hand through the broken pane and
have hurt it with the glass. in his haste. l
certainly heard him mutter to himself as II
he we're in distress.
WAS there no trace Of blood leftr' asked,
anxiously.
None whatever"
began my Investigations anew, and this
time with the doctor of the district. We
got into lively dissertation upon wounded
hands, and in particular upon hurts inflicted
very il. i..teresting fact, that some three weeks
since, when the medico was riding home to
breakfast after an early call, strange man
had suddenly appeared in the middle Of the
highway, and had implored his help. He
complained Of having fallen upon heap of
glass. The doctor took out his pocket case Of
instruments and extracted five sp]inters from
the inaamed palm. While he did so the pa-
tient whimpered like a woman.
"How was the fellow dressedm I cried.
brcathlesslY.
| "A blue blouse aud black anderclothes. 80
far as can recall"