, 1880-02-12
An Eavesdropper Cautioaod


NPlr l." l.f....
the deposit ut lH. ,..
yicuous mry b u.,.. '..
Mrs Crane '.'s . ..
fashouahc.al ,.. ...sr ...
quarter ot tlt e..E. ... ra. ...
suspected e.. b.a.r. uH.. r... ...
friendly eye og Jn s.a- ., H.
seeking o I,ae v.,Il.- hHlr..a
den. a young lady ui slender t-1g' a..
gen,rel appearance wao BAL Che ir'H.
parlor. was certain tla. ,ao letters 90
her trunk were regularly Inspected and
her toilet bottles v,re tampered VITA
Mrs De Young, On the second floor
back, who was proof reader for a larg-
publishing house, found the leaves OF
her manuscripts mysteriously disor,iered
on her table. She kept no eat indeed,
she had consulted the landlady 5 prefer.
ences so far as TO give away her pet
maltese, send her dog 10 the country,
and pu. her boy in boarding school, IN
obedience to that potentatos expressed
iniunctions When Mrs Crane objected
to having the windows open in the close,
mugcy Winter weather, Mrs De Young
obediently sealed hers, and sweltercd in
company with an open fire and the odor
from an untrapped wash basin. When
Mrs Crane turned of the gas all over
the house at half past ninc no remon.
STRANGE was made, but an investment
was made in paratline candles. The
water was cut off from the upper stories
and only turned on when the landlady
went to bed, so that ablutions were re-
duced to the facilities Of hand basin,
but no complaint was made by the all
enduring feminine, aware of the gross
imposition on the world she had prac
ticed in being born woman, and the
consideration extended in allowing her
n roof over her head and rest for the
soles Of her feet for only three dollars a
week more than man would pay for
the same accommodations. But myste.
rious influences were at work in the
Crane mansion. The young German on
the top floor missed half dozen pairs
Of gloves and silk kerchicf from his
bureau, and as the door was locked and
the key with Mrs. Crane all day, injuri-
GUS suspicious formed In his mind. Tie
Lestrsde family. on the third floor traced
letters addressed to dodgers into the back
parlor where Mrs. Crane sat in com
pany with turn-up bedstead when not
otherwise employed, and the same let
ters went up stairs some hours after
wards rather tbickly gummed, and with
finger marks about the flap quite
legible to an observer of ordinary ex-
perienCe. In the dead Of night floors
creaked ominously, keyholes were mys-
teriously obscured about bedtime and an
ear placed against door panel could
detect the faint whish Of retreatihg
flounces. Add to this Mrs De Young
found letter Of Mrs. Cranes dropped
at her bedside in her own room, where
not servont was allowed to penetrate,
and which she' swept and busted with
her own hands. As the doors were
locked every time she went out, the
conclusion was evident that the letter
did not blow there by chance, and the
discovery that Mrs. Cranes keys fitted
every door in the house settled any
doubts ON the matter Mrs De
Youngs subsequent action in put
ting spring locks aud bolts on her door,
and in asking leave to have private
letter box in the hall, was denounced by
Mrs Crane as highly unladylike and
insinuatinS, not to say suspicious. The
letter box was Indignantly forbidden;
but as Mrs. De Young had tue spring
lock put on without asking or demand
ing leave, no action could be taken on
that count.
Soon after this marked increase was
apparent in the letters which came to
Mrs. De Young These were mostly
in bold masculine hand, scented with
cigar smoke, and rather lightly sealed.
BY means not specified, Mrs. Crane
possessed herself of the facts that
well.todo gentleman was violently in
love with Mrs. De Young, was making
appointments with her for lunches and
drives and conducting himself in
most loyerlike fashion. Large bouquets
and baskets Of flowers were anonymous
ly sent to the house in the dusk Of the
evening On receipt of which Mira DE
Young was observed to blush deeply,
and on scrutiny applied 70 the proper
point, viz, the keyhOle. was seen 10
press the flowers conyulsiyely 10 hey